Dale Travis Abeling

dale abeling

August 31, 1939 ~ September 16, 2024

Born in: Ilion, New York
Resided in: Fletcher, North Carolina

Dale Travis Abeling passed away peacefully on September 16, 2024, at home with his loving family by his side. He is survived by his wife Pam and his children, Christie Abeling, Lisa Abeling & Luke Abeling and his wife, Marybeth. He has 5 beautiful grandchildren: Adian and Koa Opper, Kasey Elizabeth and Jack Abeling and Phineas Price. Dale and Pam, in their 59 years of marriage, created a loving and supportive family who shared many adventures together.

Dale was born in 1939 and raised in Ilion, NY. He was one of seven children. He worked his way through his educational pursuits and earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from SUNY Cortland and a master’s degree in educational administration from Temple University. His teaching career began in Patchogue, NY where he met his wife Pam. He went on to become the Director of Physical Education and Athletics at 2 private military high schools. He continued his teaching and coaching careers at the Nanuet Public schools for the next 26 years. He coached varsity football for over 11 years and brought Nanuet their first winning season in 1972. He coached girls’ basketball and had the joy of coaching the first girl to score over 1000 points in Rockland County. Also, he coached girls’ volleyball for 4 years.

Dale’s passion for lacrosse started after he played at SUNY Cortland. He launched Nanuet’s inaugural lacrosse at the high school level. He passionately coached for the next 14 years with many winning seasons to his credit. To help spread the love and knowledge for the game, he created a pee wee league called “Shoot the Rock”. He went on to coach at Clarkstown South HS, Don Bosco Prep and Ridgewood HS. At the college level he coached at Rockland Community College, Manhattanville and Dominican colleges. His love of lacrosse was passed down to his son, Luke, who began a girl’s program in Albuquerque, NM. His granddaughter, Kasey, played from the 4th grade (the Bears) through high school (the Scorpion’s). Kasey remains active as a referee, and Luke is continuing his volunteer endeavor as the head girl’s lacrosse coach. Dale retired from teaching in 1996 but continued coaching lacrosse. He was truly honored to be inducted into the Nanuet Hall of Fame in 2010 and was delighted when a lacrosse scholarship was set up in his name. His students and fellow teachers gave him this wonderful honor because of his love and caring as a coach, friend and mentor for so many in the community. He continued to hear from his former students over many years even after the move to North Carolina.

Dale suffered a major stroke in 2009 that affected his right side and caused severe aphasia that made speech extremely difficult and communication a challenge for the remainder of his life. After the stroke, he persevered through 17 weeks of rehabilitation therapies and many more months of in home and outpatient therapies. He also endured treatments for 3 different cancers and had vascular dementia during his last year of life. In 2012, after 40 years in their New City, NY family home, Dale and Pam moved to North Carolina to be closer to their family.

Throughout the years Dale and Pam found support and connections from many communities. Dale attended the Adler Aphasia program in NJ. After the move to North Carolina he joined Hinds’ Feet Farm, a program for traumatic brain injury survivors (TBI) in south Asheville. He was also a member of the Asheville Aphasia program for 5 years where he appeared in two variety shows and participated for many years in his beloved Mountain Care Day program.

Before his stroke, Dale loved to sing. He was a member of the Rockland County Barbershop chorus and could often be found singing with a toddler on his knee. He was also an active member of the Rockland County Adoptive family group called OURS. Dale and Pam were long time members of St. John’s Episcopal church in New City and were welcomed into the Calvary Episcopal church family after their move to North Carolina. Dale was an ardent reader and after the stroke he continued enjoying stories by listening to audio books. Watching broadcasts of football, lacrosse games and March madness were some of his favorite pastimes. He was an avid and fanatical golfer, a skill and love sadly lost after the stroke. Dale was known to be a great dancer. His specialty was the “candle dance’ on NewYear’s eve gatherings. As a couple Pam and Dale enjoyed socializing with many co-workers, church members and loved traveling with close friends. As a father and grandfather, he was entertained at tea parties, theater, dance and music productions involving his children and grandchildren. Through all the years following the stroke, Dale continued to show resilience, strength and a zest for life. He touched many lives in his 85 years and will be dearly missed.

Donations in his name can be made to Mountain Care Adult Day program at 5 Oak Street, Asheville, NC. or to Calvary Church food pantry at P.O. Box 187, Fletcher, NC 28732.

A memorial service to honor Dale will be held at Calvary Church in Fletcher on Sunday, November 10th,2024 at 2:30 PM. A link will be scheduled for people out of town. Please come celebrate with us.

Services

Memorial Service: November 10, 2024 2:30 pm

Room: Sanctuary

Calvary Episcopal Church
Hendersonville Road
Fletcher, NC 28732


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