Etowah County Mourns the Passing of Former Probate Judge Bobby Junkins

GADSDEN– Etowah County is remembering longtime public servant and former Probate Judge Bobby Mac Junkins, whose career touched local government, education, libraries, historic preservation, and civic life for more than five decades.

Junkins, 79, of Rainbow City, died peacefully at his home Saturday, October 3, surrounded by family. His death closes a remarkable chapter in Etowah County public service, including three decades as the county’s probate judge.

From Hokes Bluff to a Life of Public Service

Born in Gadsden and raised in Hokes Bluff, Junkins was the son of the Rev. L.D. Junkins and Grace Tedder Junkins. He graduated from Hokes Bluff High School and joined the first class to attend what was then Gadsden State Junior College.

Junkins later earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Jacksonville State University. He also completed advanced graduate work at the University of Alabama and the University of Kentucky.

Before voters knew him as Judge Junkins, his working life included education and one of Gadsden’s most important cultural institutions.

He began as a teacher and adult educator before spending 18 years working for the City of Gadsden. His connection with the Gadsden Public Library eventually led him to become its director.

A Gadsden State publication later recalled that Junkins began at the library as a “clean-up boy” before working his way to the director’s position. Library records show that he served as director from 1975 until 1988.

That relationship continued long after he left the director’s office. In 2006, the library named its local history room the Bobby M. Junkins Alabama Room. The honor recognized his support for genealogical research and the preservation of Alabama history.

The library continues to maintain its local and state history collection under his name.

Service in the Alabama Legislature

Junkins later entered elected public service and represented District 30 for two terms in the Alabama House of Representatives.

During his legislative career, he served on the Ways and Means Committee and the Alabama Public Records Committee. Jacksonville State records also note that lawmakers selected him among the Legislature’s outstanding House members.

His obituary states that fellow lawmakers recognized him as one of the outstanding legislators of 1984-1985.

Years later, Junkins offered a simple explanation for the varied jobs that shaped his career.

“I enjoyed working with people all my life,” he told the Gadsden Messenger while discussing his years in education and at the library.

That connection with people became a defining part of his public career.

Three Decades as Etowah County Probate Judge

Etowah County voters elected Junkins probate judge in 1988, and he took office in 1989. Voters returned him to office four more times. He completed five consecutive terms before retiring in 2019.

Gadsden State records his retirement on January 14, 2019, after approximately three decades on the bench.

His work as probate judge extended beyond the routine duties of the county courthouse. The Alabama Law Institute selected Junkins as one of four probate judges who helped rewrite Alabama election laws.

His family said he considered serving the public his greatest professional accomplishment.

Junkins also became a statewide leader among probate judges. He served as president of the Alabama Probate Judges Association.

The Alabama Department of Archives and History lists his decades as probate judge as a central part of his public-service career.

His name also became closely connected with Etowah County government itself. Court records, elections, probate matters, and other official documents carried the name Bobby M. Junkins for generations of county residents.

Preserving History and Serving the Community

Public office represented only part of Junkins’ community involvement.

He joined the Alabama Department of Archives and History Board of Trustees in 2004, representing the 4th Congressional District.

His service also included the Alabama Historical Commission and Alabama State University. He served with Jacksonville State University’s Board of Visitors, the Gadsden State Community College Foundation, and the Gadsden Public Library Foundation.

Junkins also served organizations including Quality of Life Health Services and the Gadsden Foundation Cardinal Board. His obituary notes that he spent 20 years serving the Head Start Board.

He served as a past president of the Gadsden Kiwanis Club. Junkins also belonged to the Gadsden Masonic Lodge, Zamora Shrine Club, and other civic organizations.

He was a member of the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection in Rainbow City.

His efforts also reached several community projects. Accounts of his civic service credit Junkins with helping raise money for libraries, the Chamber of Commerce building, and the local War Memorial.

A Long List of Honors

Over the years, organizations across Etowah County and Alabama recognized Junkins for his work.

His honors included the Governor’s Award for the Arts and the Gadsden Area Chamber of Commerce Key Man Award. He also received the C.I.T.Y. Program Citizen of the Year honor and the Alabama Library Association’s Public Servant Award.

Junkins received the Aaron L. Brown Memorial Public Service Award and the Family Success Center’s Spirit of Citizenship Award.

The Central-Carver Foundation and Museum honored him as an icon. The Gadsden-Etowah Patriots Association inducted him into its Hall of Honor.

Hokes Bluff High School also recognized him as an Etowah County Athletic Legend. His obituary notes that a section of U.S. Highway 278 bears his name.

Those honors reflected a career that included many roles. He served as a teacher, library director, legislator, judge, historian, civic leader, and community volunteer.

Remembering Bobby Junkins Beyond Public Office

Away from public meetings and the courthouse, Junkins enjoyed scuba diving and traveling with his wife, Susie. He also enjoyed time at Fort Morgan and along the Coosa River, along with music and reading.

His survivors include his wife of 43 years, Susie Smith Junkins. His children include Jason Junkins, Annie Junkins, Michelle Atkins, and Amy Atkins.

Other survivors include grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and additional family members. His daughter, Gina Atkins, preceded him in death.

For Etowah County, Junkins leaves behind more than the record of a long elected career. His name remains connected to the courthouse where he served and the library he once directed.

The historical collections he helped preserve also remain part of that legacy. So do the many community organizations he supported through the years.

That legacy may be best reflected in what Junkins himself viewed as his greatest accomplishment: serving the public.

Funeral Arrangements

The family will receive friends Monday, October 5, from 6 until 8 p.m. at Glencoe-Hokes Bluff Funeral Home.

A second visitation will begin Tuesday, October 6, at 10 a.m. The funeral service will follow at 11 a.m.

Father Massey Gentry will officiate. Burial will follow at Forest Cemetery.

The family asks that memorial contributions, in lieu of flowers, go to the Gadsden Public Library. The institution remained closely tied to Junkins throughout much of his life and public service.

A reception honoring his memory is also planned for November 1. That date would have marked his 80th birthday.

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