Robert B. Atkinson ’43


Robert B. Atkinson ’43 died June 17, 2012, at his home in Longmeadow, Massachusetts. “Boone” graduated from the Loomis School (now Loomis-Chaffee) in 1938. There he was on the honor roll, a member of the student council and played baseball and football. He also studied in Europe in the school’s study abroad program. At Dartmouth he was a member of Dragon. After time in the Army Intelligence Service during World War II, Boone attended Harvard Law School, graduating in 1948. He joined the Springfield Law firm of Mallary and Gilbert. His firm merged with another, becoming Bulkley, Richardson and Gelinas, in which he eventually became a partner. Boone was a director of the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co.; trustee, director and first president of the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts; director and chairman of the executive committee of the Eastern States Exposition; and president of the Wesson Memorial Hospital. Described as “a tireless worker for good community causes,” Boone was a director and first president of the Western Massachusetts Health Planning Council; director and president of the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce; a trustee and director of Hampden Savings Bank; director of the executive committee of the Springfield Central Business District; a director of the Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts and a member of the board of assessors of Longmeadow, Massachusetts. An avid skier and golfer, Boone participated in both sports into his 90s. Married in 1942, Boone and his wife, Lucy, had daughters Lucy and Sarah. All survive Boone as well as six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.