Arthur Alonzo Atkins, Jr., 91, of the Hoges Chapel Community near Pembroke departed this life Sunday morning June 24, 2007 at the U S Veterans Administration Medical Center in Salem. Born on December 21, 1915, he was a son of the late Arthur Alonzo Atkins, Sr. and Grace Williams Atkins Lucas. "Junior" was a proud veteran of the U S Army in WW II and a recipient of The Purple Heart and was a member of American Legion Post No. 311 in Pembroke. He was retired from the Celanese Celco Plant at Narrows with over forty-one years services and had previously worked on the County Road System, Boxley Quarry at Pembroke and the coal mines at McCoy. As a young man he became a member of the Pembroke Christian Church. He was preceded in death by his parents, his step-father Clyde Lucas, two brothers and a sister-in-law Allen E "Jack" Atkins and Russelle St. Clair Atkins and Ray G. (Pete) Atkins, two sisters and brothers-in-law Gladys and Russell Price and Mabel and Alfred Smith and his mother and father-in-law Minnie and Crozier Williams.

He leaves to cherish his memory his loving wife Hazel Williams Atkins; two loving and dedicated children who were his caregivers, Steve Atkins and Debbie Atkins of Hoges Chapel and two special and loving grandsons T. J. Atkins and Zachary Atkins both of Hoges Chapel; and David Lee Merrix and his caregiver (his good old country girl) Tina Steenken and her children, DJ and RS and a very special "used to be neighbor", Sylvia Miller who was like a daughter to him and a very special great nephew Tony Atkins.

Funeral services will be conducted Tuesday June 26, 2007 at 2:00 PM in the Kendall Funeral Home at 605 Snidow St. in Pembroke with burial following in Birchlawn Burial Park in Pearisburg. The family will receive friends at the funeral home Monday evening from 6 to 8 PM. In lieu of flowers the family requests that contributions be made to American Legion Baseball or to American Legion Post 311 in Pembroke or The Pembroke Volunteer Fire Department. Online condolences may be sent by visiting kendallfuneralhome.com.