“Bob” Robert Hatcher Weiss, 90, Died; Westporter, Veteran, Businessman
Robert Hatcher Weiss, “Bob”, in Westport, formerly of Boston, passed away peacefully at home with his wife, Joyce at his side on January 15, 2022.
He was born in Cambridge on September 11, 1931, the son of Elizabeth and Dr. Soma Weiss. During his childhood, he developed a deep sense of curiosity during his summers in Keene Valley, NY, and enhanced his early education at Shady Hill School and Milton Academy (class of 1950). He received a Bachelor's Degree from Harvard College (class of 1954), where he became the varsity hockey team manager as a freshman. In his sophomore year, he was introduced to the discipline of writing by becoming the Harvard sports correspondent for the Boston Herald American.
After graduating from college, Bob served in the U.S. Army Field Artillery, 1954-1956, and was stationed in Germany where he met his first wife, Ruth Underwood, and subsequently had four children. He held a number of positions in various advertising and marketing companies. In 1972, he created Robert Weiss Associates, a public relations and marketing company which worked with a variety of clients including the CVS Roadside Service Program, Gillette's Introduction of the PaperMate Erasable Pen, King Arthur Flour, Purdue Chicken, New Balance and The Copley Plaza Hotel. He purchased the Boston Airport Journal in 1983, and subsequently began 3 other newspapers in the Boston area devoted to the travel industry. He also broadcasted travel commentaries for WBZ radio for over two decades. Bob was a former governor of the Boston Athletic Association, and successfully completed nine marathons. He served on the King Arthur Flour Board of Directors, was an Incorporator of The Harvard Magazine and helped create the Harvard Shop.
Bob enjoyed his weekend retreats in Westport that was purchased in 1991 so much that he and his wife Joyce moved there full time in 2021. A dedicated traveler, he was lucky to have visited China, Russia, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, Cape Town, Hungary, Canada, and Europe among other destinations. He hated the word retirement and continued his interest about what was going on in the world.
He recently wrote a book, entitled Media Man, chronicling his adventures in the business world. But more than anything, he treasured his time with the family, and loved the energy of all the grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His motto was "family is everything" and was evidenced by the lively family reunions, especially the Christmas cruise.
Bob is survived by his wife, Joyce; and his four children, Elizabeth Comins of Hingham, Laura Weiss Sanchez of Buenos Aires, Lucy Weiss of Weymouth, and Robert Weiss Jr., of Eugene, Oregon. In addition, he is survived by his nine grandchildren who affectionately called him "Popey": Nicolas and Sol Sanchez, Virginia Sanchez, Carly and Simeon Fromberg, Victoria Sanchez and Marcel Herold, Courtney Caroline Comins, Allyson Bergeron, Hadley Weiss, Michael Bergeron, Jr., and Bode Weiss. He also leaves his four great-grandchildren: Ella Sanchez, Luka Herold, Mozelle Bee Fromberg, and Isabelle Zoe Herold. He is also survived by his sister, Louise Weiss of Cambridge. His brother, Paul Weiss, predeceased Bob. A private Service for the family has been held.
Jean Haworth, 94, Died; Owned “Bird in Hand” Antiques, “Loved a Party!”
Jean Haworth, 94, of Tiverton, RI, passed away peacefully at Newport Hospital on December 29, 2021 with her husband of 70 years by her side.
She was the daughter of the late James Bradford Norbury and Hilda Gertrude Norbury. Jean was born in Stockport, England on July 22, 1927. She and her husband, Dr. John Brian Haworth, moved to Canada in 1956, then to Kansas City, MO, en route to Westport, CT. They spent an unforgettable year in Switzerland and returned to Connecticut before moving back to England in 2004 to retire. For family reasons, they returned to the US in 2012 and settled in Rhode Island.
Mrs. Haworth held senior positions at Murex in the UK and Sherritt Gordon Mines in Canada. In the US, she opened her own antique shop, "Bird in Hand," in Westport, CT, specializing in copper, brass, jewelry, porcelains, and silver. She participated in many antique shows over the years and had a very loyal customer base from Nantucket to New York City. Jean was always a very active and social individual. She loved a party! She was an avid tennis player and made several county teams in the UK. She loved being around people and had an incredibly warm and gregarious personality. After moving to Newport, RI, she became a member of the Viking Bridge Club and enjoyed playing with her husband.
Jean is survived by her husband, Dr. John Brian Haworth, and her daughter, Carol Johnson. She was a beloved grandmother to Danielle Metrano and Rachael Schaller, as well as their husbands Anthony and and Brian respectively. She was a caring great-grandmother to Angelina and Arianna Metrano. She was preceded in death by her brother, Edward Norbury who served in the RAF during World War II.
Funeral services are private and will be held at Emmanuel Church in Newport, RI on January, 18, 2022. Online obituary at memorialfuneralhome.com
David James Harrison, 92, Died; Korean War Veteran, Former Westporter
David James Harrison, age 92, of Morrisville, North Carolina passed away on Monday, January 3, 2022.
He was born on March 22, 1929 in Fort Wayne, Indiana to the late Paul Harrison and Evelyn Montgomery Harrison. Dave was a 1947 graduate of Hartford City High School (Indiana) where he met his future wife, Patricia Raylene Zeek. He was an active athlete while in high school playing on varsity football, basketball, and baseball teams. After high school, he was drafted as a professional baseball player by the Chicago Cubs and played for several of their farm teams. He played as a lefty pitcher for minor league teams located in Elizabethton Tenn., Centralia Illinois, Dothan Alabama, and Paris Illinois. He later attended Indiana University and graduated in 1952 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism. He was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. On July 13, 1952, he married his high school sweetheart, Patty (Zeek) Harrison. Dave served during the Korean War in the US Army Counter Intelligence Corps. He was stationed at Fort Holabird in Baltimore, Maryland. After the war, he worked as a sports writer for the Muncie Indiana newspaper where he was able to combine his love of sports with his journalism degree.
Dave changed his career path by taking a position with ITT Corp. in Philadelphia as a personnel labor relations manager. He was promoted multiple times during his time with ITT and relocated to Detroit, Michigan and Westport, Connecticut. He later worked for Inland Container Corp in Indianapolis Indiana where he served as Executive Vice President of Human Resources. In 1993, he retired from Inland Container after working there for 19 years.
Dave was an avid golfer and participated in many amateur tournaments throughout the US. Dave and Pat traveled to numerous locations with many friends who shared their love of travel, history, and golf. In 1994, Dave and Pat retired to Savannah Georgia at Skidaway Island where he enjoyed playing golf and continuing travels with friends. They moved to Cary, NC in 1999 in order to be closer to their grandchildren.
Dave was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather providing endless love and support to his family members. His support and care were especially evident when Pat had a heart transplant in 1993 which required a high level of dedication during her recovery. She survived an additional 16 years allowing them to enjoy their retirement and 57 years of marriage. Also, he provided much support to his grandsons who have special needs and developed a special bond with them.
He was predeceased by his infant son James David Harrison, his wife, Pat, and his sister, Bonnie Meyer.
Survivors include his son Thomas S. Harrison and wife Terri of Anderson, IN, daughter Kimberly H. Feller and husband John of Cary, NC, grandsons Nicholas and James Feller. The family will receive friends on Saturday, January 8th from 2-4pm and Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 200 SE Maynard Road, Cary, NC 27511.
Memorial contributions in David's memory can be made to the Autism Society of North Carolina.
Dr. Martha Sue Newell Atkinson, 98, Died; Professor, Cedar Point Member, Silver Donkey Awardee
Martha Sue Newell Atkinson died December 23, 2021 in Chester, Connecticut.
Always known as Sue, she was born in 1923 in Falls City, Nebraska to Duane Jacob and Grace Gillham Post Newell. She graduated from high school in Falls City as salutatorian and was student speaker at her college graduation from Park College, Missouri, in 1944.
After college Sue was awarded a one-year fellowship with the National Institute of Public Affairs in Washington, D.C. She spent six months with the Labor Department and six months with the National Labor Relations Board. At the end of World War II, she went to work for the U.S. Department of State to establish an embassy in The Hague, spending two and a half years in post-war Europe.
Returning to the United States, she entered graduate school to study economics at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, where she met and married fellow PhD student Thomas Roth Atkinson. She earned her PhD in economics in 1951, a time when few women got doctorate degrees and fewer still in the field of economics.
As they moved from Wisconsin to Riverdale, New York; Atlanta, Georgia and finally Westport, Connecticut, Sue had a lengthy career as a college professor. She taught at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, City College in New York City and then for many years at the University of Bridgeport. At the University of Bridgeport she was involved in union politics and the faculty strike of 1978 and served as chapter president of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP). One of her colleagues referred to her as the "Velvet Steamroller."
On retirement Sue and Tom went to teach at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, China. They were in Beijing during the student uprising in Tiananmen Square and had to leave before their classes ended. Later they returned to China to teach at the Johns Hopkins University/University of Nanjing Center.
Sue and Tom lived more than 50 years in Westport. They belonged to Cedar Point Yacht Club and enjoyed sailing on Long Island Sound. Picnic dinners on the wall by the cannons at Compo Beach were a special joy Sue and Tom shared. They enjoyed traveling and visited many interesting places throughout their 65-year marriage. Over the years they hosted many international students in their home. Sue was an enthusiastic gardener and belonged to the Westport Garden Club. She also volunteered at the Westport Historical Society. Passionate about politics, she was a member of the Democratic Women of Westport. She served as co-president and received the Silver Donkey Award for her work.
Sue's husband Tom passed away in 2013 after which she moved to Chester, CT. She is survived by her four children: Barbara (Kip) Seely, St. Louis, Mo.; Thomas N. (Patricia) Atkinson, Essex, Conn.; Connie (Mark) Holberg, Watertown, N.Y.; and Jane (James) Prentice, W. Cornwall, Conn.; nine grandchildren and four great grandchildren. Also surviving is Haluk (Monika) Alacaklioglu of Istanbul, Turkey, who lived with the Atkinsons while a foreign exchange student at Staples High school and continues to be considered family.