Marcus A. Atkinson, Jr., 73, of Berlin, passed away peacefully on August 2, 2024, in Hartford. He was born in 1951 at Hartford Hospital to Marcus A. Atkinson, Sr. and Jeannine E. (Dumond) Atkinson. Mark spent his childhood on idyllic Amston Lake in Amston, Connecticut.  

After leaving high school, Mark began driving tractor trailers and became a proud member of Teamsters 671 for over 30 years.  In 2006, Mark retired after a long tenure with Bailey’s Express of Middletown, Connecticut.

Mark is survived by his children Lucas J. Atkinson and his wife Katrina of Coventry, CT; Matthew P. Atkinson and his wife, Kate of Berlin, CT; Christopher M. Atkinson of Newington, CT; and Katherine B. Atkinson of Wethersfield, CT.  He leaves four grandchildren: Avery Atkinson, Savannah Atkinson, Owen Atkinson and Trenton Atkinson. He was predeceased by many loved, extended family members as well as his parents, Marcus and Jeannine, and most especially, the love of his life—Christine Anne (Ford) Atkinson—who he was married to for 33 years until her death from cancer in 2006.

Mark and Christine were high school sweethearts and married November 4, 1972.  To say that each had found their “person” at such a young age is an understatement. In truth, they were soulmates. They were absolutely and totally devoted to each other and to their family in their simple but powerful way. Together, they cultivated a love of camping, hiking, kayaking and the outdoors, sharing many tandem journeys together in their two-person kayak. They loved each other through everything in sickness and in health. Their children will tell you; it was the greatest love they have ever seen and a love that lives on in them.

Mark left us peacefully, surrounded by his children, in the place where he was born, Hartford Hospital.  The family would like to acknowledge the many doctors and healthcare workers, especially the pulmonary and cardiology teams, who cared for him in his final days with respect and with dignity.  His children are comforted by the knowledge he has joined his beloved bride in heaven where they are already slow-dancing to George Straight with two hot cups of coffee getting cool on the kitchen table and nighttime creeping in at the end of a long day.

Mark’s family will receive friends from 4-7PM on Thursday, August 8, 2024, at the Aurora-McCarthy Funeral Home, 167 Old Hartford Rd., Colchester, CT 06415. A funeral service celebrating both Mark and Christine’s life together will be held at 11AM on Friday, August 9. Burial will follow at New Hebron Cemetery. Memorial donations in Mark and Christine’s honor may be made to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, 13770 Noel Rd., Suite 801889, Dallas, TX 75380 or at www.komen.org.

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