William Wesley Abel

WILLIAM WESLEY ABEL

William Wesley Abel, 86, of Beaumont died Thursday, May 27,2004 at Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital, Beaumont. A native of Port Arthur, and long-time area resident, Mr. Abel was a Musician and an Appraiser for the city of Houston. He was a United States Navy World War II veteran, and as a member of the U. S. Navy Band he participated in the funeral procession of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Abel was a professional trombone player in Port Arthur, Houston, and New York City, playing for the likes of Harry James, Glenn Miller, and Les Brown at the Shamrock Hotel and Cork Club in Houston.

Cremation arrangements under the direction of Broussard’s, 1605 N. Major Drive, Beaumont. A gathering of family and friends will be from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. Sunday afternoon, May 30, 2004 at the mortuary.

Survivors include his wife, Martha Ann Abel of Beaumont; daughter, Eugenia Daniel of Beaumont; son, Keith Wesley Abel and his wife Kathleen of Bridge City; step daughter, Lucy Ann Kitchen and her husband Dick of Dowingtown, Pennsylvania; eight grandchildren; eight great grandchildren; brother, Jack Abel of Winston Salem, North Carolina; and sister, Mary Virginia Aycock of Lake Jackson.