In Loving Memory
John Robert Atkinson passed away at the age of 92 on April 2, 2026. John was born on April 10, 1933, in Scarborough, Yorkshire, England, to Thomas Smith Atkinson and Caroline Sarah Usher. He attended Falsgrave Elementary School and Scarborough Boys High School. He grew up living above his family’s bicycle shop, where he often worked to help his father. He moved south to the London area to start an apprenticeship with Vickers-Armstrong (Aircraft) Ltd as an aircraft weights engineer and attended Brooklands Technical College in Weybridge and Kingston Technical College in Kingston upon Thames. He’d been there only a few weeks when he attended a St. Patrick’s Day dance. There John met Gwen Jones, “a cute girl in a green dress,” and Gwen met John “a boy with hair just like my dad’s.” Gwen was 15, and John was 16. St. Patrick’s Day 2026 marked 75 years since that first dance, and they danced together throughout those 75 years.
After marrying in 1955 in St. Paul’s Church in Addlestone, Surrey, John and Gwen moved to Montreal in 1957 because of the scarcity of housing in post-WWII England and to work for Canadair Ltd. Their son Nigel was 10 months old when they moved to Canada. In the ensuing years, John and Gwen lived the heartbreak of losing two young sons, Peter and Brian, as a result of congenital health issues. Then they had the joy of completing their family when they adopted their beautiful daughter Wendy when she was 5 1/2 months old. Following aerospace engineering job opportunities, John and his family moved to Georgia in the United States and then settled in Arlington, Texas, where they lived for almost 30 years.
When Nigel and Wendy and their families ended up living near each other in Round Rock, TX, three hours south of Arlington, John retired, and he and Gwen moved to Round Rock to start the next 30+ years of their life together. John was retired, but he and Gwen were as busy as they’d ever been, helping to take care of their five grandchildren and going to the Baca Center in Round Rock for line dancing, working out in the gym, and singing and acting with their friends. John and Gwen were volunteers with Meals on Wheels for 20 years, stopping “taking food to old people” when they turned 80. In addition, John had a beautiful voice. He started as a boy soprano singing in church choirs. As an adult, he sang tenor in church choirs and in the Arlington Community Chorus and the Round Rock Community Choir. John never met a sport he didn’t like. He boxed and he bowled and he played soccer, rugby, tennis, and cricket. He won medals for swimming. In later years, he coached his granddaughters’ soccer team.
Throughout John’s last hospitalization and then hospice stay, John and Gwen were surrounded by three younger generations: their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. One of the last things John said was “Hi, Folks!” with a big smile when the latest gaggle of family members entered his room. On Thursday, 4/2/26, John passed away at the age of 92. It was the morning of his and Gwen’s 71st wedding anniversary. John’s strength, love, and kindness will resonate through all whose lives he touched.
John is survived by his wife of 71 years, Gwen; his son, Nigel (Jane Kirschman) Atkinson; his daughter, Wendy (Bil) Dickeson; five grandchildren: Melissa (Blake) Bearden, Casey (Phil) Harrison, Erin (Amanda Guillory) Atkinson, Michael (Samira Hossain) Parsley, and Phoebe May; and five great-grandchildren: George and Gwen Harrison, Jibreel Hossain-Parsley and Yaseen Hossain-Parsley, and Lucian Bearden. He was preceded in death by two sons, Peter and Brian. John will be remembered for being a devoted husband and for his kindness, tenderness, unwavering integrity, unending patience, and love for his family. He was as compassionate with people as he was with animals. He is greatly missed by his family, who will always remember his subtle sense of humor and gentleness. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests making a donation in John’s memory to an animal shelter or rescue organization of your choice.
Please join us as we honor John at a celebration of life on Saturday, May 30, 2026, from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., at the Teravista Resident’s Club Room, 4211 Teravista Club Drive, Round Rock, TX 78665. Light refreshments will be served.
2 Responses
Pat and I loved John and Gwen and much of the family as sweet and caring members of the St Richards family. They were active in all aspects of the church and the BACA senior center was a second home for them and the members simply loved them as we did.
Thank you for sharing his obituary and hope to join you at the club on May 30th!
I didn’t get to see John as much as I would have liked. I remember him as a good and kind man, measured in his ways. We will miss him and are saddened by his passing.
Clive and Karen