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<em>JAY ALAN ABERCROMBIE </em>was born 9 October 1911 in Maysville, Arkansas, the eldes of ten children of Earl and Golden (Moore) Abercrombie, both teachers who taught in one-room schoolhouses. When Jay was five, the family moved to Craig, Colorado, homesteading inhospitable land before moving to Denver in 1920. Jay’s father found a more lucrative job as a carman for the Union Pacific Railroad. Earl loved playing and directing instrumental music with his “clan,” and Jay became a lifelong instrument collector and amateur musician.</p>
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Jay graduated from West Denver High School. With the financial help of his Aunt Floy and Uncle Dwight, he received his bachelor of science degree in Botany from Colorado Agricultural College in 1933. He was appointed to West Point from the National Guard by Edwin C. Johnson, Governor of Colorado. Jay continued his interest in reading and writing by reviewing books for “<em>The Pointer</em>”. He ranked 36th of 299 cadets in the Class of 1937, commissioned as an engineer. As the <em>Howitze</em>r states:“one of the most consistent readers in captivity, his ability to read and remember is phenomenal...careful in making decisions, having the strength of his convictions, thoughtful in his considerations for others, the result has been a man who is thoroughly respected and liked by all of us.”</p>
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At the Unitarian Church in Walpole, New Hampshire, the day after graduation he married Eleanor Eastman, who was working on her master’s degree in social work. Their three daughters, Alison, Amy and Alexa, were all born at Walter Reed Army Hospital, Washington, DC, as was a son, Peter, who was stillborn.</p>
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In 1940 Jay obtained his master of science degree in Civil Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. He then was assigned to the engineer training center at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. During World War II he served as executive officer and later as regimental commander with the 352nd Engineer Regiment, which was activated and trained at Camp Gordon, Georgia and then deployed to the Persian Gulf Theatre. Known affectionately as Colonel “Jay,” he was a warm, caring, gentle man and an astute leader who exerted a very strong impact on fellow officers’ military careers. In later years he would write that he had the “privilege of commanding a Black regiment during the war.” In 1944-45 Jay received the Commendation Ribbon for his work as executive officer in the Office of Chief of Engineers, Washington, DC.</p>
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During Jay’s 22 years of service, he and his family moved 13 times. He referred to his career “high points” as engineer depot commanding officer in Yokohama, Japan—1946-48 and in Toul, France—1954, and commanding officer of the Engineer Procurement Center in Frankfort, Germany—1955-56. Also, he had been inspector general in the Office of Chief Engineers at Fort Belvoir, Virginiafrom 1952-54. After running the Engineer Military Supply Procurement Office in Chicago, Jay retired from the service as a colonel in 1959. He taught Physics at Lake Forest Academy in Lake Forest, Illinois for 14 years, was head of the science department for 12 years, earned a master’s degree in Physics from Marquette University, Wisconsin, 1969, and then retired from teaching in 1973.</p>
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In 1968, after his marriage of 31 years dissolved, Jay married his second wife, Melanie Johnson, a music/special education teacher, in her hometown of Batavia, Illinois. Their daughter, Jennifer Anne, was born in 1970 at Great Lakes Naval Hospital, Great Lakes, Illinois. As Jay wrote in the 50th yearbook, they moved to Batavia in order that “Jennifer gain experience among an extended family, something my first three daughters missed.” With the help of his wife’s family, he remodeled an old house, adding a second-story and building a garage.</p>
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Jay, a violist, and Melanie, a violinist, both played in the Lake Forest and Fox Valley symphonies for over 15 years. Jen, a cellist, remembers well her unique experience of playing in “our own family trio.” Jay was an active member of the North Shore Unitarian Church and later the Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva as their choir director, recorder ensemble player, Church board member, Sunday School teacher, and holiday pageant director. He also enjoyed the distinction of being co-leader of a Girl Scout troop with his wife for 6 years.</p>
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For the last 18 years of his life, his gentle ways and strong sense of humor helped him cope with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He learned to pace himself so he could participate in his broad concerns. Jay was a small, quiet-spoken, intense, committed man who lived each day with a fervor, a prophetic zeal. Most people in the Fox Valley, Illinois area will remember Jay for his passionate social consciousness as evidenced by his many letters permeated with his humor and wry wit to the newspaper editors. His efforts to make this world a better, more peaceful, more environmentally safe place combined with his brilliant mind, his voracious reading, and his integrity gained him recognition as a fighter for justice and moral values. He served in numerous offices and was a forceful member of the Fox Valley Peace Initiative from 1988-1992. After his final hospitalization in April 1992, Jay chose to die at home enabled and supported by Fox Valley Hospice, a home health nurse and aide, his loving wife of 24 years, and family and friends. He died peacefully 10 January 1993.</p>
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A memorial service of music, readings, and remembrances to celebrate his life was held at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva, 17 January 1993. His ashes were interred on 18 June 1993 at River Hills Memorial Park Cemetery in Batavia, Illinois. Part of a poem written for his 75th birthday summarizes Jay’s final years:</p>
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<em>He has dared to live life fully</em></p>
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<em>at a time when others retire from the struggle.</em></p>
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<em>He is the romantic, the idealist,</em></p>
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<em>the Don Quixote fighting for the causes</em></p>
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<em>most of us just wish would disappear.</em></p>
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<em>—Melanie S. Abercrombie with Amy and Jennifer Anne Abercrombie and Marie Axel.</em></p>