Matthew David Atkinson

Matthew David Atkinson, 56, of Plano, Texas, born October 28, 1958 in Pontiac, Michigan, died April 16, 2015 after a long and valiant struggle with cancer. He is survived by his wife of 32 years, Kathleen Evens Atkinson, daughter, Jennifer Lynn, son, David Thomas and parents, Thomas Hugh and Polly Ann Page Atkinson, brother, Mark Edward Atkinson and sister, Mary Alice Atkinson Novak. Matt was preceded in death by his brother Marshall Page Atkinson.




Mr. Atkinson graduated from Rochester Adams High School in Rochester, Michigan, earned a baccalaureate from the School of Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan and Masters of Business Administration (MBA) Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas.




Mr. Atkinson was Executive Vice President Financial Services Sector for Computer Sciences Corporation for 21years prior to his death. He was a long-time supporter of The Boy Scouts of America and served as Scoutmaster of Troop 747 in Plano, Texas. He also coached recreational soccer in Plano. He was an active member, usher, elected leader and served as Senior Warden of Christ Church Plano. His hobbies included model rockets, radio controlled helicopters, acoustic guitar, vegetable gardening, cycling, camping and hiking.




A Memorial Service is scheduled for Thursday, May 7, 2015 at 3:00 PM at Christ Church Plano, 4550 Legacy Dr., Plano, TX 75024. In lieu of flowers please consider a contribution in Mr. Atkinson's name to Oakland University and marked for M.P. Atkinson Memorial Scholarship ENDOWMENT FUND, 2300 N. Squirrel Rd, Rochester, MI 48309 or to Amigos de Peru, marked for Casa Hogares Orphanage mailed to Christ Church, 4550 Legacy Dr., Plano, TX 75024.





A Father's Thoughts:





Every father thinks that his children are special, and rightly they should. But Matthew was a stand out from the very beginning. He was our second child. He had a brother that was just fourteen months older. At first it looked like he would have to stand in the shadow of his older brother. In fact Matthew did not talk at an early age. As parents we were a little concerned. He had a very special kindergarten teacher and she helped him with his speech. She kept telling us Matthew was really bright. It wasn't until some time later that I personally realized that at a very early age Matthew could deal with abstracts much more easily than his older brother. We would have little secrets just between the two of us when we both realized that his older brother did not have a clue what we were talking about.





Matthew was self reliant early on. In high school he went out for wrestling. He certainly did not have the build for it. He was the tallest, skinniest, kid on the team. He worked hard at the sport. Later he told me why he liked the sport. It was because in wrestling you don't have anyone else to rely on. When you go out into that ring, there is no one else there, just you and your opponent.





Matthew had a lot of determination. One summer during his high school years he worked for a company that installed underground sprinkler systems. In Michigan the summers are short but the summer days are long. Matthew would come home late after work truly exhausted. He told his parents that we did not have to worry about him studying when he got to university because, "I certainly don't want to do this job for a living."





Matthew loved anything with a motor. During high school, he worked, saved his money, and bought a Chevy Camaro. I don't know if it was the best car around the high school or not but I do know that it had the proper "vroom" because his mother knew when he was coming home because she could hear that car a half mile away. I was glad when he was successful in obtaining his own automobile because he had already totaled two of the family's cars.




Our family lived in Istanbul, Turkey, for two years when Matthew was 12 and 13 years of age. He was the most adventurous member of the family as illustrated by his learning enough Turkish and having the nerve go swap things he had for the proper fish hooks to use to fish in the Bosporus.




Matthew was always enthusiastic. As an adult when the family was separated by a time zone, everyone looked forward to Matthew coming to visit because of the joy and enthusiasm he brought with him. During his visits, he was the center of the universe. He organized parties. He did exciting things. He spread joy and excitement every moment of his visits.




As I have said every parent thinks that his or her child is special. But in Matthew's case because of all his successes in life, because of what a wonderful parent to his children he was, because of all of his contributions to the community through Scout work, because of the joy and enthusiasm he brought with him every where he went, I say he truly was special.