Fred Eli Abbo

La Jolla - Fred Eli Abbo M.D., a long time La Jolla resident and physician, passed away peacefully on December 15, 2022.

Born to Eli and Vida Abodeely in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, he was the second eldest of five children. Growing up in a family with modest means, Fred helped his father working in their grocery store and spent the rest of his free time during the summers reading books from the library in a local park near his house. Fred excelled in school and had a zest for learning. He earned a full scholarship to Harvard College. While at Harvard, his time was interrupted by World War II, when he volunteered to serve his country in the U.S. Army. He was stationed in Europe where his unit took part in the Battle of the Bulge. After the war, Fred resumed his undergraduate education at Harvard and graduated Cum Laude in Chemistry. He then went on to medical school at the University of Iowa and was a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha National Honor Medical Society. With a desire for more learning, Fred went on to receive his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from U.C. Berkeley.

While stationed in Germany, Fred met Gisela Mueller. They were married in 1947 and had a son, Gordon Abbo. The couple divorced in 1966. Fred met Eva Rosa several years later. Eva, also from Germany, had just graduated from Medical School at the University of Munich. She and Fred married and worked together in the private practice of General Internal Medicine in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Fred fell in love with La Jolla, when he attended a conference at the Salk Institute back in the mid 1960's. He was drawn to La Jolla in large part due to his love for long distance running year round which was not often possible in the frigid Midwestern winters. He would later run and complete the San Diego marathon 3 times, each time in less than four hours. In 1979, Fred and Eva packed their two young daughters, Karen and Michelle along with the office "mini computer" into three U-Haul trucks. One of the moving trucks carried the "mini computer" which at that time was the size of a large armoire. As always, he was ahead if his time trying to computerize the patient records and lab reports.

Dr. Fred, as he was known, loved his patients and the practice of medicine. He was still practicing up until the spring of 2021. He emphasized health and prevention in his medical practice and wrote a book, "Steps to a Longer Life" which was published in 1979. Over the course of 15 years, he designed and programmed a medical billing and electronic health records program, MD Control?, which he used in his own medical practice and it is still being used today. Dr. Fred also published a monthly health and longevity newsletter for his patients off and on for many years. More recently, Fred was working on an iPhone app, Track My Health, where patients could keep track of various health parameters. He published a second book several years later, "Dr. Abbo's Guide to a Healthy, Long Life." Dr. Fred practiced what he advised his patients. Into his early nineties, he was still jogging along the coast most mornings.

Fred was predeceased by his sisters Emily and Alice and twin brothers, Nick and George. He is missed and survived by, Gisela, son Gordon, Eva, daughters, Karen Carlson (Dan) and Michelle Abbo-Pelletier (Josh), grandchildren, Ben, Debra, Phoenix, Nicolas and Ryder. There will be a memorial service (family only) at Miramar National Cemetery Friday February 3, 2023.