Aubert Carr “Bert” Atkison, Jr.                                                          

Aubert Carr “Bert” Atkison Jr., 82, of Forest, Mississippi, passed away on Wednesday, August 12, 2026.

Bert was born on June 30, 1944, in Memphis, TN, to Aubert Carr Atkison and Geraldine Prince Atkison. He graduated from Parkin High School in 1962, where he distinguished himself as a talented athlete, and went on to the University of Arkansas to play football before transferring to Henderson State University.

It was at Henderson State that Bert met Judith Lee Callaway, the woman who would become the love of his life. The two were married on September 7, 1966, when Judy was 19 and Bert was 22, and from that point forward, they were rarely apart. That same year, Bert and Judy moved to Forest, Mississippi, with a lamp, an ironing board, and a couple of wedding gifts. From those humble beginnings, they built their life, raised their family, and made Forest, MS, their home for the next 60 years.

Bert devoted 44 years of his career to the Mississippi Farm Bureau as Agency Manager of the Scott County Farm Bureau. A successful and respected businessman, Bert took tremendous pride in his work and in the relationships he built throughout his career. His agency was named Agency of the Year for the state of Mississippi multiple times, and his career afforded Bert and Judy opportunities to travel around the world. He proudly wore his Farm Bureau ring as a symbol of the work, people, and organization that meant so much to him.

Bert's investment in Forest extended well beyond his career. For more than 20 years, he served his community through the Forest Municipal School District’s school board and Forest school’s Booster Clubs. A fiercely loyal Bearcat supporter, Bert gave his time and energy to the schools and young people of the community he had chosen to call home. He was a friend to many, and through six decades in Forest, the relationships he built became as much a part of his life as the place itself.

Bert believed that anything worth doing was worth giving his all. Whether in his career, his community, his hobbies, his faith, or his relationships, he dedicated himself to his craft and to the people around him. His success was never measured solely by what he accomplished himself, but by what he invested in others along the way.

That investment in others was one of the clearest expressions of Bert’s faith in Christ. He had a gift for seeing potential in people before they could see it in themselves and for making them believe they were capable of more. He lived his faith through action—giving his time, sharing what he knew, challenging others to grow, and pointing them toward something greater than themselves.

Those who knew Bert knew him as a fine man of strong moral character and unwavering integrity—but also as someone who was never too serious to crack a joke. He always kept those around him on their toes, but that was part of what made him so lovable. His quick wit, teasing nature, and ability to make people laugh were simply part of being around Bert.

Bert was also a fierce competitor. Whatever the game, he came to win, and those who knew him knew better than to underestimate him—especially with a pool cue in his hand. He brought that same competitive spirit to the golf course, where he was particularly well known for the remarkable distance he could get from his persimmon-headed driver, earning a reputation for having some of the longest drives around.

He was also an avid deer and turkey hunter. Yet, as much as Bert enjoyed a successful hunt himself, he found even greater pleasure in helping a young hunter experience a first kill. He became a mentor, teacher, and coach in the woods, generously passing along his knowledge, patience, and love of the outdoors. And among the hunting stories his family and friends will continue to tell is the day Bert managed to kill two turkeys with one shot.

To his family, however, Bert was much more than his accomplishments. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, and friend. Known lovingly as “Pappy” to his grandchildren and great-granddaughter, his greatest legacy can be found in the family he and Judy built together in Forest.

Bert shared an especially close relationship with his father, Aubert Carr Atkison, who was himself an agency manager in Little Rock, Arkansas, and whom Bert considered his best friend. Bert was preceded in death by his parents, Aubert Carr Atkison and Geraldine Prince Atkison, and his siblings Billy Brader, Patricia Honea, and Art Atkison.

He is survived by his beloved wife of nearly 60 years, Judith “Judy” Callaway Atkison; their son, Allan Atkison and his wife, Lynn; three grandchildren, Brooke Hendershot (David), Kelly Chambers (Will), and Abby Atkison; a great-granddaughter, Cora Chambers and a sister, Dea Maclin, of Middleton, TN.

Bert leaves behind a legacy of faith, dedication, and investment in others. He gave his all to the things he loved and, more importantly, to the people he loved. He believed in people, challenged them, encouraged them, and helped them see what they were capable of becoming. In doing so, he lived out his faith in Christ and reflected a simple truth that guided his life: what God gives us is meant to be cultivated, shared, and poured into others. He lived with integrity, competed fiercely, loved loyally, laughed often, and left people better than he found them. His investment lives on in his family, his friends, his community, and the generations who will carry his lessons forward.

Friends are invited to celebrate Bert’s life at Ott and Lee Funeral Home in Forest, MS, on Saturday, August 15. There will be a visitation from 10:00 - 11:30 with a graveside service following at Eastern Cemetery in Forest. Pall bearers include: Steve Boone, Will Chambers, Tre’ Chambers, Tommy Davis, David Hendershot, Scott Hill and Hamer Morgan. His beloved “Coffee Club” friends are honorary pall bearers as well.