Ms Elaine Marie Waters Atkins passed away peacefully at MD Anderson Hospital in Houston, Tx, July 26, 2024 with family at her bedside.

Elaine was born November 29, 1951, in Winnfield, La to Carl Waters and Vivian Marie Tatum.   She spent her life in Winn Parish where she worked at Nichols Dept Store.  She graduated from Practical Nursing School in 1979 at Huey P. Long Trade School, Jena, La.   In 1988 she graduated from Northwestern State University as a Registered Nurse and resigned from Hardtner Medical Center in 1995 which lead her to her most loved job as a Practical Nursing Instructor for LTC – Huey P. Long Campus in Winnfield, La.  She loved teaching and her students and remained steadfast in her love of teaching Nursing until retiring in 2015.  At this time she became caretaker for her Angel, Collin Ray.

She loved to cook and enjoy meals with family and friends.  Some of of her favorite pastimes were to work in her yard, drink coffee and spoil her grandchildren.  She also loved her dogs especially Smokey Joe Peepot Hound.    She will always be cherished by her family and friends as a loving and faithful wife, mother, maw or maw maw and Aunt Elaine.   She always made everyone feel welcome in her home.

Elaine was preceded in death by her parents, her loving husband James O. Atkins Jr., son John Tatum Atkins, siblings Eunice Waters Chandler, Jimmy Vernon Waters, Anne Waters Hicks and brother-in-law Jimmy Hicks as well as her niece Amy Barton.

Those left to cherish her memories include her children Jim Hudson (Christie), Wendy Atkins (Scooter), Clint Atkins (Shannon), and special child Crystal Phelps.   She is also survived by nine grandchildren Carlena Foster, Cheyanna Reppond, Denyse Williams, Rhett Stram (Brianna), Nathan Bradley and Laine Culp, Chasten Atkins Creel (Stuart) and Jayden Orlynn Atkins as well as eight great-grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, July 31, 2024 at Calvary Baptist Church with Reverends Author Robinson and Norris Curry officiating.   Interment will follow in the church cemetery under the direction of Southern Funeral Home of Winnfield.   Friends may visit with the family in the funeral home on Tuesday, from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and on Wednesday at the church from 10:00 a.m. until time of services.

Those serving as pallbearers will be Bradley Culp Jr.,  Nathan Culp, Rhett Sthram, Anthony Williams, Cale Chandler and Chet Atkins. Honorary pallbearers will be Bobby Joe Chandler, Craig Chandler, Monty Atkins, Mike Atkins, Stoney Bonnette, Roger Long, Chet Atkins, Jlynn Laine Culp, Gene Chellette and Kenneth Johns Jr.

The family would like to express appreciation to MD Anderson Cancer Center faulty and staff for their loving care and kindness shown to our mother and a special thank you to Leroy James.