Benjamin Lester Abberger

Published in the Orlando Sentinel August 2, 2012 ABBERGER, JR., BENJAMIN LESTER, M.D., died peacefully at home early Sunday morning, July 29, 2012, surrounded by his family. The son of Benjamin L. Abberger, Sr., and Elizabeth Branham Abberger, he was born in Orlando on Sept. 12, 1921. He graduated from Orlando High School and received a Bachelor of Science degree from Rollins College in 1943. He went on to earn his medical degree at the Tulane University of Louisiana School of Medicine in New Orleans, graduating in 1946. He completed his internship in pediatrics at Charity Hospital of Louisiana in New Orleans in 1947. He served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, was stationed in Germany following the Second World War, and earned the rank of Major. He was then stationed at Ft. Benning in Columbus, GA, where he met his wife, Nancy Hardy Abberger. He and Nancy were married June 21, 1950 in Augusta, GA and remained happily married for 61 years. Ben and Nancy returned to New Orleans, where he completed his pediatric residency at Charity Hospital. They then moved to Orlando in 1952 to start their family and establish his practice in pediatrics. Much beloved by his many patients and their families, he practiced pediatrics from his office in downtown Orlando for 40 years. He served as Assistant Medical Director for Children's Medical Services of Orlando and was an active member of the Florida Pediatric Society and the Florida Medical Association. Dr. Abberger was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Orlando for 78 years where he served as a deacon and elder of the church. He was a great lover of fine art, including music and antiques, and was for many years a patron of Opera Guild of Orlando (later the Orlando Opera Company) and the Florida Symphony. One of his great passions in life was collecting Chinese export porcelain, particularly blue canton and he assembled an exceptionally fine private collection, including pieces dating to the early 1700s. His collections were subsequently donated to several museums. He is survived by his three sons, B. Lester Abberger, III of Tallahassee (Wendy), John A. Abberger of Toronto (Gretchen), and William W. Abberger of Tallahassee (Mary Anne); as well as by four beloved grandchildren, Caroline, Mary Ellen, Beth, and Julia. He was preceded in death by his wife Nancy and their son E. Hardy Abberger. He is mourned also by compassionate caretakers and companions Mrs. Johnnie Mae Brown and Mrs. Ann Pearl Jones. The family respectfully requests that in lieu of flowers donations may be made to Doctors without Borders, P.O. Box 5023, Hagerstown, Maryland 21741-5023 and the American Ceramic Circle, P.O. Box 224, Williamsburg, Virginia 23187-0224.