The Virginian-Pilot
                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Friday, November 25, 1994              TAG: 9411250035
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B8   EDITION: FINAL 
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH                         LENGTH: Short :   48 lines

THELMA LORENE ATKINS

Lorene Atkins, 67, of the 4800 block of Orleans Drive, passed away Nov. 24, 1994, at her home.

Lorene was born in Halifax County, Va., and was the daughter of the late Thornton and Bernice Dunaway. She later moved to Portsmouth to live with her husband, the late William Earl Atkins. She was a member of Churchland Baptist Church and throughout her life she was active with teaching children at Surry Street Baptist Church (formerly Riverside Baptist Church) as well as Western Branch Baptist Church. She was also a friend for life of Childrey Baptist Church. During her life she was active in teaching Sunday School, Bible School and Bible Study groups. She was an active member of the Portsmouth Music Study Club. She was retired as a manager from Dennis' Steak House and Portsmouth Public Schools at Churchland Elementary.

Survivors include her daughter, Linda Atkins Loomis, son-in-law, Steve Loomis, and their two children, Stevie and Shannon, of West Palm Beach, Fla.; her oldest son, Kenney Atkins and daughter-in-law, Carolyn Atkins of Virginia Beach; her youngest son, Keith Atkins, daughter-in-law, Terry Atkins, and their three children, Alicia, Lesley and Billy, and one great-granddaughter, Carolyn. She is also survived by her sister, Pauline McFarland of Chesapeake and a brother-in-law, Walter Sowell, the husband of the late Lona Mae Sowell.

Lorene also leaves behind a very large number of relatives, dear friends and neighborhood children she treated as her own throughout her living years.

A memorial service will be at Snellings Funeral Home, Churchland Chapel, on Saturday, Nov. 26, 1994 at 1 p.m. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 7 to 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 25. The family will be at her home on Orleans Drive.

After the memorial service at Snellings Funeral Home, Lorene will return home to be with the only man she truly loved and once again to be at peace in ``God's Country.'' Henderson's Funeral Home in Brookneal, Va., will be where the family will receive friends on Saturday, Nov. 26, from 7 to 8 p.m. There will be a memorial service at Henderson Funeral Home on Sunday, Nov. 27, at 2 p.m. in the chapel at Henderson's. Burial will be in the family plot at Childrey Baptist Church. The family will be at the home of Walter Sowell in Brookneal, Va.

Memorial donations may be made to either Churchland Baptist Church for their youth activities programs or the American Diabetes Association.

KEYWORDS: DEATH OBITUARY by CNB