Kurt Atchinson Memorial Golf Tourney set at Nevada course

At a Feb. 27 funeral mass at St. Anthony Catholic Church for Belleville businessman Kurt Atchinson, a former Belleville priest who had known him for 43 years told loving stories of his friend’s life.
Retired Father Raymond Bucom announced there was going to be a memorial golf tournament in Atchinson’s memory this week at the country club and golf club Atchinson belonged to in Nevada.
Participants were encouraged to wear Michigan State University green clothing, since Atchinson was a big supporter of MSU. There also was to be a special MSU marked golf ball that was to be a part of winning the tourney.
He said participants were to pay $40 each to play, with $20 of that being for prizes and $20 for a charity in Atchinson’s name.
Kurt Atchinson died Feb. 22 at the age of 79 about a month after the death of his wife Jayne who died on Jan. 23 at the age of 76.
Kurt Atchinson’s funeral mass was conducted by Fr. John Kiselica of St. Anthony and the priest thanked Fr. John for giving him extra time to tell of his beloved friend.
He told of Atchinson’s generosity, including times when his employees would need a roof repair or a new furnace. They got a roof or a furnace from their employer. And, he told other stories.
Kurt and Jayne Atchinson’s surviving son Craig and his wife Medina now run the family Ford dealership in Van Buren Township.
The dealership was first started in 1946 by Hazen Kinnell in the Village of Belleville (later the City of Belleville). He built the building at the corner of High and W. Columbia out of material from the Willow Run Bomber Plant. His health became bad and he passed the business on to Herb Estes Ford in 1947. In 1950, John Barber Ford took over the dealership.
Norman “Dutch” Atchinson was the next Ford dealer in Belleville with the announcement of his dealership first printed in the local paper on Oct. 4, 1961. He took over from John Barber that month and in 1967 built a spacious facility at 9800 Belleville Rd. in Van Buren Township. Mr. Atchinson was 54 years of age when he opened his new building.
He sold the business to his son Kurt in 1981 after he retired. Kurt hired his college-educated son Craig in 1995 as a car salesman. After Kurt’s retirement, the business passed on to Craig, who enlarged the facility in 2016 and continues the successful business.