Pamela Atkinson, a longtime advocate for people experiencing homelessness in Utah, was honored at a funeral service held Friday at the First Presbyterian Church of Salt Lake City. The crowd included Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and other prominent dignitaries who gathered to remember the activist, who died Oct. 10 at the age of 93.
During the service, Gov. Cox described Atkinson as an adviser and confidant to Utah's most powerful politicians for more than 20 years. He noted that while some referred to her as the "Mother Teresa" of Utah, she reportedly disliked the comparison because she believed anyone could perform similar acts of kindness. Cox shared that Atkinson had once told him her final message to Utahns was to follow Jesus.
Atkinson served as an adviser to four Utah governors, including Cox, on homeless services and policies. Her legacy includes the Pamela Atkinson Resource Center, a 300-bed emergency shelter in South Salt Lake, and the Pamela Atkinson Homeless Trust Fund, which is a state account used to support homeless services across Utah. Ed Snoddy, who spent more than 30 years working alongside Atkinson, recalled her dedication, noting she often spent holidays delivering meals and presents to people living in tents or sleeping bags.
Born in Bromley, Kent, England, in 1933, Atkinson experienced a childhood marked by poverty, hardship, and the air raids of World War II. Her obituary stated she faced food and housing instability after her father gambled away the family's income. After earning multiple academic degrees and working as a nurse and in hospital administration, she moved to Salt Lake City.
Rev. Jamie White, the senior pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Salt Lake City, described Atkinson as a larger-than-life force. White compared her influence to Hyperion, the world's tallest living tree, noting that despite her massive impact, her journey began from humble beginnings.
