May 5, 1925 – April 20, 2013

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Services for Amanda Hunt-Griggs Atkinson, 87, who died Saturday, April 20, 2013, will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Christ Temple Apostolic Faith Church in Sacramento, Calif.

Burial will follow at Sacramento Memorial Lawn under the direction of Thompson Rose Chapel in Sacramento.

Amanda Hunt was born May 5, 1925, in Natchez, the daughter of Wilbert Hunt Sr. and Roberta “Bertel” Caston-Hunt. She was the granddaughter of Charlie and Eula Hunt, Bert Caston and Ella Ray, and great-granddaughter of Deck and Manda Hunt.

Amanda relocated to California in 1943 and married William Griggs. To this union six children were born, William Darrell, Paul, Denise, Delores, Elisha and Daniel Griggs. In 1957, she earned her LVN license, but was later recruited by Proctor & Gamble Manufacturing Company, becoming the first African American woman hired in their Sacramento plant where she retired after 20 years.

Mrs. Atkinson was preceded in death by her parents; one sister, Wilhelmina Hunt; two brothers, Wilbert Hunt Jr. of Stockton, Calif., and Leroy Hunt Sr. of Natchez; her first husband, William Griggs; and her second husband, Edward “Sarge” Atkinson.

Survivors include six children; 11 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandson, all of Sacramento; one sister, Birdie Edward and husband, L.T., of New Orleans; three cousins, MacArthur Hunt, Jessie Lee Matthews and Eddice Hunt, all of Natchez; and a number of nieces and nephews in Mississippi and California.