Martha Jean Abbott

Jean Abbott

Martha Jean Stewart

April 20, 1933 – March 17, 2025

Jean Abbott, age 91 was a resident of Yorktown, Virginia for more than 70 years. She passed away peacefully at home in Crofton, Maryland.

Jean was born and raised in Owensboro, Kentucky, and moved from there to Tennessee when she married Curtis Abbott of Maryville. They eventually moved to the Virginia peninsula for Curtis’s work and planted roots on Oriana Road. She lived there until 2022 and recently settled in Maryland with her daughter’s family.

Jean dropped out of high school to be a wife and mother, but eventually got her GED and was quite proud of that accomplishment. She was a stay-at-home mom during her children’s school years, but picked up work as a school cafeteria worker and eventually a school bus driver for York County Schools. As Curtis’s health declined she got certified as a nurse’s aide and worked fulltime for several years at Eastern State Hospital. After that she returned to her comfort zone of driving, and found work at the Yorktown National Park Service driving a tour bus and narrating the battlefield history to her passengers. She later worked shuttling cars for Hertz.

The Abbotts were longtime members at Grafton Baptist Church and she briefly taught for Sunday School and Vacation Bible School there. She enjoyed biking, fishing and crabbing for a few years, but mostly was an avid reader who also enjoyed her jazz, blues, and oldies music. She will forever be remembered for the epic Easter egg hunts that were enjoyed by the youngest and the oldest members of the family.

Some of Jean’s survivors are:

Her daughter Rebecca Villafane and (husband) Louie. Along with four grandchildren, their spouses and six great-grandchildren: Rachael (Steven) Hendrickson, Nathan & Olivia; Tony (Mary Beth) Villafane & Corbin; Kelley (Jon) Ishak, Sophia, Gideon & Noah; and Joel Villafane.

Her granddaughter Natalie Renew (granddaughter) and (husband) Chris & her great-grandson Mason.

A niece Connie Sheriff from her sister Mae

A nephew David Ross from her sister Barbie.

A daughter-in-law Robin Abbott from her son Gary.

Jean was preceded in death by her husband, Curtis Abbott and her children Vickie Owens, Gary Abbott, Angela Abbott and infant son Gregory Abbott. Also by her parents Ellis Stewart and Gertrude (Smith Stewart) Ashley, and by her siblings, Georgia Mae (and Bill) Sheriff and Barbara Ann (and Harold) Ross.

There will be a Memorial Service in Maryland at Belcroft Bible Church on Saturday March 29 and 10:00 am.

In Virginia, her life will be celebrated with a viewing at Amory Funeral Home, Grafton, Virginia from 1:00-2:00 pm on April 17. A graveside service will follow at Peninsula Memorial Park 3:00pm.