Richard (Dick) Lewis Abbott

Richard (Dick) Lewis Abbott, born on March 23, 1929 passed on to heaven on November 2, 2020 with his daughters by his side. Dick Abbott grew up in Blount County, attending Lanier Elementary where his sister Dorothy was his teacher. He graduated from Maryville High School in 1947, and immediately enlisted and served in the U.S Air Force as a mechanic on the F-86 Sabre jets. After discharge from the Air Force, he enrolled in Maryville College where he played basketball for four years, captained the 1954 Fighting Scots, became enamored by a girl from Trenton, New Jersey and majored in Education. At 10 am on May 19,1954, he graduated from Maryville College and on that same day at 2 pm, he married that New Jersey girl, Margaret Mary Evans.

Upon graduation from Maryville College, Dick began teaching and coaching at Greenback High School, then landed at Alcoa City Schools in 1957 where he began a lifetime commitment to the community of Alcoa, Tennessee. During this time, he also pursued and received a Masters degree from the University of Tennessee. Highlights of Dick’s professional career were assistant coaching the Alcoa Tornadoes basketball team to two state championships in 1959 and 1967, implementing the golf program at Alcoa High School, becoming principal of Alcoa Elementary School from 1969-1986, televising sports programs for the Alcoa City Schools hosting “Tornado Talk”, emceeing the Maryville Alcoa Jaycees Parade, and initiating and hosting “Profiles of Blount County”, where he highlighted the accomplishments of many hometown heroes who have contributed to the development and progress of Blount County. Dick received several accolades including being inducted to the Maryville College Wall of Fame, also the Maryville College Walk of Fame, Blount County Sports Hall of Fame, being honored with naming the new Alcoa High School Gymnasium the “Dick Abbott Gymnasium,” and receiving the Lifetime Service Award from the Alcoa City Schools Foundation.

Although Dick had an accomplished professional career, his most cherished treasure was relationships. He always spoke of the experiences he had with kids, student athletes, teachers, and parents with pure joy. His engagement with people truly was the thing that made him most happy. He was also an avid golfer where he developed lifelong friendships with some of his favorite people on the golf course beginning at Wallace Hills. His most important relationship on earth started at home with his wife of 66 years, Peggy, who he admittedly and often, called the “love of his life.” Dick and Peggy raised four daughters, had nine granddaughters, and three great grandsons. Some of his favorite ways to spend time with his family was in the mountains, especially cooking breakfast at Metcalf Bottoms, going to his grandchildren and great grandchildren’s ballgames, picking the guitar and singing music, and anything else that involved being together along with giving hugs.

Dick was a member of Alcoa First United Methodist Church from the 1950’s until his death, a member of the Pathfinders Sunday School Class where he was committed to his faith and his fellow Christians to live a Christ-like life that honored God.

Dick is survived by his wife, Margaret (Peggy) Evans Abbott, and daughters and sons-in-law, Nancy and Mike Welch of Maryville, Patsy and Dave Spanjers of Peachtree City, Georgia, Leyanne and Kenny Harper of Maryville, Susan and Russ Ruelle of Kohler, Wisconsin; his adored granddaughters, Lauren Xixis (Andrew), Molley Dove, Katie Ruelle, Marianna Harper, Evan Harper, Jennifer Boss, and Julia Ruelle; three treasured great grandsons, Alex, Luke and Drew. He is also survived by his brother, Paul Abbott, and his sister, Martha Jane Carter and many nieces and nephews.

Dick was preceded in death by his parents, William Peter and Lucy Jane Davis Abbott, two of his precious granddaughters Emily Anne Ruelle and Abbie Jane Harper, his sister Dorothy Boswell, and brothers, Kenneth Kyle Abbott and James Howard Abbott.

Friends may call at your convenience Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm on Friday November 6, 2020 at McAmmon-Ammons-Click Funeral Home. A private family service will be held Saturday with a celebration of life to be held at Springbrook Park Pavilion on Sunday November 8 at 3 pm. Please bring lawn chairs or blankets where there will be plenty of space to socially distance.

To honor Dick’s legacy, the family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in his memory to the Alcoa First United Methodist Church Childrens’ Ministry or the Abbie Jane Harper Memorial Scholarship Fund at the East Tennessee Foundation.