Bruce David Atkinson, of Milton, Ga., passed away Feb. 10, 2025 after a long illness.
Born in 1940 in Waldoboro to Ethel (Benner) Atkinson and George Baldwin Atkinson, of Nobleboro, Bruce was a 1958 graduate of Waldoboro High School. In 1960, he married Virginia Ann Burns, of Friendship. Their marriage produced two children: Scott, of Royal Oak, Mich. and the late Trevor, formerly of Alpharetta, Ga.
In 1960, Bruce followed Ginny to GTE Sylvania in Waldoboro. In 1966, Bruce, Ginny, and Scott relocated as Bruce’s product line moved to a new facility in Standish. This would be Bruce’s life’s work. In 1994, GTE spun off the Control Devices business to private equity firm Hammond, Kennedy, Whitney & Co., and Bruce became chief executive officer. Later that year, Control Devices went public, trading on the NASDAQ stock exchange. Control Devices was later acquired by U.K. firm First Technology PLC. Bruce retired from HKW in 2015.
In 1973, Bruce married Bettina Rae Berry, of Gorham, daughter of Ethel Berry and James Berry, of Gorham. Tina was a loving and supportive wife who gave birth to daughter Lyn-Ann. Bruce and Tina over the years enjoyed dances, snowmobiling, travel by motor home, attending NASCAR races, and then, later in life, retirement in Florida and Georgia with children and grandchildren.
Bruce is survived by Tina, Scott, Lyn-Ann; and grandchildren, Avery and Dylan, of Alpharetta, Ga.
A special note goes out to Dalton Genthner, formerly of Waldoboro, now of Scarborough, and his family. Bruce enjoyed telling his family of the start of his friendship with Dalton, from sixth grade Little League. Dalton was best man, golf buddy, and Sebago Lake boat captain. Bruce could have found no better friend.
