Obituary of Brita Atlas
Brita R. “Pia” Atlas, 87, of Somers, NY and formerly of Irvington, NY, died on Tuesday, July 22nd, 2025 at Salem Hills Nursing Home.
Pia was born on March 17, 1938, in Grabo, Sweden to Hilding and Ragnhild Stakeberg. Her parents owned a butcher shop, and she grew up with her siblings (Kerstin and Owe) and many cousins who lived nearby. She spoke fondly of her childhood in Sweden and always carried her Swedish heritage and traditions with her, visiting her home country often. After graduating from high school, she worked at a pharmacy in Goteborg, the closest city to her hometown. Pia always had a sense of adventure and in 1961, she made the brave decision to move to the USA on her own.
Upon arriving in the USA, Pia worked as a nanny for a family in Connecticut before getting an office job in New York City. While living in NYC, she met her future husband, Martin “Marty” Atlas, whom she was married to for 57 years. Pia and Marty settled in Irvington, NY where they lived for 30 years, raising their daughters, making lifelong friends and hosting numerous Swedish friends and family over the years.
Pia embraced all the opportunities that she had living in the USA. Once her daughters were in elementary school, she enrolled in college and eventually graduate school, receiving her Master’s in Nutrition from Marymount College. This enabled her to pursue a long career as a Registered Dietician with Westchester County Medical Center in Valhalla, NY, working with patients in the dialysis unit.
Pia and Marty enjoyed many activities together including golf, skiing, classical music and opera, travel and hosting memorable dinner parties. They were avid sailors and as members of the Halloween Yacht Club in Stamford, CT, they spent many summers cruising with friends and family up the New England coastline and racing in local regattas on the Long Island Sound.
Pia is the loving mother of Jennifer (Josh) Bruch of South Salem, NY and Karin (Jim) Locovare of Mount Kisco, NY and the devoted grandmother or “Mor Mor” of Annika, Wyatt, Abigail and James.
A celebration of her life will be held in Sweden on September 20th. Memorial contributions may be made to Save the Sound, an organization dedicated to preserving the land, air, and water of the Long Island Sound region.
