Son of Marietta Bruner Abarr and Ardath Abarr. Upon high school graduation in Clearfield, IA in 1946, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, served as a Sergeant, and was awarded a World War II victory medal. In 1951, he graduated from Simpson College in Indianola, IA with a Business Degree. He married Margaret McAlpin Abarr on March 4, 1950 in Jackson, MO. They had three children: Dennis (Sheela, one son), Shelley Harkins (Tommy, two sons), and Peggy Oney (Tom, five daughters). He earned an accounting degree from Drake University and Executive MBA from University of Chicago. He worked for Frye Manufacturing Company in Des Moines, IA, and was senior VP and CFO for Massey Ferguson Inc. in Des Moines, IA. He was recruited in 1969 to Memphis, TN to work in land development for four years. When Tekton Corporation moved his family to the Chicago area in 1973, he continued in land development including Eagle Ridge in Galena, IL. Union Camp transferred him to Savannah, GA where he was appointed to President of Branigar Corporation. After his retirement, he continued his developing and consulting where he specialized in commercial property and consulting with new golf course communities through his own company, Abarr and Associates.
He married Lou Smith Abarr on July 7th, 1979. She brought to the family two children: Charles Jr (Keiko, five children) and Patty Aiken (three children). Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church in Savannah became his home church upon moving to Georgia. He served on the Boards of Salvation Army, YMCA, Boy Scouts of America, Magnolia Manor and was a member of Downtown Rotary in Savannah. He was Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Candler Hospital. He was an integral part of the merger of St. Joseph and Candler Health Systems, and the development of the Nancy N. and J.C. Lewis Cancer and Research Pavilion. In 2008, he received the Humanitarian Service Award from Simpson College, and in 2018, received the AlIumnus of the Year Award from the National Boy Scouts of America. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Richard, Robert and Jerry Abarr, sister, Joan Abarr Freemyer; great granddaughter, Rowan; and uncle, Leland Abarr. Surviving are his wife, Lou Abarr; sisters Phyllis Abarr Wood and Carol Lee Abarr Fisher; youngest brother Larry Abarr; five children, sixteen grandchildren, and twenty-one great grandchildren.
*Marriage date/location courtesy of FaG Contributor: J. Fogg Eaton, No. 50410307
He married Lou Smith Abarr on July 7th, 1979. She brought to the family two children: Charles Jr (Keiko, five children) and Patty Aiken (three children). Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church in Savannah became his home church upon moving to Georgia. He served on the Boards of Salvation Army, YMCA, Boy Scouts of America, Magnolia Manor and was a member of Downtown Rotary in Savannah. He was Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Candler Hospital. He was an integral part of the merger of St. Joseph and Candler Health Systems, and the development of the Nancy N. and J.C. Lewis Cancer and Research Pavilion. In 2008, he received the Humanitarian Service Award from Simpson College, and in 2018, received the AlIumnus of the Year Award from the National Boy Scouts of America. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Richard, Robert and Jerry Abarr, sister, Joan Abarr Freemyer; great granddaughter, Rowan; and uncle, Leland Abarr. Surviving are his wife, Lou Abarr; sisters Phyllis Abarr Wood and Carol Lee Abarr Fisher; youngest brother Larry Abarr; five children, sixteen grandchildren, and twenty-one great grandchildren.
*Marriage date/location courtesy of FaG Contributor: J. Fogg Eaton, No. 50410307
Son of Marietta Bruner Abarr and Ardath Abarr. Upon high school graduation in Clearfield, IA in 1946, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, served as a Sergeant, and was awarded a World War II victory medal. In 1951, he graduated from Simpson College in Indianola, IA with a Business Degree. He married Margaret McAlpin Abarr on March 4, 1950 in Jackson, MO. They had three children: Dennis (Sheela, one son), Shelley Harkins (Tommy, two sons), and Peggy Oney (Tom, five daughters). He earned an accounting degree from Drake University and Executive MBA from University of Chicago. He worked for Frye Manufacturing Company in Des Moines, IA, and was senior VP and CFO for Massey Ferguson Inc. in Des Moines, IA. He was recruited in 1969 to Memphis, TN to work in land development for four years. When Tekton Corporation moved his family to the Chicago area in 1973, he continued in land development including Eagle Ridge in Galena, IL. Union Camp transferred him to Savannah, GA where he was appointed to President of Branigar Corporation. After his retirement, he continued his developing and consulting where he specialized in commercial property and consulting with new golf course communities through his own company, Abarr and Associates.
He married Lou Smith Abarr on July 7th, 1979. She brought to the family two children: Charles Jr (Keiko, five children) and Patty Aiken (three children). Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church in Savannah became his home church upon moving to Georgia. He served on the Boards of Salvation Army, YMCA, Boy Scouts of America, Magnolia Manor and was a member of Downtown Rotary in Savannah. He was Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Candler Hospital. He was an integral part of the merger of St. Joseph and Candler Health Systems, and the development of the Nancy N. and J.C. Lewis Cancer and Research Pavilion. In 2008, he received the Humanitarian Service Award from Simpson College, and in 2018, received the AlIumnus of the Year Award from the National Boy Scouts of America. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Richard, Robert and Jerry Abarr, sister, Joan Abarr Freemyer; great granddaughter, Rowan; and uncle, Leland Abarr. Surviving are his wife, Lou Abarr; sisters Phyllis Abarr Wood and Carol Lee Abarr Fisher; youngest brother Larry Abarr; five children, sixteen grandchildren, and twenty-one great grandchildren.
*Marriage date/location courtesy of FaG Contributor: J. Fogg Eaton, No. 50410307
He married Lou Smith Abarr on July 7th, 1979. She brought to the family two children: Charles Jr (Keiko, five children) and Patty Aiken (three children). Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church in Savannah became his home church upon moving to Georgia. He served on the Boards of Salvation Army, YMCA, Boy Scouts of America, Magnolia Manor and was a member of Downtown Rotary in Savannah. He was Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Candler Hospital. He was an integral part of the merger of St. Joseph and Candler Health Systems, and the development of the Nancy N. and J.C. Lewis Cancer and Research Pavilion. In 2008, he received the Humanitarian Service Award from Simpson College, and in 2018, received the AlIumnus of the Year Award from the National Boy Scouts of America. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Richard, Robert and Jerry Abarr, sister, Joan Abarr Freemyer; great granddaughter, Rowan; and uncle, Leland Abarr. Surviving are his wife, Lou Abarr; sisters Phyllis Abarr Wood and Carol Lee Abarr Fisher; youngest brother Larry Abarr; five children, sixteen grandchildren, and twenty-one great grandchildren.
*Marriage date/location courtesy of FaG Contributor: J. Fogg Eaton, No. 50410307
Gravesite Details
Interment 28 October 2022
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
