Melva Atkinson

Funeral services for Melva Atkinson, 58, will be held at 4:00 p.m. Monday, August 11, 2008 at Swift Creek Baptist Church. The Rev. David Deming and Dr. Allie Brooks will officiate with burial in the church cemetery. Brown-Pennington-Atkins Funeral Home is serving the family. The family will receive friends Sunday, August 10, 2008 from 4-6 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the South Carolina Cheerleaders Coaches Association, Nickie Moose Scholarship Fund in memory of Melva Atkinson, c/o Patti Turner, 1844 Tinker Creek Road, Union, SC 29379 or Florence Area Humane Society, Box 527, Florence, SC 29503. Ms. Atkinson died Friday, August 8, 2008. Born in Hartsville, SC, she was a daughter of the late Melvin Joseph and Mona Smith Atkinson. She was a graduate of Hartsville High School and Francis Marion University. She served the students of Florence School District One by teaching at Wilson High School in the Science Department for 35 years. She loved her subject and her students. Her enthusiasm was reflected in her creative teaching style. She also served the school in other capacities. She was a regular season judge for the Wilson Academic Team and a tournament judge at the Pee Dee Regional Tournament Competition at Francis Marion University. She was also the "Community Bunny." She took minutes at meetings, kept up with birthdays, and sent out announcements. Her passion was cheerleading. She was a devoted coach at Wilson High School for 29 years. She was a founding member of the South Carolina Cheerleading Coaches Association. She was secretary on the executive board for 19 years. In 2006, she was awarded the Non-Competitive Coach of the Year by the South Carolina Cheerleading Coaches Association. She was a skilled cook and was a devoted part-time employee at Chick-Fil-A for 25 years. Melva is survived by her cousin and spouse, Melvin and Pat Atkinson of Ridgeway, SC; aunt, Myrtle Jolly of Darlington, SC; cousins and spouses, Malcolm and Sandra Atkinson of Norwood, NC, Margaret Griggs of Hartsville, SC, Russell and Joanne Atkinson of Darlington, SC, Jerry and Beth Atkinson of Marshville, NC, Bob and Gloria Atkinson of Bishopville, SC, Bobby and Kathryn Kirven of Darlington, SC. She will be greatly missed by family, friends, colleagues, students, and her beloved cat, Jumanji.

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Melva Atkinson

January 9, 1950 - August 8, 2008