Marie Coley Atkinson Middleton

Marie Coley Atkinson Middleton Marie Coley was born January 23, 1924, to Charlie Hubbard Coley and Elizabeth Spann Coley in Mount Pleasant, Texas. Her family moved to Huntsville, Texas, in 1937. Marie graduated from Huntsville High School in 1942 and attended Sam Houston State Teachers College, majoring in music and English. While in college, she sang in a women’s quartet that performed at one of Billy Graham’s first crusades in San Antonio, Texas. In 1946, she married Lester Herbert Atkinson at the First Baptist Church in Huntsville, Texas. They were the parents of two children, Linda and Herbert. Lester died in 1987. In 1990 Marie married Maj. Gen. James Benjamin (J.B.) Middleton (Ret.). J.B. died in 2002. In 2007 Marie moved from her home in Huntsville to The Hallmark in Houston, Texas. Marie’s true love throughout her life was her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, whom she came to know personally at age eleven. She was a gifted coloratura soprano, and served her Lord in the choir of the First Baptist Church of Huntsville for more than fifty years. She sang innumerable solos for weddings, funerals, and Sunday services. Among her favorites were “The Holy City,” “I’d Rather Have Jesus,” and “I Walked Today where Jesus Walked.” Marie passed out of this life on April 4, 2014. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husbands, and brothers Harold Coley and Kenneth Coley. She is survived by her brother Bill Coley and wife Rose Sowell Coley of Huntsville, Texas; her daughter Linda Atkinson West and husband Cliff M. West, Jr., of Houston, Texas; and her son Herb Atkinson and wife Marla Farris Atkinson of Roswell, New Mexico. Marie is also survived by her granddaughter Elizabeth Marie Atkinson Ryan and husband Zack Ryan; granddaughter Mindy Elaine Atkinson Jensen-Tanner and husband Adam Jensen-Tanner; and great-grandchildren Isabelle Marie Ryan, Kathryn Elizabeth Ryan, Elijah Herbert Jensen-Tanner, and Faith Elaine Jensen-Tanner, all of Roswell, New Mexico. Marie is further survived by step-grandchildren Lee West Adams and husband Robert Adams of Montgomery, Texas; Mary West Horlock of Houston, Texas; and Clifton Merrell West, III, of Willis, Texas; and step-great-grandchildren Taren Lee Adams of Houston, Texas, Hunter West Adams of San Angelo, Texas, and Katherine Elizabeth Horlock of Houston, Texas. A visitation will be held at Sam Houston Memorial Funeral Home in Huntsville from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 8. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, April 9, at 2:00 p.m. at Sam Houston Memorial Funeral Home, followed by a graveside service at the Adickes Addition of Oakwood Cemetery. The family requests that memorials be made to the First Baptist Church of Huntsville, The Alzheimer’s Association, or the charity of your choice. Those wishing to leave memorial condolences for the family may do so at www.shmfh.com

Marie Coley Atkinson Middleton

January 23, 1924 - April 9, 2014