Donn Russell Abbott

Donn Russell Abbott, 72, a Mariners Harbor resident and former president of an exporting company, died yesterday of complications from diabetes at St. Vincent's Medical Center in West Brighton. An ambitious and independent youth, Mr. Abbott left his childhood home in Laconia, New Hampshire at the age of seventeen and came to live with an aunt in St. George. After graduating from Curtis High School in 1948, he landed a job as messenger for the only firm he'd ever work for -- the W.P. Neth Co., a Manhattan-based exporting business that later merged with Trans World Inc. Mr. Abbott worked his way up, eventually becoming the company's president and owner. He retired in 1998. From 1950 to 1952, he took a hiatus from work to serve as a corporal in the U.S. Army, stationed in Germany. Upon his discharge, Mr. Abbott returned to Staten Island, living in South Beach and then in Mariners Harbor for the past three decades. Mr. Abbott was particularly close to his many nieces and nephews. His sister, Ruth Bryenton, who lives in Laconia, said he would always visit on the holidays. "My kids used to think he was Santa Claus. When they woke up, the milk and cookies they'd left out for Santa would be gone and Russell would be there," Mrs. Bryenton said, adding that he enjoyed visiting New Hampshire but never wanted to move back. "He loved New York. He loved Staten Island," she said. While he never graduated from college, Mr. Abbott completed three years of course work at City College in Manhattan. In his free time, Mr. Abbott enjoyed listening to classical music. He was also an animal lover and cat owner, always willing to care for friends' pets. In addition to Mrs. Bryenton, Mr. Abbott is survived by another sister, Geraldine Linteau. A funeral is scheduled for Friday at the Wilkinson Bean Funeral Home in Laconia. The time has not yet been set. Burial will be in the Union Cemetery, also in Laconia. Published in the Staten Island Advance on March 11, 2001.