Arlene M. Abbott

Arlene M. Abbott, 94, of East Moline, Illinois, died Wednesday, April 8, 2020.

Private services are 10 a.m. Wednesday at Trimble Funeral Home, Moline. The service will be streamed live at www.facebook.com/TrimbleFuneralHome. Burial will be in Hampton Township Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Alzheimer’s Association, 2208 E 52nd Street, Davenport, IA 52807.

Arlene May Pinkerton was born January 22, 1926, in East Moline, to William and Edith (Marx) Pinkerton. Her husband Charles (Chuck) O. Abbott died November 11, 2016. They were high school sweethearts. They met at a local community dance that, as was common in those days, was held at the East Moline State Mental Hospital. An interesting beginning to a loving relationship that lasted more than 70 years. He was stunningly handsome and she was the definition of beauty. They got engaged before Chuck enlisted in the Navy. Arlene waited for him to return and they married December 15, 1945. Together they raised five charming, handsome, and talented sons. Arlene helped Chuck run their carpentry business. She also worked outside the home at JC Penney, and in her younger years as a roller skate wearing telephone operator. She was a member of Watertown Baptist Church, now Wildwood Church, East Moline, where she enjoyed participating in Ladies Aid and anything having to do with food and potluck meals.

Arlene loved to travel. Well, she didn’t like preparing to travel or the actual travel part, but she loved it when they got to the final destination. Chuck and Arlene spent many winters visiting their son Bob in Arizona, Summers visiting their son Bill in Missouri, and the opening of bass season fishing with their son Don in Minnesota (it was actually Don’s wife Cory that took them fishing, but that’s neither here-nor-there).

Arlene studied tap dance in her youth and loved to dance her whole life. Charles...not so much. But that never stopped her from dancing any chance she got.

She was a devoted wife, a caring mother and daughter, and a devout Christian who, throughout her life, cooked, danced, sang, mastered the funny sarcastic comeback, and just made the world a better place.

Arlene is preceded in death by her husband Chuck and her son David.

She is survived by sons and daughters-in-law, Daniel and Neva Abbott of Tullahoma, Tennessee, William and Tina Abbott of Kansas City, Missouri, Robert and Margaret Abbott of Mesa, Arizona, Donald and Corinne Abbott of Davenport, Iowa, and Judie Abbott of Davenport; seven grandchildren, Tony, Jessica, Benjamin, Jamie, and Holly Abbott, Dr. Selina Gierer, and Valerie Cervarich; and nine great-grandchildren, Max, Addison, Jude, Emi, Edie, Loic, and Alexander Abbott, and Brooklyn and Camryn Gierer.

Arlene’s family invites friends to share stories and condolences at TrimbleFuneralHomes.com