Mary Grace Adkins
Mary Grace (Smith-Wilson) Adkins, 81, died on June 18, 2015 at a hospice facility.
She was the daughter of the late Reverend Clifford L. Smith and Mary Bell (Nelson) Smith. Grace was born June 8, 1934, in Waverly Hall Georgia where she grew up with eight brothers and four sisters.
After graduating from high school Grace attended Fort Valley State College and later attended Paine College in Augusta, Ga. In 1953 Grace married the late James (Jim) Wilson Sr. and to this union were born three children: Jeffrey “PeeWee”, James “Skip”, and Valarie “Val”.
During her earlier years she worked as a licensed insurance agent for many years. In her latter years of service she worked as a nursing assistant in the home health care industry. Until her health declined, she was a loyal member of New United Missionary Baptist Church.
Grace leaves to mourn her passing three loving children to cherish her life. Her children are Jeffrey Lynn Wilson, James Wilson Jr. (Sandy), and Valarie Joyce Spence. Her grandchildren are Marie Grace Wilson, Alexander Wilson, Antonio Wilson, Brandon Wilson, Marqus Spence, and Langston Spence II. Additionally, she was blessed with seven beautiful great-grandchildren (ShaRee Spence, Jamaal Spence, and DeMarqus Spence), very closely bonded siblings including four sisters - Margaret S. Redding, Queen S. McGee, Corrine S. Jones, and Elizabeth S. Wallace (Ervin), and three brothers - Nathaniel C. Smith, Clarence L. Smith (Diane), Jeremiah E. Smith and several loving nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends. Rest on Grace... we loved you, but God loved you best!
The funeral "Service of Remembrance" will be held at 12 p.m. on Friday, June 26, at "Little Friendship Missionary Baptist Church" in Atlanta, with Reverend Dr. Robert Welch, pastor officiating and Reverend Carlton Mahone as eulogist. Interment will follow at Kennedy Memorial Gardens, 2500 River Rd., Ellenwood, GA 30294. Repast will be held at the church.
Grace will lie in state on Thursday, June 25, and the family will receive friends for visitation from 5-7 p.m. at John P. Franklin Funeral Home, 1101 Dodds Ave., 622-9995.