Fairview Baptist Church seniors celebrated grandparents month during their monthly luncheon on Friday, Sept. 11.
There were 30 members and three visitors in attendance. After the welcome and announcements there was a scavenger hunt with a “grandparent” theme. The tables were decorated with antiques and memorabilia the seniors readily recognized as being used in their era.
Our September Senior of the Month is Jesse Abel, who was born Feb. 17, 1931, in Seminole County — five miles from his present residence.
Although it seems Abel may not have wandered far from his birthplace, quite the opposite is true.
Abel’s parents were Jess and Della Abel and he had two brothers and two sisters. Only one brother is still living and lives in Shawnee. His parents were early-day Fairview church members. Abel was married to Leta Estep on March 1, 1952, in Fairview’s parsonage by Pastor Jim Crow. On March 1 there was a “pouring rain,” and some said their marriage would not survive because of their ages. Abel was 21 and Leta was 17. It did last, though. The couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2002 with a reception at Fairview Baptist Church surrounded by family, friends and fellow church members. In the fall of that year they took a trip to Arkansas and Missouri, looking for fall colors.
After three months of marriage, Abel was drafted by the Army and shipped out. He served one-and-a-half years in Seoul, Korea. Their first child was born while he was in the military. Abel came home in May 1954.
After the military, Abel attended Stillwater College in 1957 and graduated in 1959 with a degree in Electrical Technology. Jesse and his wife moved to Odessa, Texas, for 18 and Big Springs, Texas, for 15 years, then back to Odessa for an additional eight years. After retirement, they moved back to Shawnee in 2000 and joined Fairview Baptist Church on April 22, 2001. Abel is an active deacon at Fairview.
Besides the son born during Abel’s military years, the couple had two additional boys and one girl. One of the boys lives in Arlington, Texas, one in Austin and the other son and daughter reside in the Houston area. They have 12 grand-children, 12 great-grandchildren and lost one granddaughter along the way.
The Abels helped build two missions while in Texas and Jesse became an active deacon in November 1965 at Westwood Baptist Church, Odessa. Jesse has been very active in church work in the past and the present. Jesse’s philosophy of a Christian life is, “It’s not about me. I came to the realization that it’s not me but about others...to have the Lord in my life and to realize that everything is ‘His’. Money isn’t everything; it’s nice to be comfortable if you realize where it came from and how to use it. It makes me happy to help others.”
Some of Abel’s all-time favorite things to do is to camp and fish and one of his most memorable moments was when he came home from Korea and saw his first-born for the first time.
Abel relates how the Bible character of Paul is one of his favorites.
“Paul is most impressive and I believe that he had the most influence in the Christian church,” he said.
Abel had some small jobs around the Shawnee area before his military life and drove a truck for O.G. Harp before he started college. After college and receiving his degree he worked for Texas Electric Service Company for 34 years before retiring in 1992.
The Oct. 2 luncheon theme will be “Happy Birthday” and will feature four members who are 90 this year.
For more information about Golden Hearts Senior Group or Fairview Baptist Church you may call 273-1979 or the church office at 273-8790.
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Fairview Baptist Church seniors celebrated grandparents month during their monthly luncheon on Friday, Sept. 11.
There were 30 members and three visitors in attendance. After the welcome and announcements there was a scavenger hunt with a “grandparent” theme. The tables were decorated with antiques and memorabilia the seniors readily recognized as being used in their era.
Our September Senior of the Month is Jesse Abel, who was born Feb. 17, 1931, in Seminole County — five miles from his present residence.
Although it seems Abel may not have wandered far from his birthplace, quite the opposite is true.
Abel’s parents were Jess and Della Abel and he had two brothers and two sisters. Only one brother is still living and lives in Shawnee. His parents were early-day Fairview church members. Abel was married to Leta Estep on March 1, 1952, in Fairview’s parsonage by Pastor Jim Crow. On March 1 there was a “pouring rain,” and some said their marriage would not survive because of their ages. Abel was 21 and Leta was 17. It did last, though. The couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2002 with a reception at Fairview Baptist Church surrounded by family, friends and fellow church members. In the fall of that year they took a trip to Arkansas and Missouri, looking for fall colors.
After three months of marriage, Abel was drafted by the Army and shipped out. He served one-and-a-half years in Seoul, Korea. Their first child was born while he was in the military. Abel came home in May 1954.
After the military, Abel attended Stillwater College in 1957 and graduated in 1959 with a degree in Electrical Technology. Jesse and his wife moved to Odessa, Texas, for 18 and Big Springs, Texas, for 15 years, then back to Odessa for an additional eight years. After retirement, they moved back to Shawnee in 2000 and joined Fairview Baptist Church on April 22, 2001. Abel is an active deacon at Fairview.
Besides the son born during Abel’s military years, the couple had two additional boys and one girl. One of the boys lives in Arlington, Texas, one in Austin and the other son and daughter reside in the Houston area. They have 12 grand-children, 12 great-grandchildren and lost one granddaughter along the way.
The Abels helped build two missions while in Texas and Jesse became an active deacon in November 1965 at Westwood Baptist Church, Odessa. Jesse has been very active in church work in the past and the present. Jesse’s philosophy of a Christian life is, “It’s not about me. I came to the realization that it’s not me but about others...to have the Lord in my life and to realize that everything is ‘His’. Money isn’t everything; it’s nice to be comfortable if you realize where it came from and how to use it. It makes me happy to help others.”
Some of Abel’s all-time favorite things to do is to camp and fish and one of his most memorable moments was when he came home from Korea and saw his first-born for the first time.
Abel relates how the Bible character of Paul is one of his favorites.
“Paul is most impressive and I believe that he had the most influence in the Christian church,” he said.
Abel had some small jobs around the Shawnee area before his military life and drove a truck for O.G. Harp before he started college. After college and receiving his degree he worked for Texas Electric Service Company for 34 years before retiring in 1992.
The Oct. 2 luncheon theme will be “Happy Birthday” and will feature four members who are 90 this year.
For more information about Golden Hearts Senior Group or Fairview Baptist Church you may call 273-1979 or the church office at 273-8790.
