Denilee Atkinson

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Denilee Dennison Atkinson, 87, of Magnolia, Texas on March 28, 2025, after a long illness. Denilee was born in Longview, Texas. She was adopted by Bernice and Lance Dennison from Oil City, LA and later moved to Houston where she graduated early from Lamar High School. Denilee then enrolled into a Nursing Program in pursuit of a Nursing degree in Houston. While enrolled there, she met Nelson R. Atkinson Jr., and the trouble began there. In 1955 in Houston, Texas, Denilee Dennison met Nelson R Atkinson, Jr., fell in love and married later that year. During their 59 years of marriage, they had three children: Tom, Ann and Rod. Nelson and Denilee traveled around the world, lugging three kids and always a dog in tow. While living in the Philippines she took up golf for the first time and became rather accomplished at that sport as well as a determined tennis player. In England, she caught the antique and brass rubbing bug and would travel around the English countryside looking for great deals and unique churches to do her brass rubbings. Her other hobbies included reading, gardening and bowling. During their years in Thailand, she was on the Atkinson Bowling team where Denilee was the best bowler of the team, regularly beating Tom and Ann, and often Nelson and well as leading her family bowling team (two minors-Tom and Ann) to take third place in an all-adult league. In her free time, she taught cake decorating and sold birthday cakes for the community. After Nelson’s retirement, the family moved to Summit, MS where she took up painting and working for the McComb Art Gallery. She also went back to college, graduating from Southwest Mississippi Junior College with an Associate Degree in Business. Denilee continued to paint for the last 15 years of her life and painted over 20 masterpieces. As a lover of dogs, she never met a dog she didn’t love or was not willing to adopt, a trait she passed on to some of her grandchildren. Denilee was preceded in death by her husband Nelson R. Atkinson, Jr. and her great-grandchildren Addison Aubrey and Stella Elizabeth Polk (Stephen and Shelby Polk). She is survived by her children: Thomas Dale Atkinson (Patty Atkinson), Ann Virginia Waywell (Tim Waywell) and William Rodney Atkinson (Anne Atkinson). She is also survived by 6 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren. Grandchildren: Rachael and Robert Atkinson, Leon Lamm and Shelby Polk, Nikki Rhodus and Ryan Atkinson. Great-grandchildren: Landon and Camille Thronberry, and Aria and Auden Rhodus. A celebration of life will be held on May 22, 2025, at 10:30AM at the Magnolia Funeral Home with a reception held at the Graceview Baptist Church, Tomball following the service. The Addison family and staff of Magnolia Funeral Home extend condolences to the Atkinson family during this difficult time.