Alexander "Pug" Simpson Atherton, a descendent of early Christian missionaries and former president of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, died in Honolulu Wednesday.

Funeral services will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday at Central Union Church. Aloha attire is recommended. Burial services will be private.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to KHPR public radio, Mid-Pacific Institute or any charity.

Atherton, 83, was born in Honolulu in 1913 and graduated from Punahou School in 1930. After college at Dartmouth, he was an officer and director of Castle and Cooke and Hawaiian Trust Company.

In 1961, Atherton and businessman Chinn Ho headed a group that purchased the Star-Bulletin. Atherton served as vice chairman of the newspaper until it was sold by Gannett Pacific Corporation in 1993.

He headed the Atherton Family Foundation, one of Hawaii's largest charitable foundations.

He was active with numerous civic, cultural and philanthropic organizations.

He is survived by his wife, Burta; two daughters, Balbi Atherton Brooks and Margie Atherton Newell; one son, Frank Cooke Atherton; and five grandchildren.