Earnest Atkins (Lansing)

Earnest Atkins passed away January 9, 2025. Age 75. He was born on August 8, 1949 in Ingham County, Lansing, Michigan to the late Earnest Davis and Dorothy Watkins-Atkins-Johnson. 

Earnest was raised and lived most of his life in Lansing, Michigan; with only a few short years living in Ypsilanti, Michigan. He was educated in the Lansing Public School System. Earnest had various jobs throughout his life; working at the old Jack Tar Hotel, Lansing Drop Forge, Panera Bread, and Peckham Industries. Earnest was a devoted fan of Rhythm & Blues music, especially Motown Records; his favorite being the Temptations and Jr. Walker and the All-Stars. He was best known around his friends as a good dancer of the Philly Bop. It was an African American revived swing dance and Rock & Roll style combined dance to a slower repeat pattern six count dance step in the sixties which was created in Harlem. It was a smooth style of dancing that expresses suave moves without physical contact. Many say Earnest was a really good dancer. 

In commemorating and paying respect to family and loved ones who are no longer with us, Earnest would gather family members together to honor the lives of both his daughter’s mothers’, at their gravesite every year.

Earnest leaves to cherish his memory, his daughters, L’Kesha Weakly of Lansing, Michigan and Shaneeka Owens of Hagerstown, Maryland; grandson, Nicholas Panetta of Lansing, Michigan; sisters, Janet Jackson of Atlanta, Georgia, Ruth Ann Jordan, Sheila Craft, Gloria Jackson and Nicole Hawkins, all of Pontiac, Michigan; brothers, Jim Johnson and Mark Johnson, both of Lansing, Michigan, and Markham Davis of Pontiac, Michigan; many nieces, nephews and other relatives and special friends, the Curry and McCray families. 

He was preceded in death by both his parents; paternal and fraternal grandparents; and brothers, Calvin Atkins, Anthony Davis and Leonard Davis.