Obituaries: Perry K. Abel, 1966, Winn Parish, LA
Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483
**********************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm
**********************************************


 




From: April 14, 1966 Winn Parish Enterprise News-American

P. K. Abel, 98, Dies; Funeral Here Tuesday

Perry K. Abel, 98, died at 6 a.m. Monday in a Winnfield hospital.  A native of
Winnfield, he was one of the oldest and most prominent citizens of this city.

Funeral services were held Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the First Methodist Church
with the pastor, Rev. George Ross, officiating.  Burial was in the Winnfield
Cemetery under direction of Southern Funeral Home.

Pallbearers were J. D. Holmes, Tracy Lee Harrel, Jr., Dudley Shell, John
Jackson, Newton Forrest, Robert Heard, Don Walsh, and James Russell, Jr.

Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Stewart Walker of Winnfield and Mrs. L. H.
"Peck" Martin of Amite.  He had seven grandchildren and one great grandson,
and he also is survived by one sister, Mrs. J. J. Mixon of Natchitoches.

LIFE'S HISTORY

In 1959 when Mr. Abel was honored as the only living original member of the
board of trustees of the Methodist Children's Home at Ruston, an article about
his life was printed in the Enterprise.  It is quoted in part as follows:

"He joined the Winnfield Methodist Church September 1, 1878, at the age of 11
years, when Baptist and Methodist congregations shared the same wood frame
meeting house.  Last fall, the Church recognized Mr. Abel at the dedication
of a new sanctuary, the third building he has attended services in during his
lifetime.

"'I have served in every position in the church - Sunday School
Superintendent, Chairman of the Board of Stewards, Chairman of the Board of
Trustees, Secretary of the Quarterly Conference, Representative at Annual
Conference - everything except minister in charge," Mr. Abel says with a
chuckle.

"A rare example of the selfless and unspectacular, but singularly faithful and
fruitful servant, he served longest on the Orphanage Board of Directors.  The
original Board was named in 1906 when Louisiana Methodists began operating the
orphanage which started at Bunkie by the Rev. C. C. Wier.  It was later
relocated in Ruston and has been there ever since.

"In addition to his post, he has been a member of the State Board of
Temperance, and the Church Extension Board.


"The son of a Winnfield blacksmith and wagon maker who was also Justice of the
Peace and Deputy Clerk of Court, Mr. Abel farmed a short time and taught in
various 'subscription schools' in Winn Parish during his early manhood, and on
May 29, 1900 was elected Clerk of the District Court in Winn Parish.

"He was elected for five terms as Clerk of Court, and at the end of this 20
year period, did not seek re-election.  However, he stayed in the Court House 
until his retirement just a year ago, operating an abstract office, and
serving through the years in various capacities, including Deputy Clerk of
Court, Deputy Registrar of Voters, and Secretary of the Police Jury.

"In 1921, Mr. Abel was Winn Parish's delegate to the Louisiana Constitutional
Convention, which drafted the present State Constitution.


"'I introduced the bill to exempt farm implements from taxation," he said,
"and I attended every session of the Convention.'"

"Since his retirement last year, reading has occupied more of Mr. Abel's time.
Always an avid reader, he said, "I have reading certificates from the Library
for seven straight years, and I already have enough this year for another."

"Books on religious subjects interest him most.  Recent readings include "Paul
As A Leader", "The Timeless Gospel", and "Christ's Parables For Today."

"He also has a marker stuck in a Civil War novel, which he was reading, adding
with a smile, "Reading is like eating.  After a steady diet of pie and
cake, you want to change over to some cornbread and cabbage."

"'I don't read much for mental development," he says.  It is just for
enjoyment, amusement, and pastime.  If my eyes went out on me now, it would
knock pretty hard."

"To the people of Winnfield, Mr. Abel is the kind of man to be if they should
all live so long.  Tall and straight, alert of mind, and without a trace of
what we youngsters call the crabbiness of old age, Mr. Abel has inspired his
associates throughout his continuing lifetime of service to God and man.

"Thirty-one years ago, on the occasion of his 50th anniversary as a member of
the Winnfield Methodist Church, an old friend, Judge R. W. Oglesby, eulogized
Mr. Abel with the following allegory: "Two men were discussing men, when one
of them, being pessimistically inclined toward the male species, declared that
there was no such thing as a good man.  'What about Perry Abel?' said the
other.  'I was talking about ordinary men,' said the pessimist."

"The same old friend said on that occasion, 'He gets more kick out of going to
Annual Conference than a ten year old boy gets out of a circus.  When he gets
to Heaven, he'll be able to call more Methodist preachers by name than any
other layman in the Louisiana conference."

"Looking back at his life, and work with the church, Mr. Abel said, 'It
is the best thing I know to keep you in touch with current events and
in a right relationship with God."