John Bell Atteberry

John B. Atteberry, retired Librarian at Boston College, left this earthly orb on August 1, 2024 in the loving embrace of Notre-Dame Health Care.  

He is survived by siblings, Thomas Atteberry, Jr., Martha Ogé, Elizabeth Langley, Frances Rutherford, Robert Atteberry and close Worcester friends, Gwen Arthur, James Moore & Prof. Paul Russell.  

John was born in Church Point, Louisiana on July 13, 1939, son of Thomas & Edith (Grotefend) Atteberry.  After his B.A. in History at LSU he joined the Navy and as an officer in July, 1967, served on the U.S.S. Forrestal, where he narrowly avoided being killed in an explosion.  After the Navy, John began graduate studies in classics at Vanderbilt University.  In 1970, he entered the medieval history program at B.C.  In 1971, he began work as a clerk in Acquisitions at B.C.’s Bapst Library.  His diligence was rewarded with a year in Oxford, England working for Blackwells, after which he earned his MLS at Simmons in 1983.  He was appointed bibliographer and reference librarian for philosophy, theology & classics.  His knowledge of Greek, Latin, German, & French made him useful at the new O’Neill Library at B.C. and in 1987, he moved to the Burns Library as Senior Reference Librarian, retiring in 2005.  

John was a gentle soul, who loved nature and serving the poor in downtown Boston.  John was a frequent fan of Worcester Public Library.  

After cremation, a Requiem Mass will be scheduled.  

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to doctorswithoutborders.org.

The Athy Memorial Home, 111 Lancaster St., Worcester, is directing arrangements.