Gerald Richard Abbott

Gerald “Jerry” Abbott, loving husband, colleague, mentor, and friend, passed away on November 3, after a period of declining health, with Ruth Paine, his wife of 43 years, by his side. Gerald Richard (“Jerry”) Abbott, was born in Pittsburgh, PA on May 14, 1938, one of three sons of Guyton and Geraldine Abbott. He and his brothers, Guyton (“Sonny”) and Charles (“Bo”), grew up in the Swissvale community. After graduating from high school, Jerry attended St. Mary’s Seminary and University in Baltimore, MD, followed by Virginia Commonwealth University, where he earned a masters degree with emphasis on Rehabilitation Counseling.

Jerry returned to MD to work for Maryland Rehabilitation Services at Rock Terrace School in Rockville, where he met his partner for life, Ruth Paine. He then began a long career with the Federal Government, first in Philadelphia, joining a cohort of like-minded rehab specialists with whom he remained friends throughout his life. Ruth and Jerry married, and she joined him in New Jersey, where they became members of Sacred Heart Parish in Camden, NJ. Jerry was deeply committed to the Heart of Camden Housing Corporation, a part of whose mission was to welcome and house refugees from Vietnam. Ruth and Jerry became tutors and extended family to members of the Vietnamese community, and godparents to Quyen Vo Schwing, who along with her husband Jim and two children have become a part of Ruth & Jerry’s family. In the early 1990’s, Jerry transferred to the Department of Education headquarters in Washington DC where he reviewed grant proposals for rehabilitation services. Jerry and Ruth created a home in Columbia MD, where Jerry loved to garden, and they made many long-lasting friends in their neighborhood and at St. Matthews Parish in Baltimore. Jerry will be remembered as a quiet, fun-loving husband, supportive friend, uncle and neighbor, generous community member and loving caregiver.

A memorial Mass will be offered Saturday, December 2, at 2PM at St. Matthews Catholic Church, 5401 Loch Raven Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21239. Family visitation will begin at 1:30. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Heart of Camden (www.heartofcamden.org).

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.witzkefuneralhomes.com for the Abbott family.