CONNIE L. ATKINSON

Connie Lee Bosworth Atkinson was born on December 3, 1948 to Elsie Lorraine Wood and Daniel Michael Sullivan in Medford, Oregon.  Three children were born to this union, Loretta, Connie and Butch; before this marriage dissolved. Connie had very little memory of her biological father.  They moved in with Grandma and Grandma Woods in Payette, Idaho.   Her Mother started dating Ray Bosworth when Connie was about 3 and they married in November of 1952 just before Connie’s 4th birthday.  Connie loved Ray and was happy to call him Dad, as he was truly the only Dad she ever knew.  Ray brought 3 more children with him to this new family, Carole, Sharon and Danny and he officially adopted Loretta, Connie and Butch making them one big happy family.  They moved to Pendleton, Oregon for work. From there the family moved to Pilot Rock, Oregon.  Here one of the most wonderful things happened on Aug. 7, 1957.  Mother had twins; a boy, Harry LeRoy and a girl, Mary Joy.  Connie called her new baby sister Joy most of the time because she brought her so much Joy and to this day Connie would call her “Mary Joy” when the rest of the family just calls her Mary.

As a family they loved to go the mountains to camp.  When Connie was in 2nd grade the family moved to Letha, Idaho.  Their home was a newly built ranch style home on Berglund Road.  Connie attended Letha School with several grades combined in one classroom with the older kids helping the younger kids.  Her memories here included swimming in the ditch, riding horses, raising ducks, ice skating, building forts and being kids together. 

In the middle of 5th grade the family moved to New Plymouth, Idaho.  The house there was over 100 years old and on a farm of 40 to 50 acres with cows, chickens, pigs and horses.  One of her favorite past times was floating the ditch in her Dad’s feed troughs piled with fresh cut hay and dragged to the ditch.  During her high school years the old house burned to the ground one night and the family escaped with nothing but each other.  After a stay with Aunt Thelda and Uncle Pete they moved to a small house across the street from the burnt house.  In her high school years she was a majorette for the band and performed at the games.  She twirled fire batons for several games.  The crowd thought it was exciting and so did she!  Connie graduated from New Plymouth High School in 1967 but during her senior year her family moved to 512 North Boise Avenue in Emmett, Idaho.  Connie commuted to New Plymouth to finish her senior year. 

In Emmett Connie decided it was time to be more active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is where she met Larry in Sunday School Class when he embarrassed her.  Larry later embarrassed himself when he took Connie water skiing and while showing off for her the fin of his ski got caught in the dock and he went head over hills into the lake.  After that they had the best summer ever spending time together and participating in church dance festivals.  Connie married Larry Atkinson on July 25, 1969 In the Idaho Falls Temple.  They moved into a little apartment on East 5th Street in Emmett, Idaho but living in town was not for them so they purchased a mobile home and moved it onto his Dad’s farm where Larry worked with his Dad.  Chad was born while living here on July 9, 1970.  Just before Chris was born on Oct. 3, 1972 they moved into their new home built on the east end of his Dad’s farm. Craig joined the family on June 18, 1980.  Here they worked farming and trucking until they had saved enough money to buy their own farm.   In 1982 they moved up the street to 2588 West Idaho Blvd where they still reside.  On Mar. 9, 1984 the family welcomed a baby girl, Lindsey Marie.  Life on the farm was their dream and they worked hard and played hard. 

In Nov. 2000 they bought a 1996 fifth wheel trailer at a salvage auction.  They kept trading up and eventually ended up with a 2005 motor home to make their travels more comfortable.  They spent many years in Arizona for the winter and Connie enjoyed having Larry all to herself.  Their favorite places being Quartzsite and Yuma.  In 2014, 2015 and 2016 they came home via the World Ag Show in Tulare, California. But in 2017 when friends and family started heading south for the winter Connie’s heart just wasn’t in it and they never went again.

Connie’s love of the mountains never left her and in their later years they purchased some land in Round Valley and the entire family worked to build a cabin where the family may gather and enjoy each other’s company and build memories.   Through the years Connie served as Relief Society President, Compassionate Service Leader, Visiting Teacher, Boy Scouts Leader, Nursery Leader, Primary Counselor and other various callings.  She loved the Lord and willingly served others.  She had great compassion for others and her smile drew everyone she met to her.  She was a friend to all!!  She loved the Lord, her husband and children.   She often said, “she loved growing old with Larry while enjoying her grandchildren most of all”.  Her faith and testimony became her greatest strength as she courageously battled cancer for the last 2 years of her life with Larry ever by her side seeing to her every need. 

Connie loved Christmas and in 2014 she started a new family tradition of gathering the family at the Ashley Inn in Cascade, Idaho for a 3 day Christmas celebration.  She wanted everyone there, so Connie always held Christmas early.  She celebrated this Christmas on December 13 – 15, 2019 surrounded by all of her precious family.  She left her earthly home on Dec. 21, 2019 to celebrate her second Christmas this year with those who have gone before her. 

She was a devoted wife to Larry Atkinson and loving Mother to 4 children:  Chad (Lara) Atkinson of Emmett, Christopher (Karen) Atkinson of Emmett, L. Craig (Katy) Atkinson of Nampa, Lindsey (Derek) Lillywhite of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.  Her greatest blessings were her 19 grandchildren and 7 precious great grandchildren.  Her legacy will live on through all of them. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ray and Lorraine Bosworth; her In Laws, Gene and Evelyn Atkinson; her sister, Sharon Nelson. 

Family will greet family & friends at a viewing on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2019 from 6 to 8 at the Potter Funeral Chapel, 228 E. Main Street. Emmett, Idaho. Visitation will also be held from 12:00 to 12:30 p.m. on Friday, December 27, 2019 with Funeral services following at 1:00 p.m. at the Emmett LDS Stake Center, 980 W. Central Rd. Emmett, Idaho.  Interment will follow at the Emmett Cemetery.

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