Leown L. Atkins, 91, of Olney, died Saturday, October 9, 2010, at Richland Memorial Hospital in Olney.  Burial in Crest Haven Memorial Park Cemetery in rural Claremont.

Mrs. Atkins was born March 28, 1919, in Seminary, the daughter of Archibald and Mary (Wisner) Wynn. She married Estes M. Atkins on January 14, 1942, in St. Louis, Mo. He preceded her in death on July 24, 1997.

Leown completed grade school at Seminary, high school at Olney Township High School in Olney, and nurses' training in 1941, in Olney. She worked as a nurse at the Olney Sanitarium and for 35 years at Richland Memorial Hospital, where she assisted in the births of approximately 2,000 babies. Although she lived most recently at Brookstone Estates, Leown raised her family on a farm at Claremont. She was active in the Claremont P.T.A., Claremont United Methodist Church and Claremont Community Club. As a retiree, she served on the Community Cancer Drive and Retired Nurses Association. Her creative outlets included quilting, painting, canning, baking and gardening. She loved "speed Scrabble," crosswords, Mexican Train and Bingo as pastimes, and traveled to many states for family visits. Several health battles have challenged her spirit, but Leown's faith in the Lord helped her weather these challenges. In recent years, that spirit has been bolstered by her connections at Grace Church in Olney. Leown was known for her outreach to others and for her wry sense of humor. That will be a loss for all.

Mrs. Atkins is survived by her son, Robert Atkins and his wife, Terrie, of Olney; daughter, Judith Hughes and her husband, Geoffrey, of Bloomington; son, Philip Atkins and his wife, Shirley, of Claremont; daughter, Rebecca Drake and her husband, Tommy, of The Woodlands, Texas; 13 grandchildren, Angela Ahrendt, Douglas Atkins, Cynthia Keller, David Atkins, Benjamin Atkins, Natalie Meyerotto, Monica Atkins, Ruth Atkins, Lisa Daniel, Stephanie Hughes, Jennifer Atkins, Melissa Atkins and Matthew Atkins; 17 great-grandchildren; and sister, Mary Rundell, of Evansville, Ind.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Archibald and Mary Wynn; husband, Estes M. Atkins; three sisters, Inez Barnett, Fannie Marie Harmon and Esther Resor; and one brother, Cloyd Wynn.

Published in Olney Daily Mail (IL)