Obituary of P. H. Bud Abbott

P.H. "BUD" ABBOTT January 26th, 1921 to January 30th, 2019 Bud passed away peacefully on January 30th, 2019, at the age of 98, surrounded by his family. He will be lovingly remembered as Cranbrook's most beloved citizen. Bud was a fixture in the Cranbrook theatre scene for decades, an active Rotarian, a member of numerous choirs, a volunteer extraordinaire a great friend and a wonderful father and grandfather. Bud was predeceased by his wife, Linda, and all of his siblings. He is survived by his children Louise, Christopher, Becky (Bret) and Greg; his grandchildren Steven, Philip, William and Joseph; his great grandchildren Antonia and Riley and numerous nieces and nephews around the world. During WW2, Bud was a British fighter pilot with the RAF and shared his 'war stories' with a typically Bud-like mixture of humor and reverence. He and his family moved from England to Canada in 1957 and made a home in Cranbrook in 1960. He was often quoted as saying, "I've been here for over 50 years and am seriously considering staying!" Bud made his living in general insurance. He loved Cranbrook's rugged beauty, and in his earlier years could be seen doing things like swimming across Jim Smith Lake towing a dinghy full of squealing children. In winter months he loved shoveling snow at his house on the hill and cross country skiing in the woods nearby. Bud's real passion was performing. He sang in Barbershop quartets, community choirs, and for the past two and a half decades his group Bud & Frenz sang in seniors' care homes and the Legion two to three times a week. He seldom missed an opportunity to sing anywhere. He caught the acting bug during the war at the age of 22 when his commanding officer asked him to fill the role of Cinderella's ugly sister in a pantomime. Since that time he has acted in over 60 plays - the majority of them here in Cranbrook. Bud was very proud to be a local Rotarian. He joined Rotary in the mid 1960's, volunteered for many Rotary projects, and led the singing of our National Anthem each week until mid-January of this year. Bud Abbott was deeply dedicated to this community and the people who live here. He showed that through his long term commitment to many not-for-profit groups such as Canadian Mental Health, Meals on Wheels, Heart and Stroke, and Cranbrook Community Theatre. Bud's family thank all of you for your support and for the love you showed him over many years. We are most grateful to his extended family "Bud and Frenz" - Joel, Carol, Caroline, and Elsie. A Celebration of Bud's life will be held 2:00 pm on Saturday, February 2nd, 2019 at the Heritage Inn, followed by a gathering at the Legion. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Cranbrook Community Theatre or Cranbrook Hospice. Arrangements entrusted to McPherson Funeral Service. Condolences for the family can be offered at: www.mcphersonfh.com