Nancy P. Atkinson, 87, formerly of Vero Beach passed away Sept. 23, 2016.
She is survived by her daughter Holly Purcell-Callin; two sons, Randall Purcell and Bradley Purcell; and seven grandchildren who adored her.
She was preceded in death by her husband John W. Atkinson in Sept. of 2014.
She was born in Jamaica, N.Y. in 1929 and met the first love of her life, John Purcell, in her twenties while working as a model and sales associate on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. Soon after they married, she gave birth to Holly in New Rochelle, N.Y., then two years later, Randall in Greenwich, Conn.
John’s work with Caltex brought the family to England and then to Instanbul, Turkey, where Bradley was born.
She spent a good part of her life in Bedford, N.Y. after moving back to the US in 1968. She was an accomplished skier and horseback rider and loved caring for her horse, Baboo. She was also an aspiring artist, a talent that only surfaced in her 70’s. She was adept with oil on canvas, particularly impressionist landscapes and bird portraits.
She loved animals, but especially her dogs over the years- Sheba, Sheytan, Tasha, Shawna, Caezar, Belle, Nipper, Nefra, Solo, and her dear Sasha.
Atkinson loved entertaining and loved to be entertained. But above all else, she loved her kids and cherished being around them.
She found her way to Montego Bay, Jamaica in 1981, while working for a travel agency. She immediately fell in love with the island nation and soon purchased a beautiful villa on a hillside overlooking the Caribbean. The vivacious and energetic American blonde quickly became well known as “Nann-Cee” throughout Montego Bay circles and “Reggae Nance” to her American friends and family. To her grandchildren, it was simply “G-Nance.”
It was at the Montego Bay Yacht Club where she met the second love of her life, John Atkinson, a Peat Marwick accountant and English gentleman. They married and lived many happy years in Jamaica until relocating to Vero Beach in 2001.
Her endless energy, beautiful smile, and friendship will be missed by all those she touched.
Funeral services for Nancy will be private, but the family welcomes thoughts, prayers, photos, memories or a favorite Nancy story. Please email them to her son Bradley at bpurcell@goodnow.com. A story book will be created from these contributions to be shared with friends and family.
