Tammy Jean "TJ" Atwood's Obituary
Tammy Jean “TJ” Atwood, age 66, born July 1, 1959, in Mayfield, Kentucky, passed away Wednesday August 20, 2025, at her home in Fayetteville, Arkansas. A life-long non-smoker, TJ was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in January 2024 and battled the disease long enough to achieve her final goals of teaching her graduate international tax course at the University of Arkansas this Spring, and presenting her son Nicolaus his diploma during his graduation ceremony at the University this May.
Following her graduation from Western Kentucky University in 1980 TJ worked as a CPA and tax manager before returning to school to get her MBA from the University of Texas in 1990. In Austin she developed an interest in academic accounting, and after graduation entered the University of Illinois Ph.D. program, receiving her degree in 1995. Her academic career was spent teaching tax at the Universities of Missouri, Illinois, Kansas State, North Texas, Florida State, and since 2015, Arkansas.
A non-sports fan, TJ was always relieved when her husband Kevin could accompany her to official events, when he could discuss sports with university administrators and accounting firm leaders. Although not a fan, she knew that each university’s athletic teams were bound to have poor seasons after she joined the faculty. She liked to point out that Illinois won more Nobel Prizes than football games in 2003 when she was a visiting professor in Champaign-Urbana.
When away from campus TJ enjoyed spending time at home reading, cross-stitching and watching videos. She loved playing scrabble with her family. Whenever holidays came around she was the driving force of household festivities, eager to make pumpkin pie, decorate the tree, or help with the egg hunt.
TJ was a loving mother that always put her children first. Endlessly supportive, she validated her children in both their passions and who they were as people. She kept their business cards with her, just in case she got the chance to promote their work.
She is survived by her father Guy Atwood, mother Sue Draper, husband Kevin Litke, their children Perri Atwood Litke and Nicolaus Atwood Litke, her sister Nancy (Joe) Crafton, and her nephews Stephen, Adam, and Daniel.
Cremation under the direction of Nelson-Berna Funeral Home.
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