Sabin ‘Sabe’ Clark Abell Jr., 83, of Oak Harbor,Vero Beach, passed away unexpectedly while driving on June 1, 2016.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 50 years, Karen Vail Hurley Abell; daughter Kym Hurley; sons Matt and John Abell; bother-in law, (pun intended) Burr Vail; sister-in-law, Linda Vail; grandchildren Blake and Zora Hurley; niece Adrienne Vail; and nephew Robb Abell.
He was predeceased by children Cheryl, Suzanne, and Michael Abell; and sister Martha Rudd.
A 5th generation Vermonter, he was born Sept. 28, 1932 in Burlington, Vt., to the late Sabin Clark Abell and Irene Bates Abell.
Abell was a graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy and Dartmouth College Class of 1954, and was a member of their lacrosse and ski teams at the time when Dartmouth dominated the ski scene nationally. He relished his memories of ski racing, and especially skiing the legendary Tuckerman’s Ravine alongside teammates who were on the United States Olympic team.
After graduation he joined the family business, Wood’s Sporting Goods Store in Burlington, Vt. There he introduced head skis to the area, and began his long and varied career in the ski and sporting goods industry, his abiding passion.
As a manufacturer’s representative, Abell introduced several ski and sporting goods products to the United States, setting up national sales and marketing agents. He then worked in the sporting goods trade show exhibit business. Throughout his career, he traveled extensively throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe, making many life-long friends in the industry.
In 1999, he and his wife Karen moved from Shelburne, Vt., to Vero Beach where at age 71 he started a new career as an elected Vero Beach City Councilman, acting as a Vice Mayor and Mayor during his seven year tenure. At a time of need for important decisions on the direction of growth, he brought insight, judgment and an ability to bring people together for the long-term benefit of Vero Beach. His mission was to preserve the quality of life that was so central to his beloved city.
In Vero, he was a member of the Moorings Club, Indian River Land Trust, McKee Garden, Vero Beach Museum of Art, and Riverside Theater. As president of the Dartmouth Alumni Club of Vero Beach, he thoroughly enjoyed interviewing prospective Dartmouth applicants. He was a founding member of the Indian River Neighborhood Association, and an enthusiastic volunteer for McKee and Indian River Land Trust. In Vermont, he was a past member of the Mallets Bay Boat Club, Burlington Country Club, and Ethan Allen Club.
An honorable gentleman, he will be remembered for his loyalty to his many friends, his fine character, intelligence, judgment, sense of humor, and his passion for athletics, particularly skiing, golf, and sailing. He spent many years sailing and racing on Lake Champlain on his Luders 33 “Saucy Fox”, and off-shore as crew in several Newport to Bermuda and Sorc Races.
A memorial service will be held in Vermont in July. A second memorial service is planned for Vero Beach in October.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Dartmouth Club Ski Team, Robinson Hall, 6 North Main Street, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755 or Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum, P.O. Box 1511, Stowe, Vermont 05672 or Phillips Exeter Academy, 20 Main Street, Exeter, New Hampshire 03833.
Arrangements are under the direction of Thomas S. Lowther Funeral Home & Crematory. An online guestbook is available at www.lowtherfuneralhome.com.
