William T. Atkinson |
| Posted 2009-03-21 by Judy Wight Branson |
| The Daily Courier, Prescott, Arizona Sunday, March 19, 2006 W. T. (Bill) Atkinson, age 81, passed away on Tuesday, March 15, 2006. Bill was a longtime resident of Prescott. He was born Feb. 23, 1925, in Towbridge Township, Allegan, Mich. He was nationally known as a premier rifle barrel maker and expert gunsmith. His barrels were used by target shooters and by the U.S. Olympic team. Bill also did work for Fort Benning, Ga., the Marine Corps Sniper Program, and made accuracy test barrels for Winchester. In 1986, he was hired by Bill Ruger to manage the Prescott facility of Ruger Firearms. Bill was an especially valuable member of the staff, and chiefly responsible for the success of the P-Series handguns manufactured there. In 2002, Bill retired and still enjoyed gunsmithing. He was a lifetime member of the NRA and Prescott Gun Club. He was a state champion small-bore and trap shooter. Bill will be especially missed by his wife Dorothy; his three children, Dorothy McGovern, and John and Mike Atkinson; and his four step-sons, and his step-daughter. A Military Memorial will be held at the Chapel at the V.A. Center in Prescott, at 1 p.m., Saturday. March 25, 2006 Information provided by survivors. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Arizona Ruffner Wakelin Funeral Home, Prescott, Arizona Obituary for W.T. Atkinson W.T. "Bill" Atkinson, long time Prescott resident died Tuesday, March 14, 2006. Bill was 81 years old. He was born February 23, 1923 in Towbridge Township, Allegan County Michigan; the son of William and Anne (Thomas) Atkinson. Bill proudly served during WWII in the 603 Tank Destroyer Battallion in Europe and the South Pacific, receiving a Bronze Star Medal for heroic service to his country. Bill was nationally known as a premier rifle barrel maker and expert gunsmith. His barrels were used by target shooters and the U.S. Olympic Team. He also did work for Ft. Benning, GA, the United States Marine Corp. Sniper Program and made accuracy test barrels for Winchester. In 1986 he was hired by Bill Ruger to manage the Prescott facility of Ruger Firearms. He was especially valuable member of the staff and chiefly resonsible for the success of the P-series handguns manfactured there. Bill retired in 2002 and still enjoyed gunsmithing. He was a lifetime member of the NRA and Prescott Gun Club. Bill had been State Champanion Small-bore and Trap Shooter. Bill will be missed by his wife, Dorothy, three children, Dorothy mCGovern Jon and Mike Atkinson and his five step-children. |
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