When Pamela Atkinson was young, she dreamt of moving from her home in England to become a sheep shearer on a farm in Australia, an idea she had gleaned from seeing it on television.
Of the many things Atkinson did during her 93 years of life, sheep shearing was not one of them. She did, however, become a shepherd, in one sense of the word.
Atkinson, who passed in early October, lived a life that was dedicated to gathering and serving others, especially those experiencing homelessness, living as refugees or who were otherwise vulnerable and in need of a helping hand.
Fittingly, at Atkinson’s funeral service, multiple speakers quoted Psalm 23, one of Atkinson’s favorite passages, which begins with “The Lord is my shepherd.”
Rev. Jamie White, Atkinson’s reverend at the time she died on Oct. 10 at age 93, said this passage served as comfort to Atkinson toward the end of her time on this earth.
“In the final few days of her life, when she all but lost consciousness and we knew we were quickly approaching the end, I would often sit by her side, praying for her, telling her how much she was loved, and reciting Psalm 23,” the Rev. White described.
“On one of those final mornings, as I began, ‘The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want,’ her eyes fluttered open and she began to whisper the words right along with me. ... Those were the last words that I heard Pamela say.”
“These were words that Pamela had deep in her bones, a promise of God’s love for her, a love that she had learned to trust so fully and root her so deeply that she could then pour herself out for the sake of others.”
As the Rev. White detailed this sweet moment, many of the hundreds gathered to celebrate Atkinson’s life wiped tears from their eyes. The audience included Utahns of many different cultures, races, ages and religions.
Eulogists included Atkinson’s daughter and grandson, Heather and Nate Hooper; Sharon Eubank, former director of Humanitarian Services for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. President D. Todd Christofferson was also in attendance at the service, along with Elder Gérald Caussé and Elder Clark G. Gilbert.
“We all sit here today because of her love for her neighbor, her love for Utah,” the Rev. White continued. “It has transformed our world, hasn’t it?”
Eulogists remember Atkinson as ‘a living embodiment’ of Christlike love
Almost all who spoke at Atkinson’s funeral referenced her Christlike character.
Her grandson, Nate Hooper, said that “understanding what Pamela Atkinson did is powerful and important, but understanding why she did what she did is the most important lesson we can take from her life.”
Hooper said his grandma told him that her motivation to do good works was “because if Jesus Christ were here on the earth, this is what he would be doing.”
Eubank, a close friend of Atkinson’s, said Atkinson once told her, “I do what I do because I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Gov. Cox spoke at the service as well, and said Atkinson was “constantly asking us to ask ourselves, ‘What would Jesus do?’”
“However, I never had to ask, ‘What would Jesus do?’” Cox continued. “I only had to look at what Pamela was actually doing.”
“When I asked her what her final message to the Utah she loved and that loved her would be, she said, ‘Just follow Jesus. It’s so easy to do,’” he added.
Elder Kearon said that “faith in Jesus Christ was never far from my interactions with Pamela.”
“She has been and will remain a catalyst for good in the communities that we all share together,” he said. “She was and remains a living embodiment of the pure love of Christ.”
Atkinson’s legacy continues to inspire service
Even though Atkinson “really didn’t care about titles,” as many speakers pointed out, she did become affectionately known as “Utah’s Mother Teresa” because of her many selfless contributions to the communities she participated in.
Her work included counseling government officials, establishing medical clinics to serve low-income families, helping run the LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City, serving on the state Board of Regents and collaborating with leaders in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to organize humanitarian aid.
Her service spanned both professional and private roles. White mentioned the two “Pamela’s Closets” in the basement of the First Presbyterian Church where the service was held, which provide clothing and hygiene supplies to those in need.
Atkinson’s name is still seen around town on a medical clinic that serves the homeless, a homeless trust fund and a men’s resource center.
Her name, however, is not the only way she intends her legacy to live on.
At the end of the Rev. White’s homily memorializing Atkinson, he shared a message that Atkinson had asked White to give at the service.
“As I get closer to the end, more than anything, I hope people look at my life and it helps them remember just how easy it is to reach out and help someone,” White said, directly quoting Atkinson.
Atkinson said that “we really are the hands and feet of Christ” and encouraged everyone to “use our hands and feet to love the world.”
“The truth is, we all have 24 hours in a day, so the question becomes, how will we use those hours?”