Marjorie Dean Adkins

Marjorie Dean White Adkins, age 96, died Saturday, March 23, 2024. A native of Briceville, Tenn., Marjorie, aka “GanGan,” was born December 16, 1927. She attended Coal Creek High School and was a lifelong member of Rocky Top United Methodist Church where she served as treasurer for many years. She also sang in the choir and taught Sunday School. Marjorie was devoted to her family and doted on her children and grandchildren. Known for her delicious macaroni and cheese as well as creamy peanut butter fudge, she enjoyed word puzzles of all types, coloring with gel pens, and cheering on the Tennessee Volunteers. She was a proud member of the “Coal Creek Cuties”–a group of ladies who were friends from elementary school days–and she welcomed in many a New Year with them while playing dominoes late into the night.

Marjorie was proud to have worked as part of the Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge and met her husband there. When a mutual friend introduced them on a phone call, he commented that he had “never seen any pretty girls from Lake City,” to which she quipped, “Well, you haven’t seen them all.” They were married less than a year later. She worked overnight shifts at the Magnet Mills hosiery mill in Clinton, worked the counter at Bob and Johnnie’s Highway Market on 25W in Lake City (owned by her husband and his brother), and worked for 20 years alongside her sister, Charlotte, at Knight’s Flowers in Lake City. Her final job was as a librarian at the Lake City (now Rocky Top) Public Library where she retired at age 80 after 13 years of service. She continued to support the library as a charter member of the Friends of the Lake City Library.

Marjorie was preceded in death by her parents, Horace and Lora White, her husband John M. Adkins and her grandson, Stephenson Adkins. She is survived by her children Roger Adkins and wife Jackie of Knoxville, Brian Adkins of Minneapolis, Minn. and wife Callie of Winchester, Tenn.; grandchildren Jonathan Adkins and wife Lucy of London, England, Suzanne Adkins of London, England, Christopher Adkins and wife Ashley of Dhaka, Bangladesh, Meredith Adkins of Winchester, Tenn.; and great grandchildren Benjamin, Elinor, and Daniel Adkins of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

The family will receive friends from 5-7 p.m. Monday, March 25 at Hatmaker Funeral Home in Rocky Top, with service to follow. Interment will be at Norris Memorial Gardens with Rev. Dave Henderson officiating a graveside service Tuesday, March 26 at 10 a.m. Memorial gifts may be made to Friends of the Rocky Top Library, P. O. Box 157, Rocky Top, TN 37769.