84, of St. Louis, Mo, died Jan. 2, 2021, at home. He was born Aug. 20, 1936, in St. Louis to John F. and Adele E. Abeln (Steinbach). He is survived by children, Tracy M. Abeln (m. Mark Schweiger), of Kansas City, Mo., and Eric J. and Sarah (Schweers) Abeln, and grandchildren, Norah, 4, and Elliott, 2, of North Aurora, Ill.; and by cousins, other Abelns, and friends. He was educated at Resurrection of Our Lord grade school, Roosevelt High School and Harris-Stowe before obtaining his B.S. in geological engineering from Washington University in 1962. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard, then was an engineer in civil service for the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, City of St. Louis, U.S. Army, and V.A. Medical Center; he retired from the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency, Defense Fuel Supply Center, in 1998. Dedicated to precision and fairness, Don believed in protecting wildlife’s ecology and cared about things and systems that were properly and logically made to work and last. He was a collector of old tools that endure. He cared about passing on family genealogy and the history of St. Louis’ development, families, property and people, of which he had deep insight and lasting memory. He enjoyed fishing and making fishing flies, gardening with scientific precision and beautiful results, was talented at pre-digital photography, and was very into perfecting, collecting and sharing recipes. He was made whole by socializing, and he was gifted at predicting but not always making winning bets on horse races. He is missed. Hello to the folks at Fairmont Park and The Hole. Thank you to Leo Abeln. Please visit share memories here and so we can keep in touch about gathering together when things are safer.
Rest in peace,Don
Rest in peace,Don
Sorry for your loss Tracy and Eric. Donald was always friendly and made you laugh.
Sorry for your loss Tracy and Eric. Donald was always friendly and made you laugh.
My sympathies to Don’s family.
I first met Don over sixty years ago at the Quick-way ( a greasy spoon) at Grand and Chippewa. We were teenagers, he attending Roosevelt High and I , Cleveland High. Years later he and his mom and dad moved two houses down the street from my family. He gave my phone number to his friend Lou who called, we dated and married. Don and Lou enjoyed a lifelong friendship until Lou’s death in 1999.
My sympathies to Don’s family.
I first met Don over sixty years ago at the Quick-way ( a greasy spoon) at Grand and Chippewa. We were teenagers, he attending Roosevelt High and I , Cleveland High. Years later he and his mom and dad moved two houses down the street from my family. He gave my phone number to his friend Lou who called, we dated and married. Don and Lou enjoyed a lifelong friendship until Lou’s death in 1999.
My condolences toTracy and Eric, your father was a kind man. I especially appreciated his love and talent for gardening.
Rest In Peace, Don …. forever surrounded by the everlasting beauty of nature that you so truly loved.
My condolences toTracy and Eric, your father was a kind man. I especially appreciated his love and talent for gardening.
Rest In Peace, Don …. forever surrounded by the everlasting beauty of nature that you so truly loved.
May the good Lord give you peace!
May the good Lord give you peace!