Harold Atkin, RCAF of Leamington, Ontario

[*Sandra*]

I did check for obitauries for Howard and Allie last week but did not find anything.

U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index - Howard L Shepard - 13 December 1893 - claim date 19 November 1959 -

Sandra

[bbart]

Thanks again for that.  I just hate giving up on Harold, but I'm running out of rocks to look under.  I was hoping Allie's location might have made them "closer" even with the age gap, that there might be some mention.

[daretodiscover]

I filed a formal request for the RCAF service records of Harold Atkin. Unfortunately, as the LAC in Ottawa have no record of his death I was given extremely limited information. But they did include a photo.

I had a look at all his travels in the early and mid 50s. He seemed to have a love of Latin America.

Today, I obtained a book that has eluded me for years "168 Jump Into Hell" by Art Kinnis and Stanley Booker, two of the 168 Allied airmen sent to Buchenwald.

Harold is mentioned in the book only to say that he was the only Canadian held at Buchenwald who was never found post-war.

They have an address (I do not know from what year this may be) for him: 333 Washington Street, Lapeer, Michigan

I don't know if this opens some doors or complicates things but figured I'd post anyway.

DTD

[*Sandra*]

333 Washington Street Lapeer Michigan was the address of Howard Clare Shepard - son of Allie Vernon Atkin/Shepard and Howard Lyman Shepard.

The Times Herald  Port Huron, Michigan 25 Feb 1953, Wed  -   Page 2

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33788267/howard_clare_shepard/

Daily Times Obituary Index - Clare Shepard - 75 years -  West Bloomfield MI -  Oakland Press -  2002-7-10 -  smk

SSDI - H. Clare Shepard - 11 April 1927 - 8 July 2002
Last Residence 48386 White Lake, Oakland, Michigan.
SSN issued Michigan (Before 1951)

married Lapeer Michigan 11 August 1950 - to Joan Lancaster.

The Times Herald  Port Huron, Michigan 13 Aug 1950, Sun  -   Page 14

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33789582/mrs_h_clare_shepard/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33789583/mrs_h_clare_shepard_part_2/

333 Washington Street Lapeer also on the WW2 draft of Howard Lyman Shepard in 1942

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939V-KF3K-1B?i=1016&cc=1861144

Sandra

[bbart]

I am SO glad you found that, Sandra.  I was looking everywhere for Lapeer directories with no luck whatsoever. Well done!

I suppose the next step is to trace Howard and hope he passed any knowledge of Harold on to a family member that is still living.

[*Sandra*]

Marriage of Howard Clare Shepard - Clare H Shepard must have ended. This is the obituary for his first wife's mother in 1991 and it gives "J" a different surname

The Times Herald  Port Huron, Michigan 26 Feb 1991, Tue  -   Page 7

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33788643/gladys_lancaster/

Sandra

[*Sandra*]

Obituary for the brother Robert - brotherof Joan Lancaster/Shepard/Leonard - Joan predeceased him.


Robert James Lancaster - 5 August 1924 - 16 April 2010

https://www.rollerfuneralhomes.com/obit_print.asp?id=20121&locid=

Sandra
 

[*Sandra*]

Michigan Death Index shows - Joan L. Leonard - 9 Feb 1928 - Death Date 13 Jan 1993
Residence Bloomfield, Oakland, Michigan
Place of Death Royal Oak, Oakland, Michigan

Sandra

[*Sandra*]

Obituary Joan Lancaster/Leonard - Part 1

Detroit Free Press  Detroit, Michigan 14 Jan 1993, Thu  -   Page 11

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33788727/joan_lancasterleonard_part_1/

Part 2

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33788734/joan_lancasterleonard_part_2/

Couple married in 1979.

Sandra