Jonathan Bruce Abele M.D.

1952 - 2019

Jonathan Bruce Abele, M.D., of Dallas, Texas, died on September 6, 2019, at the T. Boone Pickens Palliative Care Center in Dallas. Bruce was born on July 3, 1952, in New Haven, CT, to William A. Abele, M.D. and Joyce Gowan Abele. He grew up in Boonville, MO, and was a member of the Boonville High School Class of 1970. He was a 1974 graduate of Davidson College in North Carolina. Bruce and Marta Jane Iven were joined in marriage on July 3, 1976, in Enid, Okla. He earned his Doctor of Medicine Degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1984, and served as Resident Physician at the Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans' Hospital from 1984-87. Like his father, Bruce specialized in Internal Medicine, and upon completing his training he continued the Boonville practice of his retiring father. In 1989, Bruce and his family relocated to Dubuque, Iowa, to join the multi-specialty Medical Associates Clinic, until his retirement in February, 2016. Over these years of dedicated professional service, countless patients received highly skilled and compassionate care from Dr. Bruce Abele. Consistent with his commitment to the field of medicine, Bruce elected to participate in the UT Southwestern Medical Centers Willed Body Program for medical education and research.

In addition to his parents, Bruce was preceded in death by his grandparents, Rev. Emil F. Abele and Emma Sauer Abele.

Dr. Abele is survived by Marta, his loving wife of 43 years; his devoted children, son Adam and daughter Elizabeth (Will Swan); and his adored granddaughters Lucy Jane Swan and Emma Kate Swan, all of Dallas. His family was Bruce's proudest accomplishment. Also surviving are brothers W. Douglas Abele (Mary Pat) of Boonville, R. Christopher Abele of Kansas City, and F. Andrew Abele (Jane) of St. Louis; niece Ashley Rhode (Luke, Stella, Nora, and Shane) of Boonville; niece Alexandra Abele of Dallas; sister in-law Suzanne Shearer and brother-in-law Patrick Iven, both of Dallas. Bruce also immeasurably enhanced the lives of aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, cousins, a close contingent of fellow Davidson alums, and other dear friends.

A memorial service will be held in Dallas on September 13 at 4 p.m. at the Reflection Chapel, T. Boone Pickens Palliative Care Center. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you please consider a donation to the American Red Cross, or to the Boonslick Regional Library - Cooper County Branch, 618 Main Street, Boonville, MO 65233.