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He was born Oct. 30, 1957, in Brighton, Mass. While in college at the University of New Hampshire, he completed four years of ROTC. In 1976, he luckily met the love of his life, Pam at UNH. He graduated with the rank of second lieutenant in 1979 and was posted to the Demilitarized Zone in Korea for a year. While stationed in Korea, he and his wife met up in Hawaii, where they eloped in a mountaintop church overlooking the Pacific. He attained the rank of captain, was an Army Ranger and was in the 101st Infantry in the United States Army for six years with a passion for flying Chinook helicopters, which took him around the world.
He moved to Stamford in 1985 at the request of his late father-in-law, Jim Riley, to be part of his car business. He took early discharge and joined Riley and his two brothers-in-law in the business. He worked in the family business for over 29 years. The most important thing in his life was his family. He never missed his daughters’ soccer or softball games. He enjoyed traveling to warm places with his family, especially to Florida and Bermuda. He loved palm trees, telling jokes and providing generous advice.
He was predeceased by his father, Lawrence M. Abear.
Abear leaves behind his wife and best friend, Pamela Riley Abear, of over 35 years; his daughters, Brittany Abear; Lauren (Chris) Palkimas; Leigh Abear; one niece; his mother-in-law, Pamela Riley; four grandchildren; his mother, Anne E. Abear, of Salem, N.H.; three sisters, Cathy Grappone of Concord, N.H.; Beth Hamel of Loudon, N.H.; and Pam Slingsby of Nottingham, N.H.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, Feb. 28, from 1-4 p.m. at Shippan's Thomas M. Gallagher Funeral Home (next to the Knights of Columbus) at 453 Shippan Ave., Stamford.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee here.
To send condolences to the family, visit the Thomas M. Gallagher funeral home here.
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