Donald S. Atkins

1929 - 2021

Donald Samuel Atkins died peacefully on January 3rd, 2021 at age 91 in St Petersburg, FL where he lived for the past 20 years. He was born in Cambridge, MA on October 30th 1929, the first son of Louis Benjamin Atkins and Rhoda Berman Atkins and as a young boy moved to Gardiner, then Pittston, Maine where he spent his childhood through high school. He loved and played sports at Gardiner high school where he graduated in 1947. At age 17 he enlisted in the Air Force. He was trained to be a radio operator on numerous transport aircraft. It was post World War II when Don participated in the Berlin airlift which was one of the missions to help the rebuilding of Europe. He served for 5 years with the majority stationed outside of London. Don always spoke glowingly about his years flying all over the world. The love of travel and adventure was a central part of who he was. After the service he went to the University of Miami until a summer job of selling cookware led him to start his first company, East Coast Sales in Hartford, CT. It was there he fell in love with and married Harriett Mishkin. They raised five children in West Hartford and lived there for over 40 years. He later would share his passion for travel taking his family on unforgettable trips including a month and a half long camping trip through ten countries in Europe in the summer of 1972. In the early 90's he volunteered for a program the Israeli army offered for people of Jewish heritage to donate their time and passion for the state of Israel. In 1997 Don fulfilled a lifelong dream living for a year in Jerusalem. Several years later he spent time living in Paris. Donald will be remembered for his generosity, his love of people, his love of adventure and traveling throughout the world. Donald is survived by his children, Betsy Mitchell and her husband Scott of Punta Gorda, FL, Jodie Barbour and her husband Bruce of Bellingham, WA, Stephen Atkins and his wife Dorena of West Hartford, CT and Daniel Atkins and his wife Debbie of Burlington, CT. He is also survived by his brother Henry Atkins and his wife Mary Jane of Bloomfield, CT. Donald is survived by ten grandchildren, two great grandchildren, a nephew and five nieces. Donald is predeceased by his former wife Harriett Atkins and their daughter Andrea Atkins. The family will honor his life in a private gathering.