Gret Atkin

Gret Atkin passed away on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, following a complicated heart surgery. Gret was born in Connecticut and grew up in Southbury, Morris, and Hamden. During her college years she was a member of Phi Upsilon Omicron (consumer science) and Phi Delta Kappa (education) and was a certified Water Safety Instructor. Gret graduated from the University of Connecticut as a home economics education major and was a 4-H Agent in Litchfield County. She also earned a Master of Arts from Cornell in functional apparel design.

Most of Gret’s career was as an Extension Clothing Specialist in the Department of Textiles and Apparel in the College of Human Ecology at Cornell where she developed curriculum for 4-H clothing projects and researched and designed clothing for people with special needs. She enjoyed the fact that one of her consumer articles on back-to-school shopping once appeared exactly the same week in US News and World Report and the National Enquirer. (While she was tickled by both, she realized the readership of the Enquirer reached the most people.) She went on to be an Executive Assistant to two deans and retired after 38 years of service.

Following her retirement, Gret filled her life with family, friends and experiences that brought her joy. She cherished her walks at Cass Park with her best friend Cathy, enjoyed porch picnics and ice cream outings with Helen and Barbara, and delighted in Friday coffees with Sue… among many other wonderful friends. She was a proud and loyal member of the Ithaca chapter of the Taoist Tai Chi Society and participated in water aerobics as well.

Gret also engaged in numerous volunteer opportunities and profoundly impacted the Ithaca community. She served as a Patient Advocate in the ER and Radiation Oncology unit at Cayuga Medical Center, as well as becoming an integral part of the Cancer Resource Center team, where she was recognized as the Volunteer of the Year in 2013. She participated in the Cayuga Medical System Covid test kit assembly project in 2020, and regularly supported Women Swimmin’ for Hospicare.

Gret moved to Longview in 2016 where she had some of the best years of her life, brightening the daily lives of each person she encountered. Both under her official capacity as a Wing Representative for 2C and by virtue of her kind spirit, Gret was known to seek out new residents and solitary guests in the dining room to ensure that all felt welcome. She was a reliable, friendly face in the Longview store, utilized her incredible Pfaff talent by offering simple sewing services to the Longview community, and took many courses at Ithaca College as part of the partnership between Longview and IC. In Spring 2022, she advocated to serve as editor of the Longview News, gathering content and writing stories, greatly enhancing the quality and impact of the community’s monthly newsletter.

The absolute joy of her life was her daughter, Jennifer Atkin Hudler Kwiatkowski, and cherished grandsons, Noah, Emmett, and Parker. Though they are reeling from this abrupt loss, they know how incredibly lucky they were to have the world’s greatest mom and grandmother. “Babette”, as she was lovingly known, was a treasured part of weekly routines, making mundane errands and quiet Sunday mornings so much richer. A keen observer and exceptional listener, Gret saw the unique strengths and qualities in everyone, asking thoughtful questions and remembering details that made people feel seen, appreciated, and understood.

Jen, son-in-law Mike Kwiatkowski, and Noah, Emmett, and Parker survive her, as well as cousins Sandra Potter of Anaheim, CA and David (Rita) Decker of Fulton, NY, stepbrother Jeff (Marian) Stevens of Torrington, CT, and stepsister Bette Stevens of Malden, MA. Gret was predeceased by her parents, Oliver B. Atkin and Dorothy Atkin Stevens, stepfather Joe Stevens, and cousins Alan Clark, Daniel Decker, and John Sheehan.

A celebration of Gret’s life will be held Saturday, June 24 at 2:00pm at Longview, and all are welcome to attend.

Donations may be made in Gret's memory to the Tompkins County Public Library, 101 E. Green Street, Ithaca, NY 14850 or to the SPCA of Tompkins County, 1640 Hanshaw Road, Ithaca, NY 14850.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Bangs Funeral Home, Ithaca, NY. Online condolences may be made to Gret’s family at www.bangsfuneralhome.com.