MARY ETHEL ATKINSON, was born on January 9, 1920 in Dickinson, Texas and was affectionately known by young and old as Nanny. In her early years, Mary traveled the south with her father picking cotton before moving to Houston to be with her mother and stepfather. It was in Houston that Mary met Burr Ernest (Pewe) Atkinson. They were married in 1940 before relocating to California where he worked as a welder. In 1941 their small family was blessed when she gave birth to a baby girl, Maryalice Dale. Eventually they returned to Texas settling in Fort Worth. Mary was no stranger to hard work and took pride in everything she did. From the days of picking cotton at a tender age to her self-taught talent at the age of 5 as a seamstress, making more clothes in her lifetime then any department store could carry, to the 10 mile bridge camp that she and Pewe ran on the Trinity River, she never shied away from hard work or a challenge. During WWII, she was even one of the elite and proud "Rosie the Riveter" women welding the nuts and bolts of the battleships that our men proudly took into battle. At 410," she stood tall for her country. But the one thing that stood out more than anything else about Nanny was her capacity for love; love not only for her family but for the many people that touched her life. In 1960, she opened her home, heart and family to become a foster parent to Frances Renee Oatridge, whom she proudly adopted. Throughout the years she fostered many children, loving them one and all and in turn is loved by all of them to this day. With her wit and humor only second to her wisdom, she always knew when to offer a kind word, words of wisdom or just being there to listen. She always knew the right thing to say or do. Nanny never met a stranger and had a wonderful way of showing her love to the people in her life; she was always thoughtful and kind, never missing wishing someone a Happy Birthday or Holiday greetings through cards and letters. Her spirit and love of Holidays was never more evident than in her passion for Christmas with interior decorations that would make the North Pole jealous, to her hundreds of twinkling lights outside to brighten up the night for anyone passing by. Almost like lighting their way to the Christmas Spirit. With that same passion she loved watching wrestling. Yes the wrestling world lost a great fan and Im sure that her favorite wrestler, her boyfriend as she referred to him, John Cena, will feel the loss of her support each time he enters the ring. Nanny left us on August 9, 2015 at 12:02 a.m. and was met in heaven by her parents: her father, Shirley Young, her mother and stepfather, Helen and Pete Billings, as well as many friends and loved ones who led the way as she lived a full life of 95 years. She leaves behind many who will love and miss her dearly, more than can be listed, but proudly includes 5 generations of family: her daughters and their husbands, Maryalice and David, and Frances and Les; her 9 grandchildren; 18 great grandchildren; and 4 great-great grandchildren; as well as her dearest friends including but in no way limited to, Garland and Pattie Moser, Julianne and Jon Hughes, Shannon Moser-Cole; and her four-legged friend, Lulu. All of whom, she is watching over from heaven. A memorial service will be held at 3:30 p.m., Saturday, September 26 at Donnellys Colonial Funeral Home Chapel, 606 West Airport Freeway in Irving. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Josephs Indian School, P.O. Box 326, Chamberlain, SD 57326 (Father Anthony Chaplain), or to the Disabled Veterans National Foundation, Inc. 1020 - 19th Street, N.W., Suite 475, Washington, D.C. 20036, www.DVNF.org.