Bernice Lea Adkins 1926-2020 Obituary
Bernice Lea Adkins of Summersville passed away Monday, March 3, 2020 at the age of 93.
She loved life, lived her life to its fullest, and was thankful for every minute granted to her here on this earth.
Like most all of us she faced some bad times but believed those bad times allowed her to really appreciate the good times.
She was the last living sibling of the 12 children of Andrew Jackson Mullens and Australia Hamrick Mullens. Andrew’s father and mother were the very well-known Bandy Bill and Delilah Deal Mullens.
Australia was a descendant of Revolutionary War Veteran and early Nicholas County pioneer Benjamin Lemasters.
Her great,
great, grandfather John Garner Stephenson was one of the founders of Nicholas County in 1818 and actually built the counties’ first courthouse.
The many descendants of her ancestors and their extended families
literally populates much of this county in present day Nicholas County.
Bernice was the youngest of the Mullens offspring.
She was born and raised on the banks of Beaver Creek on the Mullens Farm which was located near Calvin.
She graduated from Nicholas County High School in 1944 and
shortly after rode a bus to Washington, DC to work in support of the war effort by working at the FBI Office.
After the war she returned home to marry her life’s mate Leland Pete Adkins, a highly decorated returning WW II Veteran.
That union produced 5 children; Vickie Fleer, Stanley Adkins, Mark Adkins, Douglas Adkins, and Jimmy Adkins.
She was also a very proud grandmother to eight grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.
Throughout her life, she and husband Pete worked hard and were successful business operators.
Together they owned and operated Adkins Brothers Coal
Company, L. Adkins Oil Company, Adkins Lumber Company, and Adkins Chevrolet-Pontiac.
They were partners in both life and business. It was rare to see one without the other.
During their time in business they employed many citizens of this county and both often treated employees as family.
After becoming a widow in 1999 she continued operating the business until very late into her 80s. She was the boss in every sense of the word.
They both derived great pride in their hard earned success as well as helping folks prosper while in their employ.
Bernice Lea Adkins was the epitome of the fading Greatest Generation. She strongly believed in God, Country, Community, and most of all Family. She was certain that honesty and hard work could conquer any obstacle and in her case it was true.
She will be greatly missed by the many who knew her but most of all by her close knit family.
She was a great example to all of them and few have ever lived who have been held in such high regard by her remainders, friends, co-workers, and by the general community.
She was one of a kind.
A private graveside service was held on March 28, 2020 at the Little Union Baptist Church Cemetery under the direction of White Funeral Home and was officiated by Shawn Frame, a Pastor and valued family friend.
She envisioned a great reunion in her afterlife after her journey here was done. May she now rest in peace.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.whitefuneralhomewv.com
Bernice Lea Adkins 1926-2020 Obituary
