Adeline Geneva Delashmit Adkison – Mrs. Adeline Adkison burned to death at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Abe J. Fite of Atoka, Friday morning about 9:00 o’clock. Just how the nearly 89-year old woman’s clothing caught fire may never be entirely explained. Mrs. Adkison’s son, Joseph Bernard Adkison, filled the coal stove in the living room where his aged mother was reading a newspaper, and left the house. Her daughters, Mrs. Fite, and Mrs. R. C. Dawson, who live nearby, were busy in the kitchen when they heard groans. They rushed to their mother to see what was wrong and found flames from her burning clothes and newspaper enveloping her body and the chair in which she was sitting.
They tried to extinguish the fire with blankets but the flames were stubborn. Neighbors had to help them smother the flames. A doctor was called but Mrs. Adkison was dead when he arrived. Mrs. Dawson told a friend that she thought her mother was not alone more than five minutes before the tragedy occurred. The stove was not overheated and the door was not open, relatives state. Mrs. Adksion, though nearly 90, was an active woman, and those who knew her find it hard to understand how she failed to notice the flames and why she did not move to protect herself or call her daughters. Born near Munford, Mrs. Adkison had made her home in this county all her life, and as long as her health permitted she was active in church and community activities. She was a member of the Atoka Presbyterian Church. Her husband’s death preceded her death by nearly 50 years. Funeral services were held by Dr. B. W. Baker, Dr. C. B. Betts and the Rev. Paul Sherrill at the home at 2:00 o’clock Saturday afternoon. Interment was in Salem Cemetery under the direction of Maley Funeral Home. Mrs. Adkison also leaves a grandson, Willard Dawson.
[ Adeline Geneva Delashmit Adkison , The Covington Leader, Covington, Tenn., 29 Jan 1948]
Father: William Franklin Delashmit
Mother: Mary Ann Tennant Delashmit
Sister: Mariah Luvenia Delashmit
Spouse #1: Andrew J Loyd
Spouse #2: Joseph Adkison
Known Children:
Lillie P Adkison Fite
William E Adkison
Maud Adkison
Lelia Maud Adkison
Joseph Bernard Adkison
Clemmie L Adkison Dawson