Mr. Jeffery L. Atkins

Jeffery (Jeff) Leon Atkins age 56, of Kansas City, Mo, the head Varsity Girls basketball coach at Lincoln College Prep High School, passed away on October 6, 2024. Jeffery was born on July 30, 1968, to parents James Atkins, Sr and Naomi Atkins in Kansas City, Mo. After graduating from Bishop Hogan High School in 1986, he went on to Ottawa University in Ottawa, KS where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1991. While attending Ottawa, Jeffery played basketball. Until his passing Jeffery was employed as the Service Coordinator for the Housing Authority of Kansas City, Missouri. He was instrumental in the development and implementation of the Housing Authority of Kansas City and COMBAT Drug Prevention and Resource Center at Clymer Community Center. In 1996, Jeff was contracted by the city of Kansas City, Missouri to operate one of the most successful youth initiatives, titled “Hot Summer Nights” He was responsible for organizing and coordinating three venues that averaged 400-500 youth, Friday through Sunday nights. In 2016, under Jeff’s direction, the City of Kansas City, Missouri and the Parks and Recreation Department implemented a similar program called Club KC. He also served as Director/ Coordinator for the Boys and Girls Club Thornberry Unit from 2000-2005. Coach Atkins basketball career began soon after college, he has held positions as the head coach and co-head coach at the following schools in the Greater Kansas City area: Lincoln College Prep High School, Penn Valley Community College Division II, St Pius High School, Notre Dame De Sion as the Co-Head Coach, and Bishop Hogan High School. Jeff also coached the following AAU teams: Eclipse AAU Program, KC Lady Dream, Della C Lamb Running Rebels. He also owned/managed the Atkins Basketball Academy. He was the recruiting coordinator at IUPUI. He was inducted into the Greater Kansas City Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2022, and Penn Valley Community College’s Hall of Fame in 2022. While winning games is a great accomplishment (he was considered a winning coach with numerous championship awards) he took pride in graduating his players. Academics by far was the single most important thing that he strived for outside of the basketball court. Jeffery never met a stranger, was fun to be around, a prankster, he would swipe a piece of food off your plate if you weren’t looking and loved to laugh. He was a devoted father to his two children; he was their partner in crime, their life and basketball coach. When time allowed, he could be found fishing at an area lake, a pastime that he enjoyed with his father, and later shared with his children. Master chef on the grill, he believed in over cooking everything. Loving and devoted son to his mother, he could be credited with quite a few of the gray hairs on her head, childhood roommate and adult chill-mate to his brother, tormentor to his sister who affectionately referred to him as baby brother, he was an avid sports fan. He left behind a legacy that will stand the test of time. Preceding him in peace; his father James, his maternal and fraternal grandparents. He leaves to cherish his memory mother Naomi Atkins, his daughter Brittany Atkins, his son Braden Atkins, his brother James Atkins, Jr (Alicia), his sister Rhonda Atkins, his nephew Brandon Atkins, his niece Amber Johnson (Colin), his grandnephew Benjamin Johnson, a special cousin Sheryl L Ferguson, and a host of other family, friends, and the players from his many years as a women’s basketball coach. Funeral services will be held on Saturday. October 19, 2024, 1:30pm at Oak Grove MBC. Interment XII Gayes Memorial Gardens. Services conducted by Lawrence A. Jones & Sons Funeral Chapel. Condolences may be shared on our website.