Beverly Jones Abt

Obituary of Beverly Jones Abt

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It is with deep love and sadness that we announce that Beverly Jones Abt of Southport, CT passed away peacefully on Saturday, February 7, 2026, just two days shy of her 92nd birthday. While Beverly spent much of the last two years in Fairfield at Sturges Ridge, surrounded by its wonderful residents and its caring staff, she will forever think of herself as a fortunate resident of Southport where she moved in 1968 with her loving husband, Edgar Abt, with their two sons, Jeff and Doug.

Originally from Braintree, MA, Beverly was born in 1934 and was the oldest of three children of George and Mildred (Hayes) Jones. Beverly spent her childhood split between Braintree and Alton Bay, NH on Lake Winnipesaukee. She spent her summers helping her father rent and sell lake-side cottages that he developed. In her eighth-grade autobiography, Beverly wrote "So far my life has not been very eventful, but nobody knows what the future holds". What an understatement!

Beverly graduated from Braintree High School as Valedictorian of her class and then graduated cum laude from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in English Education. Her first teaching assignment landed her in New Canaan, CT for three years. Beverly moved back to Boston and met the love of her life, Edgar Abt, a young trainee at IBM. After a June 1960 wedding, Beverly and Edgar settled in Pembroke, MA, later moving to Scituate, MA where they welcomed their boys, Jeff and Doug.

In 1968, the Abt family moved to Southport to put down roots and raise their family. With Ed often traveling for IBM, Beverly was the constant anchor at home, providing the family structure that only a high school English teacher/parent could provide. Beside raising her boys, Bev's passions included tennis, skiing, bridge, attending Bridgeport Symphony, socializing at Black Rock Yacht Club where she was a long-time member (but a non-sailor), and, later in life, golf. Bev loved her family vacations to Cape Cod and Alton Bay when not enjoying the Sea Lodge at Southport Beach or the pool at Black Rock Yacht Club. While never venturing back to the classroom, Beverly was forever working or volunteering for local organizations including the nursery school at Southport Congregational Church, Pequot Library, the Dogwood Festival at Greenfield Hill Congregational Church, and the Connecticut Dance School. Beverly and Ed were avid world travelers until his passing in 2005, after almost 45 years of marriage.

After Ed's battle with cancer, Beverly embraced life to the fullest for the next 21 years, especially enjoying time spent with friends and family. Despite her declining health over the past two years, never once did she complain or ask, "why me"? In the words of Frank Sinatra that played during her hospice care, "I did it my way". Beverly was loved by so many and will be truly missed.

Beverly was predeceased by her husband, Edgar Abt; her brother Bradford Jones of Alton, NH; her brother-in-law Dr. Donald Abt and his wife Barbara of East Falmouth, MA, and her sister-in-law Elizabeth Abt Hardy and her husband, Elwin of Hollis, NH. She is survived by her sister Nancy McGuirk and brother-in-law, Warren McGuirk of Westfield, MA, and her sister-in-law, Virginia Jones of Alton, NH, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Living with the wonderful memories of Beverly are her two sons, Jeffrey Abt and his wife Kimberly of Rye, NY and Douglas Abt and his wife Sarah of Kensington, CA and together, her seven grandchildren whom she adored, Isabel (and fiancé Miller Crenshaw), Jamie, Charlie, Teddy and Henry of Rye, NY and Jake and Audrey of Kensington, CA. Visits to Kiawah, SC by Nana with Jeff's family and multi-week stays in California by Nana Bev with Doug's family will be forever cherished.

Services will be set for a time later this year.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the Pequot Library or Greenfield Hill Church.

To leave an online condolence, please visit www.LeskoFuneralHome.com.