Obituaries for Feb. 15, 2018

February 15, 2018 5:30 am
Death Notices

James G. Atkins, Jr.

James G. Atkins, Jr., died on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2018, in the comfort of his home in Loveland, Colorado, from congestive heart failure. He was 70. Jim was born on May 3, 1947, to Peggy and James G. Atkins, Sr., in Fort Worth, Texas.

Jim spent his early years moving around the country, following his father’s United States Air Force service, yet frequently returning to his grandparents’ home in Camas, which was always his true home at heart. He was very active in the Boy Scouts, attending many Boy Scout trips that left lasting memories, including the Boy Scout’s 50th Anniversary 1960 National Jamboree in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Jim earned his Eagle rank in 1961. These early experiences ignited Jim’s inherent passion for outdoor adventures, which remained steadfast throughout his life.

James G. Atkins, Jr.

Jim graduated from Camas High School in 1965. After a brief, but vibrant, stint at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, Georgia, Jim joined the United States Navy and served from June of 1967 through March of 1971, being honorably discharged as a yeoman petty officer second class. Jim earned a Bachelor of Science in psychology from Portland State University in 1973 and a master’s degree in business administration (MBA) at Oregon State University in 1975. Jim’s MBA led him to earning his CPA license and multiple corporate moves, which took him back to the east coast. In the early 1980s, he and his family moved to Longwood, Florida, where he and his wife owned two successful general accounting practice businesses. Jim earned his forensic certified public accountant designation when it was first developed and was also involved with many local charities, including the local chapters of the Better Business Bureau, American Cancer Society and Angel Flight. Of his professional successes, Jim was most proud of having provided robust employment, compensation and benefits packages to his employees.

Seeking proximity to family and the western landscape, Jim and his wife, Kathleen, moved to Colorado in 2009 upon retirement. From there, Jim launched many adventures and pursued his interest in family history. His crowning genealogical achievement was organizing a family reunion of descendants of his great-great-grandfather, Samuel Atkins, in Wellington, New Zealand, in 2017.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents.

He is survived by his wife, Kathleen; daughter, Rebecca (Kevin) Brown; six siblings; numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews; and many cousins.

A celebration of life ceremony will be held at 10 a.m., Sunday, Feb. 18, at Brown’s Funeral Home. A graveside interment at Fisher Cemetery in Vancouver will immediately follow the celebration of life ceremony. A reception will be held immediately following the interment; details will be announced at a later date. Everyone is welcome at all of the events.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the House of Neighborly Service in Loveland, Colorado, or to the Camas VFW’s Voice of Democracy scholarship fund (checks may be addressed to VFW Post 4278, P.O. Box 579, Camas, WA 98607, with Voice of Democracy noted in the memo line).

Joan Gillander

Joan Gillander died on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018. She was 84. Joan was born on Nov. 25, 1933, in Vancouver. A private family gathering will be held at a later date. Straub’s Funeral Home & Columbia River Cremation in Camas was in charge of the arrangements.

Eleanor McCallum

Eleanor McCallum, of Camas, died on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018. She was 87. Eleanor was born on May 6, 1930, in Seattle. Services are pending at this time. A complete obituary will appear in a later edition of The Post-Record. Straub’s Funeral Home & Columbia River Cremation in Camas is in charge of the arrangements.

Danette Marie (Trujillo) Nevins

Danette Marie (Trujillo) Nevins died on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018. She was 50. Danette, also known as “Dane’girl,” was born on Feb. 17, 1967, to Bette Jo Chavez and Aniano Phillip Trujillo in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was a 27-year resident of Clark County.

Danette was known as a party girl and a wild child who worked at bars around the town. She worked hard to take care of herself and her family. Danette had a huge heart and would pick up the homeless, take them home to shower, wash their clothes and feed them a hot meal.

Although she was a rebel with an impish spirit, Danette would party in the evenings and on weekends. She loved to dance, sing karaoke, play practical jokes and could typically be found creating mischief. She would steal eight balls from many billiard sets, swipe lighters from gas stations every time she had an opportunity, and keychains from who-knows-where — because she could. Her house is filled with shot glasses she collected from places she had visited or received as gifts from friends and family. There are many pens Danette had taken from everywhere. She also bought dozens of cookbooks that were never opened. Danette had stocked up for the apocalypse, and she always had enough food to feed the neighborhood. Everyone knew that if they needed something, Danette most likely had it and all they had to do was ask. She loved to help people.

Danette was preceded in death by her father, Aniano.

She is survived her husband, Levi Nevins of Vancouver; mother, Bette Jo, of Price, Utah; daughters Athena Winch, of North Bonneville, Washington, and Chantell Winch of Vancouver; son, Dalton Warner, of Vancouver; five grandchildren; siblings Cindi Curry, Aniano Trujillo, Esperanza Trujillo, Tona Lopez-Hill, Nate Aspelund, Tia Aspelund; 17 nieces and nephews; and a few great-nieces and nephews.

A celebration of Danette’s colorful life will take place on Friday, June 1, at a time to be determined. Those who wish to send flowers may contact Mystic Gardens Floral at 360-989-6386. Those who wish to join in celebrating her life with stories and experiences, should visit www.Forevermissed.com/dane-girl-marie-nevins. Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Brown’s Funeral Home. To sign the online guestbook, visit www.brownsfh.com.

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