Fannie Bell Adkins

1922 - 2019

Fannie Bell Adkins, 96, of Clyde and formerly of Big Spring, died Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at the Clyde Nursing Center. Funeral services were held at Myers & Smith Funeral Home in Big Spring with burial in the Mount Olive Cemetery.
Fannie Bell was born Oct. 8, 1922, in Marshall, Texas to Walter Allison and Georgia Annie (Bell) Allen. She was the third of eight children. She graduated from Marshall High School and took business courses at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Marshall, then went to work for the Texas & Pacific Railroad following in her father's footsteps. The family moved to a farm in Ackerly for a few years hoping to improve her dad's lungs in the dry air of West Texas, then moved back to the family's home in Marshall in 1940, where they stayed during WWII. The family moved back to Ackerly in 1949, and Fannie Bell worked at the railroad in Big Spring. There she met and married her husband, Robert G. "Bob" Adkins who also worked for the railroad.
Fannie Bell was a housewife until her husband's untimely death in 1969 at the age of 42. Sunday, the day of her funeral, is significant for another reason. It marks 50 years to the day since her husband Bob's death.
As a widow, she poured herself into her home daycare that she operated for many years. She still heard from some of her former "children" who loved her dearly. Fannie Bell moved to Canterbury Apartments in Big Spring where she lived for 18 years after she retired from her daycare business. In 2017, she moved to Clyde to be near her daughter.
Fannie Bell was a member of East Fourth Street Baptist Church in Big Spring for more than 60 year. She spent many of those years working in the nursery. When she moved in 2017, she moved her membership to First Baptist in Clyde.
Fannie Bell is survived by her daughter, Debbie Howard and husband, Monty of Clyde; her sister, Mary Owens and husband, Robert of Alice, Texas; six grandchildren, Courtney Shaffer and wife, Jennifer of Bronte, Texas, Lara Spalding and Ben Griffin of Point, Texas, Cassandra Treadway and husband Jeremy of Edgewood, Texas, Matthew Howard and wife, Carley of Clyde, Brian Adkins and wife, Lezli of Canton Texas, and Jennifer Morris and husband, Paul of Clyde; her daughter-in-law, Diane Boyer and husband, Joe of Loan Oak, Texas; 12 great-grandchildren, Skydra Sanford and fiancé, Clayton Haltom of Tyler, Presley Cravens and Victoria Shaffer of Bronte, Drea Gamboa and Piper and Falynn Treadway of Edgewood, Kerrigan and Patrick Howard of Clyde, Harper and Eli Adkins of Canton, and Hadley and Ryker Morris of Clyde; her nieces and nephews, J.D. Allen and wife, Beth, Ronald Allen, Tom Marlow, Randy Weaver and wife, Denise, Kenny Marlow and Diane Click, all of Big Spring, Allen Click of Austin, Wes Owens and Byron Owens of Corpus Christi, and Sherri Willis of White Oak; and several great-nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Bob Adkins; her son, Robert L Adkins in 2011; her brothers, Jimmy Allen, Joe Allen, and W.A. "Buster" Allen, Jr.; and her sisters, Wilma Marlow, Oleta Weaver, and Iris Allen.
The family would like to thank the entire staff of the Clyde Nursing Center who loved her and took care of her for two and a half years, and to Hendrick Hospice. We suggest memorials to Hendrick Hospice, 1651 Pine Street, Abilene, TX 79601.
Online condolences may be made at www.baileyhowardfuneralhome.com