A Mass of Christian Burial for Russell Lynn Atkinson, 69 of Martinsburg, will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 1, 2018 at St. Luke Catholic Church, 307 N. Market St., Danville with Reverend Mark Hammond as Celebrant.

The family will receive friends from 5-8 p.m. on Wednesday, February 28, 2018 at Law-Baker Funeral Home, 34 N. Main St., Utica. A prayer vigil will be held at 7:30 p.m.

Russell passed away on February 24, 2018 at his residence. He was born on December 4, 1948 in Mt. Vernon to the late Harold and Agnes A . (McCammett) Atkinson.

He was a member of St. Luke Catholic Church. He was an OSU Alumni and a Meijer associate for 20 years. He worked and volunteered at 4-H Camp Ohio, interned at Freedom Center and volunteered for Knox ECHO Inc. for over 25 years. He enjoyed collecting and touring lighthouses, hiking, camping and playing euchre.

Although he worked and volunteered a lot, he always made time for his wife and over 100 foster children. He was a wonderful husband, father and friend. He never knew a stranger.

He is survived by his loving wife of 36 years, Cynthia M. (Mehringer), sons, Keyon and Edward, brothers and sisters-in-law, Ronald and Alice Atkinson, Randal and Margaret Atkinson, Robert and Patricia Atkinson, sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Christabeth Mehringer-Smith, Margaret Harden, Theresa Mehringer, Patricia and Delmar Carpenter, Michele Mehringer, Andrea and David Felt and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his brothers, Richard and Rodney Atkinson.

Memorial contributions may be made to NAMI KLCO, 15 E. Vine St., Mt. Vernon, OH 43050.

To sign an online guestbook please visit www.law-bakerfuneralhome.com.