Maria Cristina Adkins

Maria Cristina de Oliveira Ribeiro Adkins, age 60 of Bolivar, MO passed away September 13, 2016. She was born on January 13, 1956 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Her parents were ancestors of Portuguese settlers who came to Brazil in the early 1800’s. She was raised in two small farm towns in Rio de Janeiro district (state). Her father was a retired Brazilian Navy Officer. Her mother was a bankteller. Cristina was the first of their two children. Her brother Celso was born when she was three. For private schooling the family moved close to the big city (Rio). Cristina’s university education and degree was in English and Portuguese language and literature. Prior to the university she completed an office secretarial and management degree (similar to our Associates Degree). Her employment was secretarial with the South American office of a large USA food company. She proceeded from typist to secretary for a VIP. During about 20 years of her career she taught English Language in the night schools of the Rio Universities. Usually two or three evenings each week after her daytime employment. In her early forties she was employed by a very well known Civil Engineer as his executive office manager and personal secretary. Dr. Benjamin Diaz has a world-wide reputation as a bridge designer and consultant to other bridge designers and builders. This man also holds a Emeritus Professorship in Brazil’s major engineering university. Cristina may have been partly attracted to her husband, Dr. Robert Adkins as he also holds the Emeritus award from Liberty University, the world’s largest Christian University, as retired Emeritus Dean of Business and Government. Cristina and Robert “found” each other on a Christian marriage search web site. They used SKYPE to converse for many months, ending with his proposal and their marriage at Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Bolivar. Cristina became a Baptist Christian under Dr. Danny Vance’s Holy Bible oriented preaching. She was baptized by Dr. Vance and looked forward every day of each week to Mt. Olive Church services, including Sunday School. Her husband read the word of God, The King James Version, to her every day and they had joint prayers daily and each night. Her favorite Old Testament book is Ruth. She had never experienced being so close to the word of God. She also enjoyed reading publications by Charles Standly and Billy Graham. She was raised Roman Catholic. God has blessed Cristina by taking her soul to Heaven. Her dementia period was only about a year and a half. Many suffer for a much longer period. Cristina leaned that Heaven is her eternal home, That her soul is eternal and on her earthly body’s death, her soul was taken to Heaven by her guardian angel. Thank you God, Thank You Christ Jesus and Thank You Holy Spirit. Funeral services will be held on Friday, September 16, at 2:00 PM in the Butler Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Danny Vance officiating. Burial will follow in the Greenwood Cemetery in Bolivar. Services under the care and direction of the Butler Funeral Home of Bolivar. Friends may leave condolences at www.butlerfuneralhome.com

Maria Cristina Adkins

January 14, 1956 - September 13, 2016