Obituary of James Abbott

James Abbott, Sr., age 90 of Yankton passed away on Saturday, February 28, 2015 at the Avera Sister James Care Center, Yankton. Funeral services will be 1:30 PM, Thursday, March 5, 2015 at the Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Chapel, Yankton. Private family burial will be in the Yankton Cemetery with military graveside rites by the Ernest-Bowyer VFW Post #791 Honor Guard, Yankton, SD. Visitations with family present will be from 5:30-7:30 PM, Wednesday, March 4, 2015 at the Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home and Crematory, Yankton. Visitations will resume one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. James was born on November 4, 1924, in Sloan, IA, the youngest of seven children of James Wesley and Nellie (Rogers) Abbott. He grew up in Sloan, IA, graduating from high school in May, 1943. After graduation he enlisted in the US Army Air Corps, flying 29 missions in the South Pacific as a top turret gunner in a B-24 bomber. He was honorably discharged in 1946 with the rank of Staff Sergeant. After the war, Jim returned to Sloan and married Margie McCoy on March 8th, 1947. They began married life in Sioux City, IA. In August of 1948, Jim, along with Margie and their newly born son, moved to Yankton, SD, to pitch for the semi-pro baseball team, the Yankton Terry's. Jim attended Yankton College before beginning a career as a mechanical estimator in the HVAC industry. In 1964, the family moved to Irene, SD, where he owned and operated Midwest Plumbing and Heating Inc., until moving to Sioux Falls, SD, in 1986 to work as an estimator for Hander Plumbing and Heating. Jim and Margie moved back to Yankton in 1998, where he continued to work for Hander until he retired in 2008 at the age of 83. Grateful for having shared his life are his wife Margie; children: James W. (Colette) of Vermillion, SD, Nancy of Yankton, SD, Tim (Bernardo) of Lenexa, KS, Bob (Jan) of Sioux Falls, SD, Jeanne (David) Staum, of Elk Point, SD, Joanie (David) Urban of Wichita, KS and Laura (Mike) Kribell of Irene, SD; brother, Harold (Mary) of Onawa, IA; 19 grandchildren; 11 great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, three brothers, son, Terry and grandson Nick Staum. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the University of South Dakota Foundation, P. O. Box 5555, Vermillion, SD 57069 or Avera Hospice House at Majestic Bluffs, 2111 West 11th Street, Yankton, SD 57078.