Rex Eugene Atwood

There are a lot of significant days in one’s journey here on Earth. Rex Eugene Atwood, Jr. lived each one of them with courage. Rex was born in 1956 and died on January 4th, 2024. It was all the milestone days in between that shaped who he became as a son, brother, husband, father, and friend. There were so many things Rex loved to do in his life. He was an athlete, ski instructor, water safety instructor, private pilot, sax player, singer, coach, excellent cook, successful businessman, sailor – he even holds a patent for a sailing device that he aptly named the mast catcher. His biggest accomplishments were his marriage to Mary Lucas Atwood in 1994 and the birth of his sons Rex Atwood III and Lukas Atwood. These three gave Rex the courage he needed to survive a cancer diagnosis in 1999. Rex faced the challenge head on and became his own advocate for a disease for which there is still no cure. He chose an untraditional path for treatment and managed to survive for almost 25 years. All the challenges were just a footnote to living a passionate life filled with love, laughter, family, many friends, good food, music, and pride for the accomplishments of Rex III and Lukas. He loved his daughter-in-law Emily Carson Atwood and his grandchildren, Rex McCain (Mac) Atwood and Vivian Whitney Atwood. His last few months were not easy, but he still smiled and filled the room with his laughter. At his very core he was a survivor. Rex taught us all how to persevere. To love deeply and unconditionally. To be adventurous and brave. To have goals and a purpose. To have fun. And that you’re never too old to learn. He will be forever grateful to Mary and his family for keeping him at home and allowing him to find peace with her by his side. The last few weeks Rex enjoyed watching the old Star Trek series, Deep Space Nine and Voyager. Rex would want us all to “Live Long and Prosper” as he explores the final frontier. Rex III and Lukas are currently deployed as officers in the Navy. A celebration of Rex’s life will be announced in the future when his sons return from their duties. Donations may be made to the Multiple Myeloma Foundation or the Alzheimer’s Association in Rex’s honor. Online condolences may be made at www.HankinsandWhittington.com.