Julia Faye Atkinson Abell

Julia Faye Atkinson Abell, 95, died peacefully at home Wednesday morning, December 16, 2020, surrounded by her family. She will be dearly missed by her loved ones, who celebrate the fact that she is now joyfully worshiping in the presence of her Creator. Julia was the sixth of seven children born into the loving home of the late James Biggers and Effie Azilee (née Grant) Atkinson, a farmer and homemaker respectively, in the Armenia community of Chester County on January 10, 1925. She graduated from Chester High School and treasured the many friendships maintained with classmates throughout the years. She married Robert Walker (Bob) Abell, from Lowrys, SC, in 1947 and entered the strange new world of being a military wife, a role at which she excelled. Moving 17 times, from places as varied as Panama to Germany, she made each move into an adventure and had the military wife superpower of making everywhere home. She and Bob had three daughters, each one born in a different country. The greatest sadness of their life was the loss of their middle daughter, Faye, who died in 1959 at the age of nine from a congenital heart defect. Bob died suddenly in 1965, leaving Julia a young widow with two daughters. In 1967 she married Bob’s widowed brother, Frank Erwin Abell, and made the last move of her life. Once again, she created a joy-filled and loving home and they were blessed with a son the following year. They especially enjoyed their annual trips to the beach and mountains, and attending all the Clemson football games. After Frank developed Parkinson’s disease she faithfully cared for him until his death in 1984. Julia was blessed with a large and loving family and enjoyed spending time with her sisters on their annual beach trip, performing comedy skits with them at family reunions, hosting family dinners and caring for her grandchildren. But the true center of Julia’s life was her faith in Jesus and her dedication to Church service. Raised up in the faith at Armenia Methodist Church, she became a member of Zion Presbyterian Church upon her marriage. She served in every capacity from WIC president to Sunday School teacher. She was chairman of the Zion Church Cemetery Association for decades and could often be seen marking grave locations for the funeral home, placing flags on veteran graves for Memorial Day, and cleaning up debris after a storm. Having experienced great loss in her life, including a child and two husbands, she knew the importance of a supportive church family during bereavement and was a source of great help and comfort to others during their time of grief. Julia is survived by two sisters, Catherine Atkinson Brakefield and Nell Atkinson Schulte Lynch, her children and step-children, Martha Abell Hatcher (Wayne), Edie Abell Cantrell (Ray), Robert Abell (Amy), Erwin Abell (Becky), and Kathleen Abell Howze; grandchildren and step-grandchildren, Perrin Wilkinson Gardner (Buck), Wendy Hatcher Bellavance (Al), Josh Abell, Chris Cantrell (Gina), Cole Abell (of the home), Kaleb McKee, Mark Abell (Kris), Alice Abell Morgan, Stuart Abell, Mary Fran Abell Crook (Paul), Karen Howze Filter (Keith) and Russell Howze (Esmeralda); and 18 great-grandchildren and one great-great granddaughter. She was pre-deceased by her parents, her husbands, Bob and Frank, her daughter, Faye, brothers Carter and Ralph Atkinson, sisters Edith Atkinson Hall and Mary Atkinson Sanders, step-daughter Rhetta Abell Wilkinson, grandson Jim Wilkinson, III, daughter-in-law, Mary White Abell sons-in-law Townes Howze and Jim Wilkinson, Jr., and a much favored sister-in-law, Francenia Abell Schwartz. She also leaves behind numerous nieces and nephews who brought great joy into her life and whom she dearly loved. Visitation and viewing will be at the home, 2196 Old York Road, Lowrys, SC on Friday, December 18, 2020, from 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm. A graveside service will be at Zion Church Cemetery, 2421 Cameron Road, Chester, SC at 2:00 pm on Sunday, December 20, 2020. The family requests that all those attending either event wear facemasks and practice social distancing. In lieu of flowers, Memorial contributions may be made to Zion Church Cemetery, ℅ Martha Hatcher, 531 Hatcher’s Hangar, Chester, SC 29706 Online condolences may be made to the family at www.barronfuneralhome.com