Namik "Nick" Atakkaan

GREENSBORO- Namik "Nick" O. Atakkaan, 81, passed away at Moses Cone General Hospital on Tuesday, June 27, 2006.

Funeral services are being held in Istanbul, Turkey. A local memorial service will be held at a later date.

A native of Istanbul, Turkey, Mr. Atakkaan was awarded his bachelor's degree from Yildiz Technical University in Istanbul. He moved to the United States in 1952 and was awarded his masters degree in Electrical Engineering by the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He was a registered Professional Engineer in eight states.

During his early professional years, he was a creative force in electrical engineering and a leader in research and development, with 11 patents in his name. He later designed electrical systems for commercial, industrial and institutional buildings.

Over the years, Mr. Atakkaan taught mathematics, electronics, engineering, computers and physics courses at various colleges. A fervent believer in the liberating power of education, he eschewed rote learning, and instead encouraged his students to master the fundamental principals from which higher principals flowed. He took a personal interest in his students and assisted them in obtaining experience and employment in their careers.

His ear for melody and a life long passion for classical music the motive force, he taught himself to play piano as a young man and spent many a joyous hour bent over his piano creating the music he loved. His passion for music also found expression on the dance floor, where he was an accomplished ballroom dancer.

Namik was a long time member of the American Turkish Association of North Carolina and sang in its Turkish Chorus. He participated enthusiastically in local Turkish-American causes and activities. He was also an active member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Beuna Vista Lodge No. 21 of Greensboro.

He possessed an old world sense of style and decorum. A principled man, he was well known for his character and contagious and unyielding positive attitude. Mr. Atakkaan relished the love of family and friends, embraced life and laughter, and brought joy to all around him. Words are inadequate to describe the profound emptiness his passing brings.

Namik was preceded in death by his parents Murat Gani and Nazmiye Atakkaan of Istanbul, Turkey.

Namik is survived by his beloved fiancŽe Linda G. Seawell, of McCleansville; his son Erol G. Atakkaan, of Burbank, Calif.; his three daughters, Aylin Atakkaan Regulski and husband Peter, of Apex, Bonnie Atakkaan Hines and her husband Raymond, of Johnson City Tenn. and Rana J. Atakkaan, of South Boston, Va.; his six grandchildren, Christian and Julia Atakkaan Morris, Sarah and Matthew Hines, and Andrew and Emily Regulski; his brother Faruk Atakkaan and wife Muallah, of Istanbul Turkey; his sister Gunul Altav and husband Yildirim, of Istanbul, Turkey; and his nieces and nephews in Istanbul, Turkey.

In lieu of flowers and in honor of his memory, Mr. Atakkaan's family asks that donations be sent in his name to the Bridge to Turkiye Fund (http://www.bridgetoturkiye.org ) a charitable organization supporting school library programs in rural Turkey.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at haneslineberryfh@aol.com or news-record.com/nr/obits/