Dora (Marshall) Atkins

Dora Marshall Atkins passed away July 14, 2017. Dora was born in Carthage, AR, September 6, 1922, to H.L. and Nancy Marshall. Dora lived a long and meaningful life, filled with love given and received.

From a very young age, Dora wanted to be a nurse. She graduated from St. Vincent’s Infirmary nursing school in Little Rock, AR. Dora served in the US Cadet Nurses Corps, a World War II program to provide nursing services to the U.S. military forces. After graduation, Dora first served at an Army hospital in Texas. To complete her service, Dora moved to Las Vegas, NM, the home of a Cadet friend. Dora began her successful nursing career at the New Mexico State Hospital as a Cadet, eventually becoming the Supervisor of Nursing at the hospital.

In Las Vegas, Dora met and married a young cowboy, Albert John Atkins, Jr. They were married for 68 years. Dora and John moved to Taos, NM, in 1962. Dora worked at Holy Cross Hospital and Pond Clinic in Taos before she became the senior nurse at the Taos County Public Health field office, a job she enjoyed until her retirement in 1983.

After retirement, Dora was a volunteer for over 20 years with the Holy Cross Hospital Auxiliary. Dora was also a docent at Millicent Rodgers Museum, and she and John were members of the Taos Historical Society, for which Dora was the Treasurer, for many years. Dora was a long-standing member of the Chicot Trace Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and a member of Ranchos de Taos Presbyterian Church.

Dora was a talented quilter, gardener, seamstress, wood carver, and cook. She loved her home in Talpa, and her community of friends and neighbors.

Most of all, Dora loved her family. She was a wonderful, loving mother and Mema, to her children, granddaughters and great-grandchildren.

Dora was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, John; and her daughter, Nancy Atkins Taylor; sisters, Delora Wallace, Katherine Roberts, Joy Bolin, Carolyn Starks, and Marolyn Marshall; brothers Gerald Marshall and Darrell Marshall. Dora is survived by her brothers, Chester Marshall and John Marshall; and sister, Margaret Neal; son, Jack Atkins (Deena); daughters, Leah Combs and Laura Crowe (Jay); granddaughters, Meegan Taylor (Joe Maynard), Shannon Barrett (Kyle), and their father, Peter Taylor; Jennifer Kinyak (Ted), and Jessica Atkins (Jeremy Fitts); great-grandchildren, Jonas and Elijah Barrett, Courtney and Elliott Kinyak, Racheleia Hayes, Zavian and Shandell Fitts. Dora is also survived by friends she loved like family, Rory and Karen Kenward, and daughters, Kylee and Lauren, as well as many other relatives and friends she loved dearly.

The family extends its heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Suzanne Pinon, and to David Apodaca and the wonderful caregivers at Buena Vista Senior Care, as well as to Hospice de la Luz.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Ranchos de Taos Presbyterian Church, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Taos County Historical Society, or another charity of your choice.

Memorial Services will be held Friday, July 21, 2017, 11:00 a.m., at Ranchos Presbyterian Church, 1 San Francisco Rd., Ranchos de Taos, NM.

FRENCH – Wyoming

7121 Wyoming Blvd. NE

(505) 823-9400