The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

John H. Atwater, Jr.

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Stephentown – John H. “John Boy” Atwater, Jr., 57, of Pomeroy Avenue, Pittsfield, MA, died on Saturday morning, July 23, 2011, at Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield surrounded by his loving family.
Born in Pittsfield on February 19, 1954, he was the son of the late John H. and Lois M. Swisher Atwater. He was the loving husband of the former Ellen Hayford, whom he married on July 14, 1990, in the First Baptist Church of Pittsfield.
John Boy enjoyed and participated in a wide variety of sports throughout his youth, winning a number of “Pass, Punt and Kick” contests. He graduated from New Lebanon High School and played softball for the ECHO League for many years. John Boy was employed as a carpenter, builder and painter. He was an avid fisherman and hunter who had a wonderful wit and sense of humor. John Boy was an avid Red Sox and Patriots fan along with NASCAR and horse racing. He developed a number of on-line friendships playing Party Poker.
He leaves behind his loving wife, Ellen Hayford Atwater of Pittsfield, his sisters, Janet Atwater, Susan Cooper and companion Bruce Staples and Georgi Beebe of Stephentown.  He also leaves his mother and father-in-law, Donald and Florence Hayford, of Pittsfield, his sister-in-law, Susan and husband Robert Sauve of Hinsdale, his brothers-in-law, Don and wife Catherine Hayford and Charles Hayford of Pittsfield, his loving nieces and nephews, several great-nieces and nephews, dear cousins and friends and his poodles, Buddy and Princess.
His family wishes to extend heartfelt gratitude for the care given to John during his illness by Dr. Thomas Dunzendorfer and his staff, the staff at the Berkshire Endoscopy Center, the Berkshire Visiting Nurses Association and the nurses and doctors of the Critical Care Unit at Berkshire Medical Center.
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, July 30, at 11 am in the Stephentown Federated Church, where family friend Rev. Susan Schultz will officiate. Private burial will be in Garfield Cemetery in Stephentown.
Donations in John’s memory may be made to the Stephentown Federated Church, 1513 Garfield Road, Stephentown, NY, 12168, and the American Liver Foundation http://www.liverfoundation.org/. Funeral arrangements are under the guidance of the Hall & Higgins Funeral Home of Stephentown.