Donald Abel

Donald Wayne Abel, age 77, passed away on Tuesday, August 16, 2022.

A Memorial Gathering with the family will be held at 5:30 - 7:30 PM on Friday, August 26, 2022, at Brenham Memorial Chapel. Memorial Services will be held at Welcome Lutheran Church at 11:00 AM on Saturday, August 27, 2022 and will be led by Pastor John Sutton Jr. Don will be cremated which is in accordance with his wishes.

Donald Wayne Abel was born on June 17, 1945 in Bellville, Texas to parents Andrew and Birdie (Mettke) Abel. Don was raised in Bellville and graduated from Bellville High School.

Don was a hard worker all his life and loved his family. In 1963, he started part-time work at Fisher's Grocery in Bellville and joined Mrs. Baird's Baking Co. as a route salesman in 1966. He then opened Donald Abel Grocery & Market in Bellville. He also worked in oil and gas for Cardinal Well Services for many years. In 1997, he started an air conditioning business, Abel Air, where he worked his remaining years. He enjoyed working in the air conditioning business and was often seen "running the roads," as he called it, in his work truck to get to the next job. He enjoyed it when his son, Scott, worked alongside him.

Don enjoyed visiting with friends, and he could be found at the Welcome Store or the Bleiblerville Store telling stories and joking. He liked polka music and loved listening to polka on the radio on Saturday mornings. He loved tractors and worked hard on restoring his father's 1954 Model 40-T John Deere farm tractor. After he restored it, it looked brand new and his whole family, including his mother Birdie, enjoyed looking at it and watching him drive it. He loved giving his grandchildren rides on that old tractor. He was a doting grandfather and loved his time with his grandchildren. His family will miss him greatly.

Don is survived by his loving children, Scott Abel and wife Melinda of Cy Fair and Allison Abel of Brenham; grandchildren, Donovan Abel, Jake Righetti, Scottie Abel, Nicole Abel, Amanda Lemus, Kelsey McKenna, and Kaylor Steele; sister, Gloria Havemann; sister in law, Sheila Abel; nieces and nephews, Mark and Lynn Boeker, Audra and Ted Kemper, Charles and Barbara Havemann, Tracy Semmler, Grady and Amy Wilhite, Adam Abel and Chuck Counard. He is also survived by Rena Abel, with whom he remained close, and daughter Shannon Steele in addition to many great-nieces and nephews and friends. He is also survived by his beloved Schnauzer, "Lil Girl".

He is preceded in death by his parents, Andrew and Birdie Abel, his brother, Robert Abel, his sister, Shery Abel, his sister-in-law, Pat Abel, and his brother-in-law, Arnold Havemann.

If you would like to make a donation in Don's memory, please do so for the Welcome Lutheran Church general fund or for a charity which is important to you.