Thomas "Tommy" Edward Abell

Thomas “Tommy” Edward Abell, age 74, passed away peacefully at his home on May 4, 2026 after a courageous battle with cancer. Born in Prince George’s County, MD on February 3, 1952, Tommy was the beloved son of the late Paul and Edna (Beall) Abell. Tommy was preceded in death by his only sibling, his sister Eileen Marie Abell.

Tommy, his parents, their family home, and property became the anchor of what is now a tight-knit community of friends and neighbors along Bell Station Road in Glenn Dale, MD.

Tommy, along with his parents, spent a lifetime maintaining their extensive grounds and bountiful vegetable garden from which they often generously shared their home grown produce. It brought great joy to neighbors to walk along Bell Station Road and see them on their swing/glider and be invited to sit in the shade with them and share freshly sliced watermelon or tomato from their garden.

Tommy was a dedicated arboretum gardener for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and received a certificate of merit for his service. He worked at the USDA Plant Introduction Station in Glenn Dale, MD known for the cultivation of the well-known Glenn Dale azaleas and other plants, and at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, DC, where he assisted plant geneticist Alden Townsend and horticulturist Susan Bentz in cultivating American elm trees that are Dutch elm disease (DED) tolerant, and assisted with a Hemlock breeding project for resistance to an invasive insect. Tommy also took care of the National Arboretum’s famous koi fish, among other duties.

Tommy always had a smile on his face and a friendly wave for passersby, and he loved to hear and tell jokes. His unwavering calm and kind disposition made him a magnet to neighbors’ dogs when walking along Bell Station Road, with the dogs often pulling their owners up the Abell’s driveway to receive Tommy’s welcome and attention.

In addition to horticulture, Tommy had a lifelong interest in cars and NASCAR racing, his favorite race car drivers being Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Davey Allison.

Visitation will be held at Robert E. Evans Funeral Home, 16000 Annapolis Rd, Bowie, Maryland 20715, on May 14, 2026, from 10:00 am to 11:00 am, followed by a Funeral Service at the same location beginning at 11:00 am. A Committal Service will take place at Fort Lincoln Cemetery on May 14, 2026 at 12:30 pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Tommy’s memory to Zaching Against Cancer, Foundation, 6700 Alexander Bell Drive, Suite 185, Columbia, Maryland 21046, 443-319-5394 (https://www.zachingagainstcancer.org/donate-today/)