H.R. No. 1354
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, A life made rich through meaningful service drew to
a close with the passing of John Frank Abbott of Mineola on April
21, 2023, at the age of 70; and
WHEREAS, The son of John Abbott Jr. and Anne Abbott, John
Abbott was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on December 8, 1952, and he grew
up with the companionship of two sisters, Colleen and Kim;
following his graduation from John H. Reagan High School in Austin,
he attended Southwest Texas State University, and he completed his
education at East Texas State University, where he earned a
master's degree in counseling and a doctorate in curriculum and
instruction; and
WHEREAS, In 1974, Dr. Abbott began his long and rewarding
career in education as a Spanish and English teacher at Mineola High
School; he subsequently worked as a counselor in the Alba-Golden
Independent School District, and in 1987, he returned to Mineola
ISD as curriculum director; he went on serve as the district's
superintendent for several years before accepting a position as
director of teacher certification with the Region 7 Educational
Service Center; along the way, he also served as a professor of
education at Texas College in Tyler; he was a teacher at Grand
Saline High School at the time of his passing; and
WHEREAS, Active in his community, Dr. Abbott was a longtime
member of the Kiwanis Club, the Wood County Child Welfare Board, and
the Mineola Caring and Sharing board, and in 2014, he was named
Humanitarian of the Year; a man of deep faith, he was a valued
congregant of First United Methodist Church of Mineola; and
WHEREAS, Above all else, Dr. Abbott was devoted to his wife,
Janell, with whom he shared a fulfilling marriage of nearly four and
a half decades; he loved cooking and traveling in his leisure hours,
having visited numerous countries over the years, and he was known
for his generosity, kindness, and joie de vivre; and
WHEREAS, John Abbott was a man of great compassion who
remained engaged in the world throughout his life and who found joy
and inspiration in helping others, and he will always hold a
treasured place in the hearts of his loved ones and the many
students whose lives he forever enriched; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of John Frank Abbott
and extend sincere condolences to all who mourn his passing; and, be
it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of John
Abbott.
Hefner
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1354 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on May 12, 2023.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House