Thomas Van Abbott

ABBOTT, Thomas Van, 84, known to some as "TV" or "Tom," passed away June 13, 2009. He was born in Tye, Texas, and moved to Virginia in 1960. He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Wilma Jo Hawkins Abbott. He is survived by one sister, Retha Faye Gunn; two sons, John Thomas Abbott, his wife, Susan, Timothy Van Abbott, his wife, Lynn; and three daughters, Eska A. Beckstoffer, her husband, Herman, Donna Abbott and Bonnie Walker; nine beloved grandchildren, Lori Dyer, Nicole Braswell, John Thomas Abbott Jr., Shelley Robey, Catie Abbott, Christie Abbott, Andrew Walker, Jessica Newcomb and Ryan Abbott; and nine great-grandchildren. TV was a five-medal decorated World War II Navy veteran. After his tour of duty, which ended in 1945, he began his career as an aerospace engineer involved with the Scout missile program for LTV out of Dallas, Texas. During his employment with LTV, he was involved in the missiles and space program in Kenya, Africa, Langley Air Force Base, and Vandenberg Air Force Base while stationed at Wallops Island, Virginia, on the Eastern Shore, where he lived until 1999 when he moved to Richmond. He retired from his 42-year career in May 1990. The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday (today), June 16, 2009, at Bliley's-Central, 3801 Augusta Avenue. Funeral services will be held 9 a.m. Saturday, June 20, 2009, at Lawn Baptist Church in Lawn, Texas. Interment McBee Cemetery, Ovalo, Texas. Funeral arrangements by Fry-Bartlett Funeral Home, Tuscola, Texas.
This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.