Paul H. Atkins

Paul Harvey Atkins of West Melbourne, FL, formerly of Waterford Twp., MI, died of a heart attack on Saturday, Febuary. 6, 2010 at Wuesthoff Medical Center, in Melbourne, FL. He was 84. He was born in Pontiac, MI, the only child of Hazen and Blanche Atkins. Paul is survived by his beloved wife of 62 years, Jean Alice; his twin children Paul (Donna) Sheldon Atkins and Patricia Sue Atkins (Eric Siegel); and his grandchildren Lesley and Aaron Siegel (Olya Gurevich). Paul served in the U.S. Army in the Pacific during World War II, then completed his studies at the University of Michigan (A.B. 1949, A.M. 1950). He taught secondary school for 31 years in the Pontiac (MI) public school system, retiring in 1981. Paul was an ordained elder and member of the Drayton Plains (MI) United Presbyterian Church, followed by Pineda Presbyterian Church. As a youth, he was a skilled baseball player, and, though the war altered his career path from baseball, Paul continued on in amateur ball and won with his teammates the 1956 State of Michigan Class C Softball Championship, Early on nicknamed ""Pappy"" by his teammates he played into his 60's. He was also an avid and accomplished bridge player up until his death, and had a lifelong love of classical music. Visitation will be Monday, February 15th from 1-2 p.m. at Beckman Williamson Funeral Home in Viera with funeral services and reception following at 2 p.m. Interment will be in Waterford Twp. A memorial service will be announced by Coats Funeral Home, Waterford. To send a private condolence to the family, go to www.beckman-williamson.com and select Obituaries. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Paul's memory to the Veterans of Foreign Wars or to Joe's Club in Melbourne, an adult day care facility for Alzheimer's patients.