George W. "Bill" Atkinson, age 87, of Nevada, Iowa, passed away on Wednesday, August 29, 2018, at Israel Family Hospice House in Ames, Iowa. 

Graveside services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 1, 2018, at the Nevada Municipal Cemetery with Pastors Myron Herzberg and Jayme Harvey officiating.  Military honors will be conducted by William F. Ball Post No. 48 of the American Legion.  All family and friends are invited to Memorial Lutheran Church, 701 11^th Street, Nevada, for a light luncheon immediately following services.

Bill, born June 8, 1931, lived his entire life in Nevada.  He graduated from Nevada High School in 1950, and soon thereafter joined the U.S. Coast Guard.  He was stationed aboard the icebreaker Northwind in the Artic and Greenland during the Korean conflict.  In 1951, Bill married his high school sweetheart, Sue Ann Huhn. 

Bill worked for Karges Service in Nevada.  He later purchased the business and it became known as Bill’s Tire Service.  Later in life Bill enjoyed making fishing lures.  His man cave is decorated with the lures, fishing rods and reels, minnow buckets, and tackle boxes which were his delight.  Annual fishing trips to Canada began in 1950 and lasted until just last summer. 

Bill has three children who survive him: Ann (Daly) Greiman of Little Rock, AR, Jim (Paula) Atkinson of Nevada, and Mary (Jerry) Jones of Altoona.  He has nine grandchildren, Laura Phillips, Jayme Harvey, Amy Beck, Stacie Graham, Jennifer Greiman, Dax Atkinson, Dustin Atkinson, Adam Jones, and Aaron Jones; 11 great-grandchildren, Kodi, JJ, Isaac, Lillybeth, Nathan, Cayden, Wyatt, Summit, Estelle, Adeline, and Asher; and a special nephew, Dan Atkinson.  He was preceded in death by his wife, Sue; father, Wyatt Atkinson; mother, Lucille Barkus; and one brother, Donald Atkinson.

Ryan Funeral Home of Nevada has been entrusted with the care of Bill and his family.  In lieu of flowers, memorials in Bill’s name may be directed to William F. Ball Post No. 48 of the American Legion.