Eleanor Lee Atkins

Proverbs 31:10 “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.” Eleanor Lee Miller Atkins, 93, of Gallipolis, OH, entered her Heavenly home on Saturday, September 4, 2021 following a brief illness. Eleanor was born July 17, 1928 in Leon, WV, to the late Otmer and Lucy Hill Miller. She married Carlos T. Atkins on September 10, 1948. Carlos preceded her in death in 2012. She was also preceded in death be her sister, Connie Jane Miller Moffitt and Connie’s husband Frank, her mother-in-law and father-in-law, Edith and Toral Atkins, and a brother-in-law and sister-in-law, James and Evelyn Ruth Atkins, along with many aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews; too many to name, but never forgotten. Eleanor and Carlos were blessed with three children: Sharon (David) Rees, Lisa (Keith) Jeffers, and Gregory “Greg” (Lorna) Atkins, all of Gallipolis. She had a double blessing of love from her thirteen grandchildren. They are as follows: Jeff Jeffers, Dax (Stephanie) Hill, Joe Jeffers, David (Mica) Rees, Dustin (Cassandra) Hill, Danny (Samantha) Rees, Amber Wolfe (Mark) Oliver, Jeremy (Ashley) Wolfe, Carly Atkins (Sidney) Saunders, Sarah Sydnor (Kyle) Burnett, Stephen (Sabryna) Atkins, Seth Atkins, and Grace Sydnor. In addition to her grandchildren, she is survived by twenty great grandchildren who loved her dearly. Many names came from those great grandchildren such as Mommaw Great, Mommaw Bate, Mommaw Grape, and Mommaw Bape. Proverbs 31:26-30 states: “She opens her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eats not the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed: her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but you exceed them all. Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that fears the Lord, she shall be praised.” Eleanor was a lifelong member of First Baptist Church in Gallipolis where she served as a Sunday School teacher, a deaconess, and as Church Secretary; all at different points in her life. She was a collector of “stuff” be it knickknacks, seashells, newspaper articles, and a family joke—butter bowls. Of all of the “stuff” she collected, her favorite was “collecting” time with her family and she indeed loved each and every one of them immensely. She loved the Lord and was always in constant prayer for her family. She made it known that her most important wish and prayer in life was to see each of her family members come to know the Lord as their personal Savior. She prayed for each of them at night when she went to bed and she named each one by name…no one was ever omitted. She often laughed and said she would be so tired and sleepy when she went to bed and by the time she got done praying for all of them by name, she was wide awake again. Her grandkids gave her the nickname “Night Owl” because of this pattern. She enjoyed working crossword puzzles, coloring, jigsaw puzzles, quilting, sewing, Hallmark movies, cats, and playing board games around the table with her family. She loved the ocean and vacationed many years at Myrtle Beach, SC. She was the epitome of the Proverbs 31 woman as she worked many hours with her hands sewing clothes for her family, making quilts and braiding rugs, giving home permanents, and all agree that she was a good cook. A few of her personal favorite Bible verses were Matthew 11:28, John 11:26, and II Timothy 4:7. One special quote that she had written in her Bible was, “Sin will keep you from the Bible, or the Bible will keep you from sin.” The private funeral will be Thursday, September 9, 2021. Family is respecting COVID restrictions; therefore, there will be no calling hours. There will be a private viewing for the family one hour prior to taking her to her body’s final resting place at Centenary Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests monetary donations to Holzer Assisted Living, Holzer Hospice Care, First Baptist Church library, or Ohio Valley Christian School. Willis Funeral Home is serving the family. Please visit www.willisfuneralhome.com to send e-mail condolences.