Icilma Lorde (née Atkins) transitioned to join her Lord and Savior in Heaven on Saturday, June 20, 2026, at the age of 92. She was born on November 1, 1933, to Margarita “Constance” Atkins in Thornbury Hill, Christ Church, Barbados.
Icilma was a true trailblazer, leaving the only home she had ever known in 1972 in order to seize new opportunities for her family in the United States. A lifelong lover of the Lord, she walked by faith, not by sight. She trusted He would carry her through any trials and tribulations, even as she ventured into the unknowns of life in a distant country.
A longtime member of St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church in Newport News, VA, Icilma enjoyed pouring into those around her with her love, her time, and even her beautiful crochet. Her care, compassion, and devotion extended across generations of the Atkins family and beyond those connected to her by blood. This dedication extended into the special bond she shared with the Melville family in Barbados, including Susan, Jane, and Donna Mary, and the Drucker family in Virginia, including Wendy and David.
To have the privilege of knowing Icilma was to experience the joy of loving her. To hear her hearty laugh, rising from her belly and transforming her face into a beautiful smile, was like feeling the warmth of the sun shining down on you. She had a fiery spirit and a sharp mind, which both came in handy when she was telling her favorite stories.
Icilma was preceded in death by her mother, Constance Atkins, and her brother, Cyril Atkins. Left to honor her are her three sons Colvin Atkins, O’Brien “Tony” Atkins, and Clarence Lorde; daughters Juanita Atkins, Beverley Browne, and Yvonne Carrington; adopted daughters Glenda Yarde, Jean Armstrong, and Wendy Drucker; adopted son Junior Perry; grandchildren Stacia Cooper (Maurice), O’Brien “OJ” Atkins Jr., Shaun Atkins (Tumal), Brionna Atkins-Banks (Frederick), Kaila Lampkin (Stephen), Earl Gittens, Natasha A. Atkins (Sheldon), Andre Fullwood, Kenya Jones, Evan Drucker (Bekah), and Nicole Piercy. In addition to her immediate family, Icilma leaves to cherish her memory a host of loving great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, extended relatives, The Melville and Drucker families, and dear friends from Barbados to Virginia and beyond. May the joy of her memory continue to shine light on all whose paths she crossed.
The family will receive friends on Monday, July 13, 2026, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. at Peninsula Funeral Home, 11144 Warwick Blvd., Newport News, Virginia. A funeral service will follow at the funeral home beginning at 2:00 p.m. Burial will be in Barbados at a later date.