NPPA Life Member James K.W. Atherton, 83

 

ANNAPOLIS, MD (November 29, 2011) – When James K.W. Atherton was being introduced to come forward to receive the 1997 Kodak Professional White House News Photographers Association Achievement Award for his long-term contributions to photojournalism in the United States, the evening's presenter kept referring to him as a "photojournalist."

"When he got up to the podium he said, 'I was never a photojournalist. I was a news photographer!'" his wife, Patricia Atherton, remembered this evening. "And all the old guys in the crowd cheered!"

His bride of 62 years was with the retired Washington Post news photographer this afternoon when he suddenly collapsed and died while they were walking on their Annapolis home's path as they were leaving to visit a friend in Kensington.

"He got out of breath and wouldn't turn around and come back to the house," she said. "He died very quickly, peacefully." Atherton, 83, had been on continuous oxygen for the last two years. More than a decade ago the photographer had a four-way heart bypass after suffering a heart attack. He would have been 84 on December 16.

Atherton retired from The Washington Post in 1990 after a career that included two decades as a staffer with United Press International before he joined the Post in 1970. During his 40-year career he covered every U.S. President from Truman to Nixon and was a major influence on photographers and news photography in the nation's capitol. He joined NPPA in 1955 and was a Life Member.

Atherton also made an iconic photograph of President John F. Kennedy standing at Checkpoint Charlie during a solemn visit to the Berlin Wall shortly before Kennedy's famous "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech, and a signed print of his UPI photograph is a collectors item.

"He had a beautiful last few days, last few weeks," his wife said from their home tonight. "For no particular reason, all of his children independently came to visit over the last six weeks, and over Thanksgiving with some of the family here, and he had a wonderful time." The Athertons have four adult children, 13 grandchildren, and 6 great-grandchildren.

"We went to an estate sale a few days ago and bought some Eloise books for one of the grandchildren, and a few weeks ago he went to Florida to visit his older brother, who is in his 90s, and had a great trip. Even with his health, he continued to travel, we took a lot of trips, even going back to China after he retired to revisit where he had served in the Navy after World War II."

Today the couple were headed to Kensington to visit a woman who was writing a small book about Atherton, and he had recently discovered a photograph of himself as a small child with the box camera he'd been given that set him off on a lifetime course as a photographer. "We were going to her house today to deliver that picture, he was so excited about it," his wife said.

The family has not decided on memorial plans.

 

NPPA Marketplace

Insure Your Equipment

You go where the action is….so should your insurance! Hays delivers comprehensive insurance for your gear - covering cameras, computers, editing equipment and rental.

Join the NPPA

NPPA members receive a wide range of benefits, from educational opportunities to mentoring, exclusive discounts, insurance options, business tips, and much more.