Yvonne Atkinson

Yvonne Maxine Atkinson, age 72, of Erie (formerly of Pittsburgh), passed away on Monday, June 22, 2020 at Saint Vincent Hospital.  She was born in Pittsburgh, PA on February 15, 1948, the only child of James and Mattie Ray Powell.

Yvonne graduated from South Hills High School and Edinboro College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Art.  She began her career at the Martin Luther King Center where she started as a teacher in the Childcare Department and worked her way to the Director of Childcare for many years.  She retired from the Pittsburgh Children’s Museum in April 2017 where she was the Director of Early Childhood Education and was nationally recognized for developing “Tot-Time”, an educational program for Toddlers.  She loved teaching children.  She was “All things children.”

She was preceded in death by her mother, Mattie Powell and Grandmother, Lou Jessie Ray. 

Yvonne is survived by her father, James Powell; her husband, Harold Atkinson; her son, Darren (Keyia) Atkinson; her sister, Maria Scott, and three grandchildren: Samarra Atkinson-Carter, Demetrius Terry, and Darius Terry.  She was also survived by Special Family Martina Corbin; William (Butch), Charlene, and Ashley Burton; and Theodore (Teddy) Thomas. 

Family and friends are invited to a graveside service on Saturday, June 27^th at 1:00pm at Whispering Pines Cremation Garden, 2532 Norcross Road, Erie, PA 16510.  Arrangements are entrusted to Burton Quinn Scott Cremation & Funeral Services Downtown.  In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Pittsburgh Children’s Museum, https://pittsburghkids.org/.   

Send condolences at www.Burtonfuneralhomes.com.