Alvin Richard Abend, age 72, died May 17, 2018 at Compass Regional Hospice in Centreville, MD. Born December 21, 1945 in Annapolis, MD, he was the son of Katherine V. Stevens and Conrad Henry Abend, Jr. Alvin grew up on the family tobacco farm in Gambrills, MD. He belonged to Arundel Vol. Fire Dept. and graduated from Arundel High School in 1963. He spent four years in the Air Force as a helicopter mechanic and flight engineer. He served with the 37th Air Rescue & Recovery Squadron's "Jolly Green Giants" in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. They were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation Award in 1966 and the USAF Outstanding Unit Award in 1967. In addition, he was awarded the Distinctive Service Medal, National Defense Medal and the Good Conduct Medal for his service. Al also worked as a cross-country truck driver, a real estate employee and a landscape foreman before he moved to the Eastern Shore in 1971 to work as a hunting guide, U.S. Postal Service mail man, antique dealer and bee keeper. His hobbies included gardening and playing bluegrass banjo and mandolin. He served on the Board of Directors and was Master of Ceremonies at the Eastern Shore Bluegrass Association's monthly shows, later becoming President of the Organization in Marydel, DE. He married Margaret Taney Founds in 1995. Al is survived by his wife, Margaret (Meg) and stepchildren, Seth Founds and Molly Jane Oehrlein; half-brother, William Thomas and two half-sisters, Katherine Bouchard and Christine Hand all of North Carolina. Celebration of life will be held on Saturday, June 2 at 2 pm at the Chester River Friends Meeting, 124 Philosophers Terrace, Chestertown. Interment will be held privately in St. Paul's Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Food Pantry c/o Christ Methodist Church, 346 High St. Chestertown, MD. 21620 arrangements by Galena Funeral Home of Stephen L. Schaech

Published in The Capital Gazette from May 23 to May 27, 2018