Alice Louise Abbott

LANCASTER - Alice Louise Abbott, 80, of Summer Street, died Thursday January 12, 2006, at her home. Mrs. Abbott was born the youngest of seven children in Lancaster on April 6, 1925, the daughter of Arthur and Ruby (Stone) Cryan. Alice was a 1943 graduate of Lancaster Academy. She went on to attend Plymouth Teachers' College where she graduated in 1947. That same year she married Reginald H. Abbott on August 30 at All Saints Church, Lancaster. They moved to Okmulgee, Oklahoma where she taught elementary school on an Indian Reservation for three years while her husband attended Oklahoma A&M Diesel School. They moved back east to Nashua, NH, briefly and then to Lancaster where they have lived for the past 56 years. Mrs. Abbott taught elementary school in Peterborough, Lancaster and Groveton, NH. She taught full-time in Groveton from 1968-1990 where she taught 3rd grade and remedial reading. The last few years before her retirement she served as assistant principle. After retirement Mrs. Abbott continued to substitute teach for ten years at the Groveton School. In 1981 Alice began her 25-year career as a volunteer at Weeks Memorial Hospital. Over the years she could be found in a number of places in the hospital working her magic on the med-surg floors, the gift shop, the pharmacy, or the dining room. She was a dedicated and tireless volunteer accruing 8350 hours over the past 25 years. In 1991 she received the Mel Gallup Outstanding Volunteer Service Award, of which she was extremely proud. In 1995 she was recognized as the Outstanding Hospital Volunteer of NH by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Volunteering was a way of life for Alice even after arthritis in her knees made extremely difficult for her to get around. In her spare time she loved to read. She was a Communicant of All Saints Church where she also served as a Eucharistic minister, a greeter, and taught catechism. She was also a member of the Tabernacle Society at All Saints Church and a member of the VFW Auxiliary. Alice was Lancaster's last Gold Star Mother. She lost a son Terry M. Abbott in 1968 in the Vietnam War. Surviving family members include her husband Reginald of Lancaster; three children, Stephen R. Abbott and wife Elizabeth of Eugene, Oregon, Penny L. Durgin and husband William of Lancaster, Tracey L. Abbott and partner Cindy of Sweden, Maine; four grandchildren, Chad Abbott, Nathan Abbott, Scott Durgin, Gretchen Colby; three great-grandchildren, Nathan Abbott, Jason Abbott, Gracie Frost Durgin; and two sisters. Visiting hours will be held Monday January 16, from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM at the Bailey Funeral Home, Lancaster. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow immediately after at 1:00 PM at All Saints Church, Lancaster. Rev. Raymond Ball pastor, will officiate. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made in her memory to Weeks Medical Volunteer Program, ATT: Bethany Belmore, 173 Middle Street, Lancaster, NH 03584.

Alice Louise Abbott

April 6, 1925 - January 12, 2006