Obituary of Raymonde B. "Mona" Atkins

Raymonde B. “Mona” Atkins, 84, passed away at her home in Halfmoon on Oct. 13, with her loving family and caregivers close at hand, after a long illness. She was known affectionately to almost everyone as Mona. Born at home in St. Foy near Quebec City, Canada, Nov. 8, 1931, to the late Rose and Romeo Bégin, she was educated in Quebec, and as a young woman worked in the drafting office of the Davie Shipbuilding & Repair Co., Lauzon, Quebec, and at Bell Telephone of Canada, in Lévis, Quebec. While visiting relatives in Chicopee, Massachusetts, in 1951, she was introduced to Charles Atkins, a young ex-Merchant Marine officer. They were married May, 31, 1953, in St. Joseph's Church in Lauzon, and settled in Springfield, Mass. Over the next 63 years of marriage, they had four sons and moved first to Ludlow, MA, then in 1965 to Latham, NY, and subsequently to Clifton Park, Middle Grove and Mechanicville. She proudly became a U.S. citizen in 1973. Like many homemakers, as her family grew, she returned to work, first at New York Telephone in Menands, then as secretary/receptionist for the pediatric practice of Drs. Boland, Peterson and O’Dwyer in Latham, and ultimately with the South Colonie Central School District, from which she retired in 1997. She was predeceased by her parents and two sisters, Jeannine and Thérese Bégin, as well as her son, Mark S. Atkins, whom she lovingly cared for at home in Middle Grove during his long, arduous, five-year battle with brain cancer. She is survived by her beloved husband Charles H. Atkins, three sons, James V. Atkins (Susan) of Galway, Peter C. Atkins of Escondido, CA, and Gregory C. Atkins (Faith) of Clifton Park, and by five grandchildren: Victoria, Christopher, Jessica, Jennifer and Thomas Atkins, as well as a brother, Fr. Yvés Begin, SJ, and two sisters, Andrée Beaudoin and Jeannine Carrier, in Canada. The family wishes to express its sincerest appreciation and affection for all those who helped care for Mona during her illness, especially Kristen Penge, Clara Laplant and Dr. Nicole Monserate, all of whom provided invaluable help, care and comfort to the end. Calling hours will be held on Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Catricala Funeral Home, Inc. 1597 Route 9, in Clifton Park. A Mass of Christian Burial will be on Monday at 1 p.m. in St. Mary’s Church, in Crescent. Inurnment will be at a later date at Most Holy Redeemer Cemetery, Niskayuna. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Memorial Sloane-Kettering Hospital’s Cancer Center in New York City and the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University Health System’s Cancer Institute, Durham, NC.