Laura Jane Atchison Pittman died on September 16, 2026, at the age of 58, after a year of bravely fighting cancer.

She was born on November 13, 1967, in Lakenheath, England to Jane Ella Nabors Atchison and James William David Atchison. After moving to the US just before her 2nd birthday, Laura Jane spent her childhood years in Durham, North Carolina, Greenville, South Carolina and Ruston, Louisiana. She graduated from the University of the South with a BA in English and received an MA in Education from the University of Georgia before arriving in Jacksonville in 1994.

Laura Jane was constant in her commitment to love, community and spiritual growth during each chapter of her life. A lifelong learner, she explored the world through reading, music, mountaintops, moss-lined creeks, yoga practice and heartfelt engagement with her friends and church communities. She was a skilled pianist, and her soul was filled with music. She directed the children’s choir at San Jose Episcopal Church and sang with their adult choir as well as the Jacksonville Symphony Chorus for more than 20 years.

Laura Jane also found strength through words. She was a respected writer and sought-after editor in the greater Jacksonville community, and was proud to use her voice to advocate for and support the work of nonprofits like The Community Foundation, the Women’s Giving Alliance and Theater Jacksonville. She began sharing her own poetry and writing on Substack during her cancer journey – and loved editing the Cathedral Quarterly magazine, where she invited others to join her in an exploration of faith, wisdom, vulnerability and beauty.

At heart, Laura Jane was a beautiful caregiver and connector.

She was always delighted to see another nest of baby bluebirds in the box outside her window. She never missed the chance to greet a dragonfly or hummingbird. And she was deeply loved by family cats Smokey, Patch and Tigger, Charlie the ferret, Georgia the dog, and her faithful kitty companions Della and Louis.

She cultivated a wonderful garden of friends from all walks of her life: classmates from her own schools, parents and teachers from her children's schools, church and chorus communities, colleagues, and many other spaces in between. She adored the different circles of women who enriched her life in so many ways, and her lasting connections have been reflected in the generosity and support surrounding her family this past year.

She shared almost 38 years of deep and lasting love with her Sewanee sweetheart and best friend, Buck. After meeting in a college scuba diving class and realizing they had the same birthday, they had their first date at 21 and married a few years later in April 1994. Laura Jane was a fun, adoring, supportive and steadfast partner, and was immensely grateful that she had been lucky enough to marry her soulmate.

And of course, Laura Jane was an incredible mother to Heather, Lily, and Will. She loved her children unconditionally and saw motherhood as her proudest accomplishment. She was the ultimate caregiver and made sure that no matter the time of day, the season of life or the distance apart, her love still found its way around the world through texts, phone calls, FaceTimes, letters and care packages. One of her greatest joys came from having the family back together, and she was able to spend her last weeks of life with all three of her ‘angels’ by her side.

Laura Jane is survived by her husband Alfred Buckner ‘Buck’ of 32 years, her children Heather Hildreth (31), Lillian Becker (28), and William Buckner (25), her father David Atchison, her sister Heather Atchison and her brother Phillip Atchison. She was kind, witty, warm, fun-loving, intelligent and open-hearted, and her spirit will live on through all of those who were privileged enough to share in her love and laughter.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Jacksonville Symphony Chorus, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, or to St. John’s Cathedral in Laura Jane’s memory.