Audrey Pauline "Polly" Atkinson

Polly's life began in Jones Prairie, Texas on September 10, 1923. Polly passed away on October 19, 2012 in Lewisville, Texas.

Green-Patterson Funeral Home in Cameron, Texas was in charge of arrangements. Services were held on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. at Little River Baptist Church with Rev. Betty Wenzel officiating. Interment followed at the Little River Baptist Cemetery located in Jones Prairie, Texas, near Cameron, as well as a luncheon in Little River Baptist Church Fellowship Hall.

She was preceded in death by her parents Wylie Alford Atkinson and Maude E. Burnett, her brothers Wayland, Glenn, Sim Burnett and John and her sisters Ethel Mann, Susie Atkinson, and Mary Ellen DiGirolamo.

Polly was the youngest of eight children and attended elementary school in Jones Prairie and high school in Calvert. Upon graduation from high school, Polly entered the college of nursing at St. Mary's University in Galveston. Soon after becoming a registered surgical nurse she joined the US Army Nurses Corp. Her career took her to several bases in the states and around the world. She spent tours of duty in Korea, Germany, Japan and Thailand. She was also stationed at Fort Eustis Virginia, West Point in New York, and Fitzsimons Army Hospital in Denver, Colorado. She received awards medals for WW II Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal (Germany and Japan), National Defense Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal W/60 Device.
She served in the US Army over 28 years and retired at the rank of Lt. Colonel. Following retirement she went to work for North East Baptist Hospital in San Antonio, Texas. She was physically active and enjoyed her water aerobics club and her bowling team. Her gifts of life were many; she loved her family, friends and pets. She had a love for poodles and her last one, Penny, passed away last year at almost eighteen. She always made sure that the birds and squirrels were fed and who ever worked for her went home with candy.Polly will be missed by all her nieces and nephews along with all her many friends she met along the way. A memorial service will be held in San Antonio at a later date. Any memorial gifts can be made to the Little River Baptist Church, FM 979, Cameron, Texas. She is survived by her sister-in-law Naomi Atkinson of Roswell, New Mexico and nieces Barbara Ruggiero and her husband Michael of Lewisville, Texas, Mary Ann Tullo and her husband Jimmy of Staten Island, New York, Louise Hamilton and her husband Harold “Ham” of Bellevue, Nebraska. Her nephews Anthony DiGirolamo of Bordentown, New Jersey, John DiGirolamo and his wife Lorrie of Cameron, Texas, Glendale Atkinson and wife Patty of Reno, Nevada, and John Atkinson of California. She also leaves many great and great, great nieces and nephews.

Polly's funeral was held with military honor guards and a motorcycle escort by the Patriot Riders from the funeral home to the cemetery.

Visitation was on Friday evening from 5:00-7:00 pm at Green-Patterson Funeral Home, 2701 North Travis, Cameron TX 76520; Tel: 254-697-6611. Memorials can be made to Little River Baptist Church, FM 979, Cameron Texas 76520.