MAURINE ADKINS

The Public "walk-through" viewing is Tuesday, from 5pm-7pm at Anderson-Ragsdale Mortuary. The service on Wed. November 25th is at 8am. This service is by INVITATION ONLY and can be viewed LIVESTREAM. The link will become active below the day of the service. Burial at Miramar National Cemetery at 10am. 

Maurine (Thomas) Adkins was born on Sunday, July 18, 1937. Viola, her beloved mother, and Jake Thomas, her father, welcomed a precious gift from God to the world. She was her mother’s baby, the youngest of 11 children. Maurine was reared in Terrell, Texas. Her mother raised all of her children to love God and family. She was born into the “family of faith” through her acceptance and confession of Jesus Christ as her eternal savior. As a youth, Maurine was a member of the Mt. Olive Baptist Church, where she faithfully served and sang in the choir.

Maurine received her formal education in Terrell. She always had a thirst for knowledge. While in high school, her mother’s health began to fail. Maurine became her mother’s primary caretaker during her junior year of high school. She counted it an honor to care for her dear mother while still attending high school. Despite her mother’s passing before her graduation, Maurine graduated from Burnett High School in 1956. As a Burnett “Tiger,” she was a member of the majorette team and starred on the girls’ basketball as the team’s captain.

Following graduation, Maurine relocated to Los Angeles, California, where she resided with one of her brothers, Joseph Taylor, and his family. Maurine wanted to pursue post-secondary education. She did so at Los Angeles City College with the intention of becoming a physical education teacher. However, college was a struggle for her financially because she also had to work. She went to school during the day and worked at night, but with the increasing hours necessary to sustain her, she was forced to put her education on hold. Maurine would eventually achieve her goal to attend college years into her marriage and did so while raising her young family. She attended San Diego City College, where she received her Associate of Arts Degree in Behavioral Science and Sociology. She transferred to San Diego State University (SDSU) where she earned her Bachelor Arts in Education. She completed the California Teacher Credential program at SDSU and afterwards, launched what would be a 34 year career as an educator with the San Diego Unified School District. Her thirst for learning and passion for teaching children led her to pursue a Master’s Degree in Education. She attended and graduated from Point Loma Nazarene College. She also earned her Administrative Counseling Credential as well as a California Community College Teaching Credential. Maurine worked at Abraham Lincoln High School, Woodrow Wilson Middle School as a teacher and counselor. While at Wilson, she also served as the advisor to Associated Student Body (ASB). She retired from education as the Head Counselor at Monroe Clark Middle School in 2003.

God and family were always first and foremost to Maurine. While in Terrell, she met and fell in love with her childhood sweetheart, Elray Adkins, a fellow Burnett “Tiger” at the tender age of 15. Elray supported her emotionally through her mother’s illness and passing. While he pursued a career in the Navy after his own graduation in 1955, he also supported the love of his life financially by sending money to help whenever he could. Maurine and Elray would later be united in marriage on December 24, 1960, a union which lasted 59 beautiful years. Maurine raised her four children during her husband’s 25-year military career that took them to duty stations in Lemoore, CA, Oakland, CA, Norfolk, VA, and San Diego, CA. She faithfully attended to the affairs of the family during her husband’s numerous deployments and much anticipated shore duty assignments. She was the key source of strength, support, and encouragement to her family. She was a devoted wife and a dedicated mother who showed her love in so many special ways. While her family were the main benefactors of her love, her church family also witnessed her devotion to the Christian faith, her kind and generous nature, and her beautiful soul. She was grounded in the faith at the church of her mother’s membership in Terrell, Texas, and flourished at other congregations as she moved around the country. Following her move to Los Angeles, she united with the Morning Star Baptist Church, where she sang in the youth choir. She also joined the Los Angeles Community Youth Choir, where she served as the elected president. She enjoyed the choir, which allowed her the experience of touring throughout California and Nevada singing in her beautiful soprano voice, praises to our God. Upon the family’s settling in San Diego, she united with the Calvary Baptist Church, under the pastorate of the late Rev. S.M. Lockridge in 1967. At Calvary, she was a member of the Sanctuary Choir and served as vice-president of the Matron’s Auxiliary. After 27 years at Calvary, Maurine and her husband united with the Mt. Erie Baptist Church, under the pastorate of Rev. Walter G. Wells. She was an active member involved in a number of auxiliaries which included: the Sanctuary Choir, Matron’s Auxiliary,eaconess, Pastor’s Aid, and Sunday School. Maurine truly enjoyed life. She cherished every single moment she could spend with her family, church members and friends. Maurine loved to cook and had phenomenal culinary skills.  Whether it was a Sunday dinner or a holiday, she loved to prepare special meals to share with family and friends.  Her daughter and constant companion, Yolanda, was always at her side to help in any way she could. Oftentimes, Maurine would spend days planning and preparing special holiday meals for the family. She looked forward to the times when family and friends would gather at her home to eat, sing, laugh, and fellowship. Maurine stayed connected to her brothers, sisters and other family members through regular phone calls and attendance at family reunions held in Texas and California. She cherished her friendship with her high school classmates and was in frequent contact with them. She and Elray always looked forward to attending their Burnett biennial school reunions. Maurine loved to travel especially with her family.  Her travels took her to places like Hawaii and Colorado to watch her grandson, Michael II, play college football. Maurine often accompanied her youngest daughter, Shiela, to many of her work conferences in places all over the country. She took an Alaskan cruise with her husband and Shiela. Maurine traveled to Yokosuka, Japan where she and Elray visited their daughter, Michele, and her young family.  She took in the sights and ports of call on a Caribbean cruise with her husband, Elray.  She also cruised the Caribbean with her daughters, Michele, Yolanda and Shiela.  Maurine also looked forward each year to attending the Women 2 Women Retreat at Indian Wells, CA with her daughters and the women from her beloved Mt. Erie Baptist Church.

On Monday, November 9, 2020, surrounded by her daughters, Yolanda and Shiela, Maurine peacefully transitioned from earth to glory and her new heavenly home. Maurine was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Olunthus Webb, Aylus Taylor, Joseph Taylor, Tommy Taylor, Elijah Taylor, J.D. Taylor, and Charley Taylor; sisters, Jerry Bowman, Ida Lee Nickerson, and Lessie B. Davis. Left to cherish her memory is: her devoted husband, Elray Adkins; adored adult children, Michael Adkins (Naomi) of San Diego, Michele Young of Chula Vista, CA, Yolanda Adkins of Chula Vista, CA, and Shiela Adkins of Las Vegas, NV; six beautiful grandchildren, Joseph Young, Jasmine Young-Ramirez (Reyes), Justin Young, Asia Adkins, Michael Adkins II, and Isaiah Adkins; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives, friends, church members, former students, and colleagues also cherish her memory. Maurine was a blessing to her family and all that knew and loved her. While she is absent from us, her memory is honored as she will forever be in our hearts.

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