Merlin Abbott was born in Shattuck, OK on October 5, 1932. He left this earth on February 22, 2013. Merlin lived in the Shattuck/Arnett OK area all of his childhood and graduated from Arnett High School in 1951. He attended Oklahoma A&M before joining the Navy and serving during the Korean conflict. Upon his discharge in 1955, he worked for Phillips Petroleum Company at Borger, TX as an analytical chemist. He married Louise Fitzpatrick on August 14, 1956. In 1971, he moved his family to Waynesville, MO where he was owner/operator of Abbott Insulation Company, Inc. Merlin was a devoted husband and caregiver to Louise who joined the heavenly angels on July 26, 1987. Merlin was blessed to be reunited with his high school classmate, Jean Thompson and they were married on April 2, 1988. They lived in Waynesville until 1996 when they moved to Springfield, MO. Being in ill health for a number of years, he was forced to slow down but his sheer willpower to live superseded all doctors’ predictions. He loved life and loved his family and friends.
Merlin was preceded in death by his mother, Marie Abbott; son, Mark Abbott; wife, Louise Abbott; stepmother, Irene Abbott; and father, Raymond Abbott.
He is survived by his wife Jean Abbott; brother, Ray Abbott; daughters Valerie Smith, husband Paul, and children; Joanie King, husband Bill, and children; Angela Dye, husband Scott and children; son, Matthew Abbott, children and fiancé Barbara; step children Connie Hanna and family; Vickie Regehr and family; Kathy Thompson and family; 15 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.
Services for Merlin will be at 11:30 A.M. Wednesday, February 27, 2013 at Greenlawn Funeral Home East. Interment with full military honors will follow at Missouri Veterans Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Tuesday, February 26, 2013 in the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project at www.woundedwarriorproject.org or 1120 G Street NW Suite 700 Washington, DC 20005