JAOBSBURG LOSSED A ICON

William Henry Atherton

September 2, 2011

William Henry Atherton, resident of Nazareth, PA, died on Tuesday, August 30th, after a brief illness. Atherton was a direct descendant of William Henry, a Pennsylvania gunsmith whose descendants built the Boulton Gun works. Atherton was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania in 1929 and grew up in Forty Fort, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Lawrenceville. Atherton received his degree from General Motors Institute of Technology. Atherton joined the Marines and remained a dedicated corpsman throughout his life. Atherton enjoyed a lengthy career in the aerospace industry as a marketing executive. He had many interests; chief among them was his love of flying. He was an avid glider pilot for many years.

In 1985 Atherton moved to the Henry ancestral home at Boulton. A Henry descendant, Atherton worked tirelessly to see that the contributions of the Henry family and its legacy continue to be recognized. In 2009 the bridge that spans the Bushkill Creek was dedicated and renamed the William Henry Atherton Bridge. Atherton was a board member of Jacobsburg Historical Society and remained active with Boulton up until his death. Atherton loved animals; he had two beloved cats and enjoyed feeding the local horses as well as other cats who resided in the Henry barn.

Atherton was preceded in death by his sister Mary Atherton Frantz and his brother Charles Henry Atherton. He is survived by nieces Melanie Harwood and Sarah Atherton, both of Maryland, nephews Richard Frantz of Maine, Charles Henry Atherton, Jr. of New York City, and Thomas Henry Atherton, of North Carolina.

A memorial service will take place at Schoeneck Moravian Church in Nazareth on Wednesday, September 7th, at 11:00 am.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to:
Jacobsburg Historical Society
PO Box 345 Nazareth, PA 18064.