Harold Atkins

1926 - 2015

ATKINS- Harold L., MD, 88, died peacefully at home on Friday, May 1, 2015 in South Setauket, LI, NY. He was born on September 24, 1926 in Newark, NJ to Abram Atkins & Martha Saxe Atkins. Harold earned his BS from Yale University in 1948 and his MD from Harvard Medical School in 1952. In 1963, he wed Beverly Birns. A pioneer in the field of nuclear medicine, he worked as a research and practicing radiologist for 42 years at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, Brookhaven National Laboratory, and as Head of Nuclear Medicine and Professor of Radiology at the State University of NY at Stony Brook. Publishing over 230 professional papers, he participated in and presided over numerous professional organizations, and was the recipient of many professional awards. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Beverly Birns Atkins; his children Susan Birns, Peter Kindfield, and Mathew and Michael Atkins; his grandchildren Sylvia Birns-Sprague, Noah and Karuna Kindfield, Natasha & Keira Atkins, and Hannah and Abigail Woronoff-Atkins and his great-grandchildren Lyra and Oscar Birns-Sprague and brother Leonard Atkins. A celebration of his life followed by a nosh will be held at Zan's Deli on Nesconset Highway, at 11:30AM Tuesday, May 5. Because Zan's requires an advance head count, the family requests that all attendees RSVP by leaving a message for Mathew Atkins at (650) 703-0995 by noon on Monday. In lieu of flowers, tax deductible donations may be made in Harold's name to Physicians for a National Health Program at 29 East Madison Street, Suite 602, Chicago IL, 60602.