August 20, 1929 – March 14, 2025 

Frances Doreen Atkinson (1929-2025) at age 95, after a short stay in hospice, passed away surrounded by her loved ones. She is survived by her son, Wayne (Rachel), daughter Karen (Vito) and her grandchildren, Sara-Jane (Tanner), Brandon (Alanna) and Robert. Predeceased by her husband of 54 years Donald Atkinson and son Brian Frances’s formative years were during a time of economic and geopolitical extremes. 

She was born in Rimbey, Alberta a few weeks before the start of the Great Depression and the war which soon followed. The family moved often during the 1930s and finally settled in Edmonton during the war years while her father and older siblings enlisted. 

After the war, once she finished school, she followed in her mother’s footsteps and completed her nursing degree, graduating in 1952. With that training, she ventured off to the small town of Princeton, B.C. for her first job as a nurse. She often spoke of the many different roles she had in the small hospital: x-ray, emergency room, and operating room duties. 

Shortly after her move to Princeton, she met the local pharmacist, Donald (Don) Atkinson, and soon after got married in 1953. Frances bore her three children there and the family soon decided to move to the larger city of Kamloops in 1961. 

The family started out in Valleyview, on Orchard Drive where we made many lifelong friendships. It wasn’t long before the family was in need of more room so in 1965, Frances and Don build a new home on Vicars Road where mom, with her boundless energy, turned the old apple orchard into a yard with rockeries and gardens, the envy of the neighbourhood. After 40 or so on Vicars, Frances and Don, moved to Chancellor Drive to be near Karen and her grandchildren. She soon transformed their new yard into a floral display that the neighbours enjoyed. In addition to the gardening, Frances and Don had many good years and lots of friends in the local curling and lawn bowling clubs. 

Mom was also an avid crafter, needlepoint and knitting were important to her. She would knit for her grandchildren and would knit caps to donate for new babies. The last chapter of mom’s life was at the Chartwell Ridgepoint independent living complex where she followed her friend of many years Winnie and was fortunate to be just two doors away from her. 

Frances led a long and happy life and will be missed by her family, friends and neighbours. 

Special thanks to her niece Wendy (Rob), Winnie, Dr. Loland whose care was second to none, and to the staff of Majorie Snowden Hospice who made the last few days as comfortable as possible. 

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to the Marjorie Willoughby Snowden Hospice, 72 Whiteshield Cres., Kamloops, B.C., V2E 2S9. 

• Date : 2025-03-14
• Location : Kamloops