Sept. 24, 1915 – Feb. 13, 2013
John Albert Lawrence Abenroth, 97, of Sweet Home died Feb. 13, 2013.
He was born Sept. 24, 1915 in a homestead shack near Plentywood, Mont., the fourth of eight children born to George and Hilda (Greco) Abenroth.
He was raised and worked on the family farm, and attended school through the eighth grade. In his early 20s he became a minister of the gospel, working in many places throughout Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and North Dakota, often in rural communities.
After 15 years he left the ministry temporarily to help move his ailing parents to Arizona and help them get settled there. While in the Phoenix area, he was employed short-term at a construction site and was involved in a near-fatal accident when a steel beam fell and partly landed on his head. He was taken for dead at first but survived it to spend several weeks in the hospital, and many more weeks of recuperation. He had to relearn some aspects of talking, had memory troubles, and also difficulties even riding in a vehicle. He realized he would not be able to return to the ministry.
In June 1959 he married Nita May Cairnes and they moved to Fallbrook, Calif., where they managed a mobile home park and citrus and avocado orchards. Both of their daughters, Arlene and Lois, were born there. In 1964 the family relocated near Crawfordsville, and in 1966 they purchased a farm in the Holley area, on Crescent Hill road. During these years Mr. Abenroth was mostly self-employed, working the small hillside farm and raising cattle, and the family income was supplemented with some work at the local mill, driving school bus, custom haying and combining, etc.
Mrs. Abenroth died in 1995. In 2006 he moved to Willamette Manor, where he lived until he was hospitalized earlier this year.
He is remembered as a gentle, God-fearing man of faith, who loved his family dearly and was kindhearted and generous to others. He was a man of convictions, who lived by his convictions.
Mr. Abenroth is survived by his two daughters, Arlene (Miles) Henke of Ethridge, Mont. and Lois Pierce of Lebanon, and former son-in-law, Raymond Pierce, of Albany; four grandchildren; five siblings and several nieces and nephews and other family members, as well as a host of friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Carl; a sister, Mary; and his wife Nita.
Services were held Feb. 16 at Sweet Home Funeral Chapel, with final burial at Gilliland Cemetery.
Sweet Home Funeral Chapel is handling the arrangements.