OBITUARY
THE MADISONIAN, OBITUARIES, 11 AUGUST 1994:
Butler Markham Atkinson, Jr. writer and humorist, died Monday, August 8, 1994, at his home in California following a heart attack. Mr. Atkinson, 78, was a native of Madison, who returned frequently to visit members of his family.
He attended school in Madison before entering Baylor School in Chattanooga where he graduated. He entered Emory University where he was editor of the Emory Wheel and member of Chi Phi Fraternity. He served in the United States Army during World War II writing amusing accounts of his experiences.
He was one of the country's best known humor columnists, writing for The Louisville (KY) Times and The Atlanta Journal. He wrote stories for The New Yorker, Colliers, and The Saturday Evening Post. He published several novels during his lifetime, including What Dr. Spock Didn't Tell us and Beau John. He wrote the screen play for The Beverly Hillbillies and other screen stories.
He and his wife, Mrs. Stella Atkinson, retired to California several years ago.
The son of the late Mae Morgan and Butler Markham Atkinson, he is survived by his wife, a son, Morgan Atkinson; two daughters; and a brother, Mr. William J. Atkinson, Madison. A second brother, Morgan Atkinson, died as a young boy, and a daughter, Mary Jane, was killed in an automobile accident.
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