Ray Jackson Atkins

September 11, 1930

– May 20, 2025

Ray Jackson Atkins, 94 1/2, of Bel Air, Maryland; passed away on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, from pneumonia and other complications after suffering a fall at his home. He was the adored husband of the late Alma Christena Atkins; beloved father of Tim (Robin), Jane, and Susan Gueydan; and the cherished "Pop-Pop" of Dale Atkins and Daniel Gueydan (Haley Jackson). Ray was the last surviving sibling of the late Phyllis Newcomb; Henry Harold Atkins, Jr.; and Louise Eberle. He was also the proud nephew of Carl Shelton and Blanche Skaggs Shelton.

 

Born on September 11, 1930, at their modest home in Roanoke, Virginia, to Henry Harold Atkins, Sr. and Grace Florence Skaggs, he was raised on Vine Street, in West Baltimore, where he took his first job at 12, at the corner grocery store delivering groceries to customers on his bicycle to help support his mother. There he met his lifelong best friend, Norman (Bud) Atkinson, who died in 2020. Ironically, Ray died on his best friend's birthday.

 

Ray purchased his first home in Parkville, Maryland, and shortly thereafter was drafted by the U.S. Army where he spent basic training in Augusta, Georgia, and two years in Washington, DC, performing secret coding work for the Army Security Agency (a duty that remained a secret until his death). The Agency was very impressed with his devotion to his work and offered him a federal government job when he was discharged. He graciously turned down the offer because of his loyalty to IBM, which had hired him prior to his Army recruitment and had continued to pay him a salary so he could make his mortgage payments and support his mother.   

 

Ray met the love of his life, Alma Bartholme, at a Baltimore roller rink and married her on November 25, 1954. They spent 13 years living on Topaz Road, in Parkville, and purchased a new home in Bel Air, Maryland, in 1967, where he and Alma happily raised their children. Alma passed away in February 2016.    

 

Family, friends, church, traveling, corny jokes, Pinochle, chocolate treats, country music, Solitaire, the Ravens, and the Orioles were Ray's passions in life. He was president of the Harford Rovers chapter of the Good Sam Camping Club where he and his family explored many campgrounds and attractions throughout the country. He and Alma also traveled to Europe and Canada – and took many, many bus trips after they retired. He was also very involved in Boy Scout Troop 808 in the 1970s where his son was part of the pack and where his daughters attended every meeting as "honorary" members.

 

Ray and family joined the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd congregation in 1967 when they moved to Bel Air. He was very devoted to the Church where he served as a Sunday School teacher, Assistant Superintendent, and Usher. In addition, he served as Treasurer of the Civil War Roundtable. He was a world-class historian of the Civil War and World War II. 

In addition to his time in the U.S. Army and IBM, Ray worked at the Social Security Administration, Bendix (now Honeywell), Equitable Trust Bank, First National Bank of Maryland/M&T Bank, and Jackson Hewitt. He was a proud 1948 graduate of Poly, in Baltimore; and the University of Baltimore, where he earned a degree in Computer Science. He also taught the basics of computer programming at the University of Baltimore and Harford Community College.

Ray's family is deeply appreciative of his many family members, friends, and neighbors who kept watch over him during his twilight years – including Peggy (Atkins) and Walt Clary; Deb Herrara; Ed and Eric Ovelgone; his Pinochle-playing friends at the Bel Air Senior Center (Don Judd, Roberta Rambol, and Bobbie Craddock); his many church friends, including Sherman Canapp; neighbors Janice and Warren Roth; Eddie and Katie Maynard and family; Dolores and Bryan Olszewski; and so many others. Also a special thanks to Ray's children and daughter-in-law for going above and beyond to make sure he was well-fed, safe, healthy, and happy.

 

Also a special thanks to the EMT team and the doctors, nurses, and staff in the Upper Chesapeake Anti-Coagulation Clinic, Trauma Center, and ICM units for their loving care during his final days.

 

A viewing will take place on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at 2-4 pm and 6-8 pm at Evans Funeral Chapel & Cremation Services, in Forest Hill, Maryland, and a church service will be held at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, in Bel Air, on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at 11 am followed by a burial next to his beloved wife at Bel Air Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, please send contributions in the name of Ray Atkins to the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd; 1515 Emmorton Road; Bel Air, Maryland 21014.