Rodger Dow Atkins, DVM

Jan. 31, 1942  --  Aug. 17, 2018

Rodger was born in Little Rock, AR, the son of James E. and Virginia Huff Atkins.  He graduated from Oklahoma State University School of Veterinary Medicine in 1967 and entered the US Army Veterinary Corps.  He served one year at the Post Veterinary Office at Ft. Benning, GA, and one year in Vietnam as a Veterinary Medical Officer.  In 1969, he married Melanie King at the Callaway Gardens Chapel, Pine Mountain, GA, and entered private practice in a small animal clinic in Doraville, GA.  He built the first small animal clinic in Lilburn, GA, in 1971. From 1972 to 1990, he was a USDA veterinary medical officer in Dardanelle, AR, and from 1990-2000 he was an instructor in the USDA's Meat and Poultry Training Center on the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station, TX.  After his retirement from the USDA in 2000, he and Melanie moved back to GA and settled in Dalton.  Rodger and Melanie were Hospice volunteers and Rodger was also a volunteer with the Forestry Service and the Boy Scouts in Dalton and Camp Sidney Dew.  He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Jon Stephen Atkins, and cousin Becky Huff Terrien.  He is survived by his wife, Melanie, his sisters Linda Atkins Nelson of Lampasas, TX, and Mary Atkins Bodenhamer (Kevin) of Tulsa, OK; his cousins Cherry Haney Fishburne of Birmingham, AL, and Linda Lindsley Farnsworth (Bob) of Signal Mountain, TN.  A graveside service and inurnment are being arranged with the Georgia National Cemetery, Canton, GA. In lieu of flowers, donations to Hospice or the Boy Scouts of America are appreciated.

Graveside service will be held Wednesday August 29, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. from the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, GA, with the American Legion Post 112 in charge of military rites.

Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.pondersfuneralhome.com .
Arrangements will be announced by, Ponders Melrose Chapel 138 Melrose Drive Dalton, GA 30721, 706-226-4002
www.selectedindependentfuneralhomes.org and www.ogr.org