Honor Dr. John Abbuhl

Senate Resolution No. 3509 BY: Senator BRESLIN MOURNING the death of Dr. John W. Abbuhl, renowned pediatrician, distinguished citizen and devoted member of his community WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to pay tribute to citizens of the State of New York whose lifework and civic endeavor served to enhance the quality of life in their communities and the great State of New York; and WHEREAS, Dr. John W. Abbuhl of Slingerlands, New York, died on Saturday, January 6, 2018, at the age of 91; and WHEREAS, Born on June 27, 1926, to the late Frederick and Gladys Willmott Abbuhl in Troy, New York, John W. Abbuhl graduated from The Albany Academy in 1943; as part of the wartime Navy V-12 program, he went on to graduate from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Harvard University; and WHEREAS, While attending Albany Medical College, John W. Abbuhl met his first wife, Audrey, and the couple was married the day of his graduation in June of 1949; and WHEREAS, John W. Abbuhl proudly served his country as a United States Navy flight surgeon during the Korean War, during which time he was briefly stationed in California and Japan; and WHEREAS, Upon returning home, John W. Abbuhl completed his pediatric residency at Albany Medical College in 1956, and immediately began his illustrious career in pediatrics which spanned more than 50 years; and WHEREAS, A founding partner of Schoolhouse Road Pediatrics, Dr. John W. Abbuhl cared for and touched the lives of countless families in the Capital District; he fondly recalled medicine prior to today's reliance on technology, and coming of age in this era earned him a reputation as a master diagnostician; and WHEREAS, Dr. John W. Abbuhl retired from practice at Schoolhouse Road Pediatrics in 2005, but continued to serve at the Parson's Child and Family Center, now Northern Rivers Family Services, well into his eighties; and WHEREAS, In addition to his remarkable medical career, Dr. John W. Abbuhl was the visionary behind the Pine Hollow Arboretum and the Cornwallville Conservation Corporation; and WHEREAS, Dr. John W. Abbuhl's love for old fashioned long bow hunting led him to form a group of like-minded individuals with a goal of acquiring and preserving land in the Northern Catskill Mountains in the late 1960s; today, the Cornwallville Conservation Corporation has successfully preserved over 1,000 acres of land in perpetuity; and WHEREAS, In keeping with his love of and respect for the natural world, Dr. John W. Abbuhl's passion for horticulture blossomed when he and his young family moved to Pine Hollow Road in Slingerlands in 1966; and WHEREAS, It was there that he began to spend his free time assiduously collecting and planting tree and woody plant specimens from all over the world; this labor of love is now known as the Pine Hollow Arboretum, a public, member-supported, not-for-profit arboretum and nature center which includes over 3,300 specimens on 25 acres in the heart of Slingerlands, the vast majority of which were planted by John's own hands; and WHEREAS, With a steadfast and unwavering dedication to his community, Dr. John Abbuhl was a founding member and advisory board member of the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy which now preserves more than 5,000 acres of land in the region; in addition, he was a Trustee Emeritus of Historic Cherry Hill in Albany, and staunch supporter of the Fort Orange Wine Society; and WHEREAS, Dr. John W. Abbuhl was blessed to enjoy remarkably vigorous health, hiking, fishing, hunting and alpine skiing into his eighties, truly displaying a vivaciousness that characterized his life and spirit; and WHEREAS, Predeceased by his first wife, Audrey, and his brother, Willmott, Dr. John W. Abbuhl is survived by his wife of 28 years, Katharine; four children, Stephanie (Michael), John (Dawn), Susan (David) and Fred (Susan); and 10 grandchildren, Andrew, Peter, Benjamin, Bryant, Jake, Katharine, Emily, Madeline, Lauren and Justin; as well as four step-children and nine step-grandchildren; and WHEREAS, Armed with a humanistic spirit and imbued with a sense of compassion, Dr. John W. Abbuhl leaves behind a legacy which will long endure the passage of time and will remain as a comforting memory to all he served and befriended; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to mourn the death of Dr. John W. Abbuhl, renowned pediatrician, distinguished citizen and devoted member of his community; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to the family of Dr. John W. Abbuhl.