George Rapier Abbott, 98, a lifelong resident of Alamogordo, died Friday, Jan. 20, 2006, at his home.
Mr. Abbott was born Oct. 23, 1907, in Alamogordo to Eugene M. and Evelyn "Eva" (Rapier) Abbott. He had a long and distinguished life in Alamogordo and was one of Alamogordo's most enduring and contributing citizens.
He graduated from Alamogordo High School in 1927 and studied at New Mexico A & M (now New Mexico State University) and the University of New Mexico. In 1932 he began work as an abstractor for his uncle, W.B. Stalcup. He was elected and served as Otero County Treasurer from 1934 until 1938. During World War II he served with honor in the Navy. After the war he returned to Alamogordo and purchased Pioneer Title and Abstract Company, which he operated until 1963, when he sold the business to Dale Scott. He was a past president of the New Mexico Title Association.
He helped build the first golf course in Alamogordo in what is today Alameda Park. He began his love for golf as a caddy in Cloudcroft from 1917 to 1929. His interest in golf continued throughout his life, and the putting green at Desert Lakes Golf Course, as well as First National Bank's annual golf tournament, is dedicated in his honor. He served on the Alamogordo Board of Education from 1946 to 1957 and was a past president of the New Mexico School Board Association.
In 1954 he chaired the building committee for the Otero County Courthouse. With others from the community, he helped found First National Bank in 1956 and served as chairman of the board until 1987. He continued to serve as chairman emeritus until his death. Mr. Abbott became a member of the Rotary Club of Alamogordo in 1941, served as president in 1948, holds the distinction as the longest active Rotarian in Otero County, and was the recipient of the Paul Harris Fellowship. A longtime member of Grace United Methodist Church, he served on the board of trustees from 1960 to 1962. From 1963 to 1969 he was a member of the Board of Regents of New Mexico State University. He also was the founder of the NMSU Presidents Association, and was a member of the NMSU Foundation from 1970 to 1982. During his life he received many honors, including having a street named after him by the city of Alamogordo; being named the 1988 Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year; and having May 14, 1994, proclaimed George Abbott Day in Alamogordo.
Survivors include his wife of over 70 years, Revis (Bailey) Abbott, of the family home; two daughters, Barbara Bowlin and her husband Jim, of Los Lunas, and Dianne Tolliver and her husband Martin, of Las Cruces; three grandchildren, Jill Bowlin, of Los Lunas, Curt Morgan and his wife Cindy, of Phoenix, and Ilene Bell-Gibson and her husband Jasen, of Las Cruces; and four great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be conducted Monday at 10 a.m. at Grace United Methodist Church with the Rev. Dr. Steve Trout officiating.
Private interment will be in Monte Vista Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be S.W. "Wyatt" Atkins, Kenneth Eaton, Kenneth Garland, Paul Brusuelas, Mark Eaton, Jim Lynch, Bert Atkins, Pete Cook and Vink Miller. Honorary bearers will be Bob Hamilton, Joe Flores and the members of the Rotary Club of Alamogordo.
Friends may call today from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. at Hamilton-O'Dell Funeral Home.
Mr. Abbott was born Oct. 23, 1907, in Alamogordo to Eugene M. and Evelyn "Eva" (Rapier) Abbott. He had a long and distinguished life in Alamogordo and was one of Alamogordo's most enduring and contributing citizens.
He graduated from Alamogordo High School in 1927 and studied at New Mexico A & M (now New Mexico State University) and the University of New Mexico. In 1932 he began work as an abstractor for his uncle, W.B. Stalcup. He was elected and served as Otero County Treasurer from 1934 until 1938. During World War II he served with honor in the Navy. After the war he returned to Alamogordo and purchased Pioneer Title and Abstract Company, which he operated until 1963, when he sold the business to Dale Scott. He was a past president of the New Mexico Title Association.
He helped build the first golf course in Alamogordo in what is today Alameda Park. He began his love for golf as a caddy in Cloudcroft from 1917 to 1929. His interest in golf continued throughout his life, and the putting green at Desert Lakes Golf Course, as well as First National Bank's annual golf tournament, is dedicated in his honor. He served on the Alamogordo Board of Education from 1946 to 1957 and was a past president of the New Mexico School Board Association.
In 1954 he chaired the building committee for the Otero County Courthouse. With others from the community, he helped found First National Bank in 1956 and served as chairman of the board until 1987. He continued to serve as chairman emeritus until his death. Mr. Abbott became a member of the Rotary Club of Alamogordo in 1941, served as president in 1948, holds the distinction as the longest active Rotarian in Otero County, and was the recipient of the Paul Harris Fellowship. A longtime member of Grace United Methodist Church, he served on the board of trustees from 1960 to 1962. From 1963 to 1969 he was a member of the Board of Regents of New Mexico State University. He also was the founder of the NMSU Presidents Association, and was a member of the NMSU Foundation from 1970 to 1982. During his life he received many honors, including having a street named after him by the city of Alamogordo; being named the 1988 Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year; and having May 14, 1994, proclaimed George Abbott Day in Alamogordo.
Survivors include his wife of over 70 years, Revis (Bailey) Abbott, of the family home; two daughters, Barbara Bowlin and her husband Jim, of Los Lunas, and Dianne Tolliver and her husband Martin, of Las Cruces; three grandchildren, Jill Bowlin, of Los Lunas, Curt Morgan and his wife Cindy, of Phoenix, and Ilene Bell-Gibson and her husband Jasen, of Las Cruces; and four great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be conducted Monday at 10 a.m. at Grace United Methodist Church with the Rev. Dr. Steve Trout officiating.
Private interment will be in Monte Vista Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be S.W. "Wyatt" Atkins, Kenneth Eaton, Kenneth Garland, Paul Brusuelas, Mark Eaton, Jim Lynch, Bert Atkins, Pete Cook and Vink Miller. Honorary bearers will be Bob Hamilton, Joe Flores and the members of the Rotary Club of Alamogordo.
Friends may call today from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. at Hamilton-O'Dell Funeral Home.
George Rapier Abbott, 98, a lifelong resident of Alamogordo, died Friday, Jan. 20, 2006, at his home.
Mr. Abbott was born Oct. 23, 1907, in Alamogordo to Eugene M. and Evelyn "Eva" (Rapier) Abbott. He had a long and distinguished life in Alamogordo and was one of Alamogordo's most enduring and contributing citizens.
He graduated from Alamogordo High School in 1927 and studied at New Mexico A & M (now New Mexico State University) and the University of New Mexico. In 1932 he began work as an abstractor for his uncle, W.B. Stalcup. He was elected and served as Otero County Treasurer from 1934 until 1938. During World War II he served with honor in the Navy. After the war he returned to Alamogordo and purchased Pioneer Title and Abstract Company, which he operated until 1963, when he sold the business to Dale Scott. He was a past president of the New Mexico Title Association.
He helped build the first golf course in Alamogordo in what is today Alameda Park. He began his love for golf as a caddy in Cloudcroft from 1917 to 1929. His interest in golf continued throughout his life, and the putting green at Desert Lakes Golf Course, as well as First National Bank's annual golf tournament, is dedicated in his honor. He served on the Alamogordo Board of Education from 1946 to 1957 and was a past president of the New Mexico School Board Association.
In 1954 he chaired the building committee for the Otero County Courthouse. With others from the community, he helped found First National Bank in 1956 and served as chairman of the board until 1987. He continued to serve as chairman emeritus until his death. Mr. Abbott became a member of the Rotary Club of Alamogordo in 1941, served as president in 1948, holds the distinction as the longest active Rotarian in Otero County, and was the recipient of the Paul Harris Fellowship. A longtime member of Grace United Methodist Church, he served on the board of trustees from 1960 to 1962. From 1963 to 1969 he was a member of the Board of Regents of New Mexico State University. He also was the founder of the NMSU Presidents Association, and was a member of the NMSU Foundation from 1970 to 1982. During his life he received many honors, including having a street named after him by the city of Alamogordo; being named the 1988 Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year; and having May 14, 1994, proclaimed George Abbott Day in Alamogordo.
Survivors include his wife of over 70 years, Revis (Bailey) Abbott, of the family home; two daughters, Barbara Bowlin and her husband Jim, of Los Lunas, and Dianne Tolliver and her husband Martin, of Las Cruces; three grandchildren, Jill Bowlin, of Los Lunas, Curt Morgan and his wife Cindy, of Phoenix, and Ilene Bell-Gibson and her husband Jasen, of Las Cruces; and four great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be conducted Monday at 10 a.m. at Grace United Methodist Church with the Rev. Dr. Steve Trout officiating.
Private interment will be in Monte Vista Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be S.W. "Wyatt" Atkins, Kenneth Eaton, Kenneth Garland, Paul Brusuelas, Mark Eaton, Jim Lynch, Bert Atkins, Pete Cook and Vink Miller. Honorary bearers will be Bob Hamilton, Joe Flores and the members of the Rotary Club of Alamogordo.
Friends may call today from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. at Hamilton-O'Dell Funeral Home.
Mr. Abbott was born Oct. 23, 1907, in Alamogordo to Eugene M. and Evelyn "Eva" (Rapier) Abbott. He had a long and distinguished life in Alamogordo and was one of Alamogordo's most enduring and contributing citizens.
He graduated from Alamogordo High School in 1927 and studied at New Mexico A & M (now New Mexico State University) and the University of New Mexico. In 1932 he began work as an abstractor for his uncle, W.B. Stalcup. He was elected and served as Otero County Treasurer from 1934 until 1938. During World War II he served with honor in the Navy. After the war he returned to Alamogordo and purchased Pioneer Title and Abstract Company, which he operated until 1963, when he sold the business to Dale Scott. He was a past president of the New Mexico Title Association.
He helped build the first golf course in Alamogordo in what is today Alameda Park. He began his love for golf as a caddy in Cloudcroft from 1917 to 1929. His interest in golf continued throughout his life, and the putting green at Desert Lakes Golf Course, as well as First National Bank's annual golf tournament, is dedicated in his honor. He served on the Alamogordo Board of Education from 1946 to 1957 and was a past president of the New Mexico School Board Association.
In 1954 he chaired the building committee for the Otero County Courthouse. With others from the community, he helped found First National Bank in 1956 and served as chairman of the board until 1987. He continued to serve as chairman emeritus until his death. Mr. Abbott became a member of the Rotary Club of Alamogordo in 1941, served as president in 1948, holds the distinction as the longest active Rotarian in Otero County, and was the recipient of the Paul Harris Fellowship. A longtime member of Grace United Methodist Church, he served on the board of trustees from 1960 to 1962. From 1963 to 1969 he was a member of the Board of Regents of New Mexico State University. He also was the founder of the NMSU Presidents Association, and was a member of the NMSU Foundation from 1970 to 1982. During his life he received many honors, including having a street named after him by the city of Alamogordo; being named the 1988 Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year; and having May 14, 1994, proclaimed George Abbott Day in Alamogordo.
Survivors include his wife of over 70 years, Revis (Bailey) Abbott, of the family home; two daughters, Barbara Bowlin and her husband Jim, of Los Lunas, and Dianne Tolliver and her husband Martin, of Las Cruces; three grandchildren, Jill Bowlin, of Los Lunas, Curt Morgan and his wife Cindy, of Phoenix, and Ilene Bell-Gibson and her husband Jasen, of Las Cruces; and four great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be conducted Monday at 10 a.m. at Grace United Methodist Church with the Rev. Dr. Steve Trout officiating.
Private interment will be in Monte Vista Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be S.W. "Wyatt" Atkins, Kenneth Eaton, Kenneth Garland, Paul Brusuelas, Mark Eaton, Jim Lynch, Bert Atkins, Pete Cook and Vink Miller. Honorary bearers will be Bob Hamilton, Joe Flores and the members of the Rotary Club of Alamogordo.
Friends may call today from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. at Hamilton-O'Dell Funeral Home.
Family Members
Siblings
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
