Robert Aaron Atkinson, Jr., 73, of Holton, passed away on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, surrounded by his loving family at the University of Kansas Medical Center.
He was born on August 16, 1952 in Memphis, TN, to Robert Aaron and Merle Jean (Catt) Atkinson. He was one of five of Jean’s children. He spent much of his childhood in Floral, AR, where he was cared for by his grandmother and relatives while his mother worked. She married Robert’s stepfather Charles Gordon Parkinson in Sumter, SC, where Robert graduated from high school in 1972, then technical college in 1973 as a certified welder.
He welded for 13 years in the chemical and power industries, including at Wolf Creek Nuclear plant as one of two repair welders. He met his wife Marilyn Elizabeth Boeckmann in 1980 at a Halloween party in Topeka. They were married November 26, 1982 at St. James Church in Wetmore.
Robert graduated in May 1988 with an Associate degree in Electrical Technology from Washburn University, the first member of his family to obtain a degree. After graduation, Robert moved with his wife to North Richland Hills, TX, where their children Audrey Michelle and Connor Aaron were born in 1989 and 1993, respectively. After the birth of their second child, they returned to Holton to be near Marilyn’s family.
From 1996 through 2003, Robert developed and taught several sections of Goodyear’s Maintenance Training Curriculum, including electrical, industrial maintenance, welding, hydraulics, motor controls, and logic controls. He applied for and received an Adult Vocational Lifetime Teaching Certificate in 1996 from the Kansas State Board of Education. He taught Basic Electrical for one year at Highland Community Technical College in Atchison, then taught Welding there for fifteen years. In 2000, he became a Certified Welding Inspector. He was a Welding Advisory Council member at Kaw Area Vocational Technical School from 1978 to 1988 and at Highland from 2003 to 2023. He retired in 2019, but recently enjoyed working short term project coordinator jobs in Texas alongside his brother Roger.
Robert was a member of St. Dominic Catholic Church in Holton and Holton Knights of Columbus Council No. 4219.
He is survived by his wife, Marilyn, of the home, his children Audrey Atkinson, Topeka, and Connor Atkinson, Middlesboro, KY, as well as Connor’s wife Alexandra and their children Blakely and Camden. He is also survived by his siblings Adler (Cindy) Jones, Brighton, TN; Patricia Butler, Diamond, OH; Roger Atkinson (Joy), Clover, SC; and Sam Parkinson, Winston Salem, NC; as well as many nieces and nephews. He also had a close relationship with his Arkansas cousins Jeanine, Laveda, and Loretta. He was preceded in death by his parents.
Robert loved his family, especially his two grandchildren. He was very proud of Audrey graduating from Vassar College and Connor from Kansas State University. He travelled regularly east of the Mississippi to visit family and friends, especially Myrtle Beach and Memphis. He was an avid fly fisherman, loved strategy games (especially chess), and had excellent taste in music spanning a number of genres and eras. He also had a lifelong love of soccer, attending World Cup 1994 in Dallas, TX, and watching all 2026 World Cup Games. He always had a great story from his lifetime of adventures and never missed the opportunity to tell one of his many jokes. Even through the worst of his illness, he never let himself have a bad day and never failed to put a smile on your face.
Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 a.m. Saturday, August 8th at St. Dominic Catholic Church in Holton. Burial will follow in St. Bede Cemetery at Kelly. Lunch will follow the burial at St. Dominic Parish Hall. Robert will lie in state after 9:00 a.m. on Friday at Chapel Oaks Funeral Home in Holton, where a Rosary will be prayed at 5:30 p.m., followed by visitation until 7:30 p.m. Memorials are suggested to St. Dominic Catholic Church and may be sent in care of the funeral home, PO Box 1034, Holton, KS 66436. On-line condolences may be made at chapeloaksfuneralhome.com
