Oliver Grant Actkinson was born in Protem, Missouri Oct 28, 1900 to Jessie Lee and Amanda Ellen ( Hoosier) Actkinson. He died in an Arlington nursing home Dec 9, 1990 at the age of 90 from complications of Parkinson's. He had been a resident of Arlington for 49 years.
Oliver married Tessie Hollabaugh in Vera, TX on July 15, 1922 at her parents home. Oliver's parents lived on the adjoining farm. The Hollabaugh family moved to Vera in 1917 when Tessie was age 16. Olivier met Tessie when she and her younger sister, Bessie, walked over to the Actkinson farm to see if they could buy some eggs and milk from them. The Hollabaugh family had just arrived traveling by covered wagon from Mountain Peak, TX. Oliver was age 17. They both attended Vera school together for one year. Oliver graduated from Vera High School in 1918 with Tessie graduated in 1917.
Oliver and Tessie had nine children. Elmer Lee (1923- 1991), Thada "Irene" ( (1924-2012), Marjorie Mae "Margie" ( 1926-1999), James "Wallace" (1928-2004) Mary "Ruth" (1932-2013), Kathleen Annette (1935-1989), Ola Ann (1935 -2012), Clyde Randall "Buddy" (1940-1940) and Nancy Ethel (1948- 2022).
The Actkinson family moved from Vera to Arlington in 1949. They became members of the First United Methodist Church. Their oldest son, Elmer helped them to buy a house located at 904 South Pecan St, Arlington. Oliver started working as a Gardner at the Arlington State College which was a junior college at that time. He was real good at raising beautiful flowers and plants. He had a green thumb so to speak. Tessie worked in the college cafeteria for a few years. Oliver retired about 1965 when the junior college became a four year college. The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA at Arlington) was located near where the Actkinson family lived on South Pecan St. Oliver and Tessie had to sell their home about 1968 to the college as it was growing very fast. The college needed land to expand. Oliver and Tessie were able to purchase the home of their daughter, Ruth and Ray Havins at 1301 Sanford, Arlington. Ruth and Ray let them buy it for what the college paid them for their other house as they really did not get paid enough money to purchase a good house. Oliver started working for the Arlington schools as a Crosswalk Guard. Tessie's mother, Isabel Hollabaugh, came to live with Oliver and Tessie at the end of her life. Tessie was getting older herself, and not able to do as much. They had three daughters that were able to help Tessie care for her mother. Irene, Ruth and Kathleen were real blessings in their grandmother's life.
Funeral services were held at . 3:30 p.m. at Hugh M. Moore and Sons Funeral Home in Arlington. Burial was in Moore MemorialGardens.
Survivors include his wife of over 68 years, Tessie Mae Atkinson of Arlington; two sons, Elmer Actkinson of Fort Worth and Wallace Atkinson of Linden; five daughters, Irene (E. G.) Nation, Marjorie Watkins and Mary Ruth (Ray) Havins, all of Arlington, Ola (Jim) Neely of Godley and Nancy (Don) Kirk of Shreveport, La.; two sisters, Serena Johnson of Oakridge, Ore., and Lela Madison of Lamesa; 19 grandchildren; and 29 great grandchildren.:
He was preceded in death by infant son; Clyde Randall " Buddy" and daughter, Kathleen "Katha" Durham; Grandsons; Robert Russell Durham and Ronald Alan Watkins; his parents; Jessie and Amanda Actkinson; brothers Linard Raymond, Theo, Troy Lee and Arnold Actkinson.