Weldon Long Abels

Weldon Long Abels, of Columbus, passed away at home surrounded by his loving family on June 1, 2024. Weldon was born in Oak Park, Illinois, on May 30, 1932. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jonathan and Mae Abels and his brother, Graydon. He graduated from Oak Park-River Forest High School where he pursued interests that would last his whole life – math, science, history, literature, swimming, scouting (Boy Scouts and Sea Scouts) and the Lincoln Debate Society where current issues were discussed. He moved with his parents immediately after graduation to Ashland, Ohio, and the following year he entered The Ohio State University (OSU). However, his education was interrupted when he was drafted to serve in the Army in 1954. He served for two years with the Signal Corps and especially enjoyed the second year he spent in Germany where he obtained the rank of Staff Seargent. After his military service, he returned to OSU and completed his degree in Mechanical Engineering. He worked for Ranco the next 30 years in and around Columbus. Occasionally, he travelled for work to Germany, the U.K. and Mexico and even taught statistical process control for a summer in Changzhou, China. After retiring from Ranco, he joined the faculty at Columbus State Community College and taught pre-engineering for 12 years.

His life was centered on his family. He married Carolyn Hill in the fall of 1959, and they had 64 wonderful years together. He took special joy in being with his two sons, Jonathan (Kim) of Durham, North Carolina, and Steven (Samantha) of Tokyo, Japan. His five grandchildren were an important part of his life, and he enjoyed the many summers and holidays they had together: Lily Mae, Madison, Wisconsin; Grace, Washington D.C.; Nathan, Ezra, and Eleanor of Tokyo, Japan. He always took an interest in their lives and participated in their activities, whether it was pottery, bird watching, gardening, working on a project, or discussing the latest books they were reading. Weldon was a beloved uncle and brother-in-law to many. Weldon and Carolyn also welcomed many students into their home including exchange students who stayed for a year as well as others for shorter periods of time from Sweden, Brazil, Germany, Wales, Japan, and Korea. Weldon loved his expanded family.

He loved to sing and could break into song with the smallest prompting from a line of a musical, a folk song, or a hymn. Over the years, he sang in numerous choirs, including at Northwest Christian Church, Columbus State, and the Clintonville Chorus. His interest in music and choral singing led him to the Welsh Society of Central Ohio (WSCO) where he enthusiastically participated in the annual Gymanfa Ganu hymn singing, folk dancing, and learning more about his Welsh heritage, even taking a turn serving as president of WSCO.

His love of music was matched by his love of math. He happily immersed himself in books about algebra, trig, and geometry or about historical moments when math was used to make advances that changed the world. His life-long love of reading led to many visits to the public library. He always found another book to reserve or to recommend to a friend.

He had an abiding interest in bicycling, riding TOSRV for a dozen years with his sons, family and friends. He loved boats—especially sailboats—and enjoyed captaining his own as well as volunteering to work on the Santa Maria project in Columbus. He was also an enthusiastic camper leading many Boy Scout trips and vacations with his family. 

His faith was central to who he was, to how he lived his life, and to how he treated others. He was an active member in the life of his church at Indian Springs and later at Northwest Christian Church serving as an elder and a teacher. He had a special concern for those in need, and for many years he volunteered at the NNEMAP food pantry, Habitat for Humanity, and the Library Homework Help Center. He was awarded a Living Faith Award in 2017 for his many acts of service in the community.

He and Carolyn took many trips abroad to see friends and family and to explore new places. This included volunteering six weeks each year to teach English at a university in Chongli, Taiwan, which they did for four years. 

His life was rich with experiences, travel, and a curiosity about the world. He was kind, patient, and generous with all. His love for his family and friends was always evident and continues to enfold us. 

A Memorial Service will be held at the Northwest Christian Church, 1340 Fishinger Road, Columbus, OH 43221, on Saturday, August 10, where family will greet friends from 10:00 to 12:00, followed by a service at noon.