Obituary of Raymond Atkinson

ATKINSON Raymond J., 83, of Midland Park passed into Eternal Life on Friday, February 8. Beloved husband of Lynn, Ray is also survived by six children: David of Merrimack, NH; Shawn and his wife Charlene of Hightstown; Thomas and his wife Sonya of Hollywood, FL; Andrew and his wife Jodie of Lake Grove, NY; Ramona Sue Starrett and her husband Robert of Unadilla, NY; and Sara Atkinson-Moore and her husband Michael of Arvada, CO. He was predeceased by his son, Patrick, in 2002. Ray was stepfather for 34 years to Kathe Olohan (Michael) of Midland Park; Angela Sabatino (Michael) of Montvale; Kristina Zak (Stan) of Morristown; Anne-Marie Ferentinos (Jamie) of Wyckoff; James Wohlberg (Jessie) of Wyckoff ; and John Wohlberg (Bridget) of Hawthorne. Cherished grandchildren are Lauren, Nathan, Jessica, Michael, Dustin, Benjamin and Zachary Atkinson; Steven and Jason Starrett; Bridget and Teresa Atkinson-Moore; Peter Olohan; Joseph and Daniel Sabatino; Brian Patterson; Amanda and Erin Ferentinos; and Isabella and James Wohlberg. A dear great-grandson, Jayden Patterson, was born this past July. Born in Passaic to George and Helen Stagg Atkinson, Ray grew up in Clifton and raised his family in Saddle Brook before moving to Midland Park in 1977. He served two tours in the Air Force, after which he worked for 30 years as Manager of Quality Control for Shulton, Inc. in Clifton. In retirement, Ray founded and ran Speeding Bullet Messengers, a delivery service for the advertising industry. Subsequently he worked for 17 years as a school bus driver for Murphy Bus Co., transporting hearing-impaired children to and from the Midland Park public schools, and then for another two years as a driver for Mill Gardens, a Midland Park assisted living facility. In the Air Force, Ray and his unit, the First Pilotless Bomber Squadron, were pioneers of the space program, responsible for the implementation and testing of the nation's first unmanned missile (the Matador). Members of the unit have remained close, hosting periodic reunions for one another in their hometowns across the country. Ray was an involved parishioner of both the Church of the Nativity in Midland Park and St. Francis of Assisi on Long Beach Island. He was a member of Nativity's first Men's Cornerstone and stayed active in that and other ministries for many years. At St. Francis, he was a volunteer at the food pantry and with Family Promise of Ocean County. He was a member of the Lions Club of Midland Park, was Art Director for several Midland Park High School Graduation Balls, and was an overnight volunteer with the Interreligious Fellowship for the Homeless. Visitation at Vander Plaat Funeral Home, 257 Godwin Avenue, Wyckoff on Wednesday, February 13 from 2-4 and 7-9. Funeral Mass on Thursday, February 14 at 10:30 a.m. at Church of the Nativity, 315 Prospect Street, Midland Park. Cremation private.