[Delaware State News, Friday, March 29, 2013]
DOVER — The Dover Volunteer Fire Department has lost a legend.
"We're really going to miss him," said Dover Mayor Carleton E. Carey Sr. when asked about the death of 75-year department member Herbert E. Abbott. "He was like an icon to us."
Mr. Abbott died Monday at age 96.
Having joined the department on July 1, 1937, fresh out of high school, Mr. Abbott was a Life Member and the oldest living volunteer of the Dover Fire Department.
When Mr. Carey, himself a Life Member of the department, first volunteered 52 years ago, he and Mr. Abbott rode the back of the fire trucks.
"We rode together on the rail boards for years," he said.
Mr. Carey said Mr. Abbott was a thoughtful, down-to-earth kind of guy who was an asset to the community.
A World War II veteran, Mr. Abbott was born Dec. 1, 1916, and was a lifelong Dover resident. He graduated from Dover High School in 1937 and worked for the Dover Post Office for 30 years.
Councilman David Bonar, another Life Member of the Dover Fire Department since the early 1970s, said Mr. Abbott played a direct role in getting many of the men who have been members of the department to volunteer.
"He was totally dedicated, even in his later years," said Mr. Bonar. "His passing will leave a big void for all of us."
Even after Mr. Abbott could no longer drive because of poor eyesight, he would come by the station at least once a week to sit at the coffee table and tell stories, said the mayor.
"We had a lot of good times," he said.
Mr. Bonar echoed the mayor's sentiments.
"He's been a fixture of the department for as long as anyone can remember," he said.
The funeral service for Mr. Abbott will be Saturday at noon in the department's Station 1, 103 S. Governors Ave.
There will be two viewing opportunities for Mr. Abbott. The first is tonight at Trader's Funeral Home, 12 Lotus St. in Dover, from 5 to 8 p.m. The second is prior to the funeral at the fire station from 11 a.m. to noon.
Mr. Abbott's interment will follow that service at Sharon Hills Memorial Park, 2928 Sharon Hill Road in Dover.
Mr. Abbott will be taken to his final resting place on top of the 1953 Mack antique fire engine, and the rest of the Dover Fire Department apparatus will follow behind.
DOVER — The Dover Volunteer Fire Department has lost a legend.
"We're really going to miss him," said Dover Mayor Carleton E. Carey Sr. when asked about the death of 75-year department member Herbert E. Abbott. "He was like an icon to us."
Mr. Abbott died Monday at age 96.
Having joined the department on July 1, 1937, fresh out of high school, Mr. Abbott was a Life Member and the oldest living volunteer of the Dover Fire Department.
When Mr. Carey, himself a Life Member of the department, first volunteered 52 years ago, he and Mr. Abbott rode the back of the fire trucks.
"We rode together on the rail boards for years," he said.
Mr. Carey said Mr. Abbott was a thoughtful, down-to-earth kind of guy who was an asset to the community.
A World War II veteran, Mr. Abbott was born Dec. 1, 1916, and was a lifelong Dover resident. He graduated from Dover High School in 1937 and worked for the Dover Post Office for 30 years.
Councilman David Bonar, another Life Member of the Dover Fire Department since the early 1970s, said Mr. Abbott played a direct role in getting many of the men who have been members of the department to volunteer.
"He was totally dedicated, even in his later years," said Mr. Bonar. "His passing will leave a big void for all of us."
Even after Mr. Abbott could no longer drive because of poor eyesight, he would come by the station at least once a week to sit at the coffee table and tell stories, said the mayor.
"We had a lot of good times," he said.
Mr. Bonar echoed the mayor's sentiments.
"He's been a fixture of the department for as long as anyone can remember," he said.
The funeral service for Mr. Abbott will be Saturday at noon in the department's Station 1, 103 S. Governors Ave.
There will be two viewing opportunities for Mr. Abbott. The first is tonight at Trader's Funeral Home, 12 Lotus St. in Dover, from 5 to 8 p.m. The second is prior to the funeral at the fire station from 11 a.m. to noon.
Mr. Abbott's interment will follow that service at Sharon Hills Memorial Park, 2928 Sharon Hill Road in Dover.
Mr. Abbott will be taken to his final resting place on top of the 1953 Mack antique fire engine, and the rest of the Dover Fire Department apparatus will follow behind.
[Delaware State News, Friday, March 29, 2013]
DOVER — The Dover Volunteer Fire Department has lost a legend.
"We're really going to miss him," said Dover Mayor Carleton E. Carey Sr. when asked about the death of 75-year department member Herbert E. Abbott. "He was like an icon to us."
Mr. Abbott died Monday at age 96.
Having joined the department on July 1, 1937, fresh out of high school, Mr. Abbott was a Life Member and the oldest living volunteer of the Dover Fire Department.
When Mr. Carey, himself a Life Member of the department, first volunteered 52 years ago, he and Mr. Abbott rode the back of the fire trucks.
"We rode together on the rail boards for years," he said.
Mr. Carey said Mr. Abbott was a thoughtful, down-to-earth kind of guy who was an asset to the community.
A World War II veteran, Mr. Abbott was born Dec. 1, 1916, and was a lifelong Dover resident. He graduated from Dover High School in 1937 and worked for the Dover Post Office for 30 years.
Councilman David Bonar, another Life Member of the Dover Fire Department since the early 1970s, said Mr. Abbott played a direct role in getting many of the men who have been members of the department to volunteer.
"He was totally dedicated, even in his later years," said Mr. Bonar. "His passing will leave a big void for all of us."
Even after Mr. Abbott could no longer drive because of poor eyesight, he would come by the station at least once a week to sit at the coffee table and tell stories, said the mayor.
"We had a lot of good times," he said.
Mr. Bonar echoed the mayor's sentiments.
"He's been a fixture of the department for as long as anyone can remember," he said.
The funeral service for Mr. Abbott will be Saturday at noon in the department's Station 1, 103 S. Governors Ave.
There will be two viewing opportunities for Mr. Abbott. The first is tonight at Trader's Funeral Home, 12 Lotus St. in Dover, from 5 to 8 p.m. The second is prior to the funeral at the fire station from 11 a.m. to noon.
Mr. Abbott's interment will follow that service at Sharon Hills Memorial Park, 2928 Sharon Hill Road in Dover.
Mr. Abbott will be taken to his final resting place on top of the 1953 Mack antique fire engine, and the rest of the Dover Fire Department apparatus will follow behind.
DOVER — The Dover Volunteer Fire Department has lost a legend.
"We're really going to miss him," said Dover Mayor Carleton E. Carey Sr. when asked about the death of 75-year department member Herbert E. Abbott. "He was like an icon to us."
Mr. Abbott died Monday at age 96.
Having joined the department on July 1, 1937, fresh out of high school, Mr. Abbott was a Life Member and the oldest living volunteer of the Dover Fire Department.
When Mr. Carey, himself a Life Member of the department, first volunteered 52 years ago, he and Mr. Abbott rode the back of the fire trucks.
"We rode together on the rail boards for years," he said.
Mr. Carey said Mr. Abbott was a thoughtful, down-to-earth kind of guy who was an asset to the community.
A World War II veteran, Mr. Abbott was born Dec. 1, 1916, and was a lifelong Dover resident. He graduated from Dover High School in 1937 and worked for the Dover Post Office for 30 years.
Councilman David Bonar, another Life Member of the Dover Fire Department since the early 1970s, said Mr. Abbott played a direct role in getting many of the men who have been members of the department to volunteer.
"He was totally dedicated, even in his later years," said Mr. Bonar. "His passing will leave a big void for all of us."
Even after Mr. Abbott could no longer drive because of poor eyesight, he would come by the station at least once a week to sit at the coffee table and tell stories, said the mayor.
"We had a lot of good times," he said.
Mr. Bonar echoed the mayor's sentiments.
"He's been a fixture of the department for as long as anyone can remember," he said.
The funeral service for Mr. Abbott will be Saturday at noon in the department's Station 1, 103 S. Governors Ave.
There will be two viewing opportunities for Mr. Abbott. The first is tonight at Trader's Funeral Home, 12 Lotus St. in Dover, from 5 to 8 p.m. The second is prior to the funeral at the fire station from 11 a.m. to noon.
Mr. Abbott's interment will follow that service at Sharon Hills Memorial Park, 2928 Sharon Hill Road in Dover.
Mr. Abbott will be taken to his final resting place on top of the 1953 Mack antique fire engine, and the rest of the Dover Fire Department apparatus will follow behind.
Family Members
Siblings
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
