May Ellen Abbott Bowyer was born June 11, 1909, to Thomas E. and Lora R. (Martin) Derr in Wetumka, Okla (Indian Territory).
The family moved to Russell, Colo. when she was about five years old. She attended school in Ft. Garland, Colo. the first two years. The family moved to Pagosa Springs, Colo. and was there for another couple years and then settled in Montrose, Colo. They spent one year in Arizona before returning to Montrose where she graduated from high school. She attended Western State College for two years before taking a teaching job at Querida, Colo. She taught in Querida for two years and then took the teaching position in the Antelope School District also in the Wet Mountain Valley. While there, she met and married Robert George Abbott in Westcliffe, Colo. on Feb 24, 1933.
When May married, she had to resign her teaching position as only single women were allowed to teach in those days. When WW II started, many of the men were called to active duty resulting in a shortage of teachers, and May was called back to teach.
When the Abbotts sold the ranch just South of Rosita in 1944, they moved to and spent the 1944-45 winter in Petaluma, Calif. where she taught grades 1-6 in the Dunham School District. On returning to Colorado, they bought the Carlsbad Swimming Pool.
May attended night classes and summer school at Western State College earning her bachelors degree in 1957. She retired from the Canon City School system in 1969.
May loved sewing, knitting, crocheting and embroidery as well as reading. She was a member of Eagles, Royal Neighbor Eastern Star. She has been a resident in the St. Thomas More Progressive Care Center since 2004.
She was preceded in death by her parents, a sister Frances Hook, and brother Raymond Derr, her husbands and one grandchild. She is survived by two sons Ray (Bobbie) Abbott of Center and Bob (Mary Margaret) Abbott of Canon City; six grandchildren Tom Abbott, Rick Abbot, Laureen Yohn of Alamosa, Colo, Mike Abbott, Robert Abbott, and Rodney Abbott; 16 great-grandchildren, two great-great grandchildren, and six nieces and nephews.
The family moved to Russell, Colo. when she was about five years old. She attended school in Ft. Garland, Colo. the first two years. The family moved to Pagosa Springs, Colo. and was there for another couple years and then settled in Montrose, Colo. They spent one year in Arizona before returning to Montrose where she graduated from high school. She attended Western State College for two years before taking a teaching job at Querida, Colo. She taught in Querida for two years and then took the teaching position in the Antelope School District also in the Wet Mountain Valley. While there, she met and married Robert George Abbott in Westcliffe, Colo. on Feb 24, 1933.
When May married, she had to resign her teaching position as only single women were allowed to teach in those days. When WW II started, many of the men were called to active duty resulting in a shortage of teachers, and May was called back to teach.
When the Abbotts sold the ranch just South of Rosita in 1944, they moved to and spent the 1944-45 winter in Petaluma, Calif. where she taught grades 1-6 in the Dunham School District. On returning to Colorado, they bought the Carlsbad Swimming Pool.
May attended night classes and summer school at Western State College earning her bachelors degree in 1957. She retired from the Canon City School system in 1969.
May loved sewing, knitting, crocheting and embroidery as well as reading. She was a member of Eagles, Royal Neighbor Eastern Star. She has been a resident in the St. Thomas More Progressive Care Center since 2004.
She was preceded in death by her parents, a sister Frances Hook, and brother Raymond Derr, her husbands and one grandchild. She is survived by two sons Ray (Bobbie) Abbott of Center and Bob (Mary Margaret) Abbott of Canon City; six grandchildren Tom Abbott, Rick Abbot, Laureen Yohn of Alamosa, Colo, Mike Abbott, Robert Abbott, and Rodney Abbott; 16 great-grandchildren, two great-great grandchildren, and six nieces and nephews.
May Ellen Abbott Bowyer was born June 11, 1909, to Thomas E. and Lora R. (Martin) Derr in Wetumka, Okla (Indian Territory).
The family moved to Russell, Colo. when she was about five years old. She attended school in Ft. Garland, Colo. the first two years. The family moved to Pagosa Springs, Colo. and was there for another couple years and then settled in Montrose, Colo. They spent one year in Arizona before returning to Montrose where she graduated from high school. She attended Western State College for two years before taking a teaching job at Querida, Colo. She taught in Querida for two years and then took the teaching position in the Antelope School District also in the Wet Mountain Valley. While there, she met and married Robert George Abbott in Westcliffe, Colo. on Feb 24, 1933.
When May married, she had to resign her teaching position as only single women were allowed to teach in those days. When WW II started, many of the men were called to active duty resulting in a shortage of teachers, and May was called back to teach.
When the Abbotts sold the ranch just South of Rosita in 1944, they moved to and spent the 1944-45 winter in Petaluma, Calif. where she taught grades 1-6 in the Dunham School District. On returning to Colorado, they bought the Carlsbad Swimming Pool.
May attended night classes and summer school at Western State College earning her bachelors degree in 1957. She retired from the Canon City School system in 1969.
May loved sewing, knitting, crocheting and embroidery as well as reading. She was a member of Eagles, Royal Neighbor Eastern Star. She has been a resident in the St. Thomas More Progressive Care Center since 2004.
She was preceded in death by her parents, a sister Frances Hook, and brother Raymond Derr, her husbands and one grandchild. She is survived by two sons Ray (Bobbie) Abbott of Center and Bob (Mary Margaret) Abbott of Canon City; six grandchildren Tom Abbott, Rick Abbot, Laureen Yohn of Alamosa, Colo, Mike Abbott, Robert Abbott, and Rodney Abbott; 16 great-grandchildren, two great-great grandchildren, and six nieces and nephews.
The family moved to Russell, Colo. when she was about five years old. She attended school in Ft. Garland, Colo. the first two years. The family moved to Pagosa Springs, Colo. and was there for another couple years and then settled in Montrose, Colo. They spent one year in Arizona before returning to Montrose where she graduated from high school. She attended Western State College for two years before taking a teaching job at Querida, Colo. She taught in Querida for two years and then took the teaching position in the Antelope School District also in the Wet Mountain Valley. While there, she met and married Robert George Abbott in Westcliffe, Colo. on Feb 24, 1933.
When May married, she had to resign her teaching position as only single women were allowed to teach in those days. When WW II started, many of the men were called to active duty resulting in a shortage of teachers, and May was called back to teach.
When the Abbotts sold the ranch just South of Rosita in 1944, they moved to and spent the 1944-45 winter in Petaluma, Calif. where she taught grades 1-6 in the Dunham School District. On returning to Colorado, they bought the Carlsbad Swimming Pool.
May attended night classes and summer school at Western State College earning her bachelors degree in 1957. She retired from the Canon City School system in 1969.
May loved sewing, knitting, crocheting and embroidery as well as reading. She was a member of Eagles, Royal Neighbor Eastern Star. She has been a resident in the St. Thomas More Progressive Care Center since 2004.
She was preceded in death by her parents, a sister Frances Hook, and brother Raymond Derr, her husbands and one grandchild. She is survived by two sons Ray (Bobbie) Abbott of Center and Bob (Mary Margaret) Abbott of Canon City; six grandchildren Tom Abbott, Rick Abbot, Laureen Yohn of Alamosa, Colo, Mike Abbott, Robert Abbott, and Rodney Abbott; 16 great-grandchildren, two great-great grandchildren, and six nieces and nephews.
Bio by: Ms. Clyde
Gravesite Details
Her ashes and headstone are in front and on the grave of husband Robert George Abbott
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