Walter F. “Sonny” Atwood Jr. 97, of Housatonic, died Friday October 14th surrounded by his loving family at Fairview Commons Nursing and Rehab Center. He was born in Great Barrington on December 14, 1918 son of the late Walter F. and Catherine Tracy Atwood.
He was educated in the Great Barrington School system and was a 1936 graduate of the former Searles High School and of Berkshire Business College. While in high school he was an outstanding athlete in both baseball and basketball, and after graduating he played semi-pro in both. He worked at Pratt and Whitney in Hartford, Conn., before enlisting in the U.S. Navy at the onset of WWII. He proudly served his country as a 2nd Class Fire Control Petty Officer on the U.S. Briscoe from 1944-1945. In 1946 he joined Rising Paper Company as a Lab Technician. He became Night Superintendent in 1948, Assistant Superintendent in 1954, and Superintendent in 1962. He resigned in 1977 after 31 years to join Diamond International Paper as Mill Manager. He retired in 1982.
He was elected to the Great Barrington Planning Board, Finance Committee and School Committee in the 50’s and 60’s. He was elected Commander of the Adams-Budz Post in 1951 and Berkshire County 9th District VFW Commander in 1955. He was also a member of Wyantenuck Country Club since 1952, and won Member-Guest in 1968 and 1969 also 4-Ball in 1975 and Allied Senior in 1973. He was Chairman of Connecticut Valley P.I.M.A. (Paper Industry Management Association) founder of T.A.P.P.I. (Technical Association of Pulp and Paper Industry.
Walter is survived by his wife of 75 years Sally Holmes Atwood, a son Walter F. “Buddy” Atwood the 3rd and his wife Doreen, of Great Barrington; two daughters, Sally Ann Atwood Osbourne and her husband Peter, of Naples, N.Y, and Marilyn Atwood Bisiewicz and her husband Ron, of Housatonic; and seven grandchildren: Amy and Sarah Bisiewicz, Meredith Osbourne Towner, Jared Osbourne, Lindsay Osbourne, Jennifer Husenfus, and Jessica Atwood.
Funeral services for Walter F. “Sonny” Atwood who died October 14, will be held on Tuesday October 18, at 10 a.m. with a Liturgy of Christian Burial at St. Teresa of Calcutta Church of the Corpus Christi Parish with the Rev. William P. Murphy pastor, officiating. Burial with Military Honors will follow in Greenlawn Cemetery, Housatonic. A calling hour will precede the funeral Tuesday from 8:30-9:30 at the BIRCHES-ROY FUNERAL HOME. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy in Walter’s memory may be made to the Adams-Budz Post 8183 in care of the funeral home at 33 South St., Great Barrington, Mass. 01230. Condolences may be made through birchesroyfuneralservices.com.
