Conway, MA – Peter Miles Pearce Atkinson, 80, a longtime resident of New York City and Conway, Massachusetts, and a devoted dad and lifelong teacher to many students in multiple countries, died Saturday, January 25, 2025, in Northampton, Massachusetts.
Born on Christmas Eve, 1944, in New York City, Peter was the son of Miles Atkinson and Phyllis Pearce Atkinson, who emigrated from England to the US in the late 1930s. He grew up in New York City and spent many cherished visits with family in Bath, England.
Peter attended St. Bernard’s School, Deerfield Academy, Harvard College, Oxford University, and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
Mr. Atkinson was a lifelong teacher of history, whose career began at Deerfield Academy, and spanned over decades and continents. He also served as the coordinator of the International Baccalaureate (IB) program at the International School of Moshi, Tanzania, and later at the United Nations International School in New York.
Peter will be remembered as a devoted educator for whom teaching was a calling. He was beloved by students across generations and continents and was repeatedly chosen by them to speak at important milestones, reflecting the trust and respect he inspired.
He was a man of international vision, having worked and lived in the UK and Tanzania, both of which were very close to his heart, yet he always carried the local soul of his beloved Conway and Ashfield, where he served briefly as editor of the Ashfield News.
He was also an unassuming supporter of multiple development and environmental causes and charities. His wit, wisdom, compassion, sharp intellect, and knowledge left a mark on everyone he touched in his life-his family, his students, his colleagues, and his friends.
Peter was predeceased by his wife, Dr. Judith Wermuth-Atkinson. He is survived by his stepsons Jassen Trenkov and Dr. Calin Atkinson Trenkov-Wermuth, his sister Elizabeth Gilbert, and his brother Professor Stephen Atkinson.
A memorial service will be held at the First Church of Deerfield on January 24, 2026, at 11:00 a.m.
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