Richard Michael Abbott, commonly known as Dick Abbott to friends and associates and as Bubba to his grandchildren, peacefully passed away on the morning of Wed. Dec. 2, 2020. He had suffered a hemorrhagic stroke. Dick is survived by his loving wife and soulmate Lois, son Steven (Je), daughter Lori (John) and grandchildren Steven, Landon, Michael, Kristen, and sister in law Patricia (Wayne), and numerous nieces and nephews. Dick had an amazing life. He was born on July 12, 1935 to Lillian and Gordon Abbott and was raised with two sisters and one brother. He moved with his family to New Westminster at the age of 6 and it was there that he grew up. Close friends growing up included Harry Nelson and later, Steve Onderko. When he went to New Westminster Junior High School, he developed a passion for music that would last a lifetime, and learned to play the alto sax, clarinet and flute. Stan Kenton was his idol. It was here in junior high school that he was awarded the Good Citizenship Column, having been selected out of 1500 students citywide, and won the boys trophy for the New Westminster Inter-High Fall Track Meet Championship. It was also at age 16 when he started working at CKNW in the music library. He attended the Duke of Connaught High School where he excelled in sports, particularly basketball, and played on the team coached by the legendary Ken “Hooker” Wright that won the BC Provincials 3 years in a row. It was at these Provincials wherein 1952 Dick was chosen as a 2nd team BC Allstar and in 1953 as a 1st team BC Allstar. He played on the team in 1951 when the Dukes won the Western Canadian High School Basketball Championship, and in 1952 got to play against a California team featuring future NBA star and Hall of Famer, Bill Russell. Dick also excelled at senior men’s softball (fastpitch) as a pitcher, catcher and outfielder. It was common for him to pitch a 2-3 hit game.
In 1954, Dick took a year of Arts at UBC and then went to Westlake College of Music in Los Angeles to study music for a year. Close friends also from New Westminster included Arnie Chycoski and Ray Sikora. Upon returning to New Westminster, Richard, who had seen Lois before at rival high school Trap Tech, saw her walking home one evening and offered her a ride. Hence the love story began. 3 months later they were engaged and married on Dec. 14, 1956. Having returned to work at CKNW, Dick began his career in radio and as a recording engineer. He started recording jingles and commercials and it was not long before he became Production Manager. He made many great friends at CKNW such as Bill Hughes, Erm Fiorillo, David Hoole, Jack Cullen, Norm Grohman, Hal Davis, Tony Antonius, Pat McPherson, Paul Preston, Mel Cooper and Frank Griffiths. He went on to work at The Spot Shop with David Hoole and then spent many years at Little Mountain Sound Recording Studio where he also made many close friends such as Miles Ramsay, Corlyn Ramsay, Brian Griffiths, Brian “Hoot” Gibson, Howie Vickberg, Ted Bishop, Peter Clarke, Murray Price, Bob Rock, Mike Fraser, Ron Obvious, Pat Glover, Chris Taylor, Agnes Winlaw, Marcel Duperreault and the list goes on. He enjoyed working with many talented actors, announcers and singers such as Jim Conrad, Bill Reiter, Raymond Burr, Jack Palance, Martin Sheen, David Foster, Gene Hackman, Phil Hayes, Joanie Taylor and Nancy Nash. Again, the list goes on. He then went on to start up Dick and Rogers with Roger Monk where he also worked with Todd Araki, and from where he finally retired. He was considered by many in the recording industry to be the best recording engineer in his field in North America.
But Dick’s first love was his family, to whom he was completely devoted. He was an incredible father to Steven and Lori, attending every milestone in their lives as well as spending countless hours with them, coaching hockey, lacrosse and softball and just hanging out. He was their hero and best friend. He was also a devoted and loving grandfather and enjoyed spending time with his grandkids. He was the patriarch of the family, the pillar of strength and wisdom, always there when they needed him and was their soft place to fall. In his latter years, Dick enjoyed reading, learning about WW2 history, writing music, taking piano lessons with longtime friend Lloyd Abrams, and working on model airplanes. He also enjoyed contributing to a historical museum for radio and loved playing in the New Westminster and District Concert Band with Fred and Kerry Turner and John White.
No words can describe what a huge loss losing Richard is for his family. But, as he himself said only three weeks ago, “I’ve had a great life.” And to quote what a wise woman once said of him, “they don’t come any better than Dick Abbott.”
Many heartfelt thanks go out to Dr. James Scott, Dr. Ian Fleetwood, Dr. Wayne Shtybel and the nursing staff of 6 South at Victoria General Hospital for their care of Dick during his last hospital admission.
A Funeral Service for Dick will be held on Saturday, December 12, 2020 at 2 PM for invited guests to attend in person. All others are invited to join us virtually using the following link:
https://zoom.us/j/93097171430?pwd=TUF1NWdjK1hvenVTaVlGUEl4VlU2dz09
Please enable your video if possible so that family in attendance can see you and feel your support.
Condolences may also be offered to the family below.
McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com
25 Responses
Lois, Steven and Lori-
Im so sorry for your loss.
I know Dick and my dad Miles are up there kicking back and listening to some great music!
I am so sad to hear that Dick is no longer available to those of us living, speaking, singing, communicating on earth. Dick was one of a kind, a masterful ear, a engaged heart, with the patience to help people like me, whose ears were garbage, to touch the hearts of others. In my life there’s never been anyone like Dick, and it saddens me that the world is without him now. But I’ll never forget his smile and his magic ears, and as long as I live, they live too.
Always a smile, always enthusiastic, always more than happy to describe the nuances of the mix between talk of fastball and hockey. Thank you Dick for all you have passed on to us.
Dear Lois. Lori, Steve and Families.
My sincerest condolences to you all for your loss. I had the absolute privilege to work with Dick early in my career at Little Mountain. He was one of my top Mentors and to this day I still use some of the recording techniques and methods that he taught me. Things you just can’t read in a book. An amazing talent who became a good friend. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him.
Dick was a wonderful man with a wonderful family. I started to work with GGRP in 1975. We often worked with Dick in the studio with actors and artist it’s from all over the globe. Comedians like Jonathon Winters, Pat Harrington, and Gary Owens. Legends from film and television like Raymond Burr, Lorne Green and Jack Palance.I was only there for some, but it was easy to see the trust and confidence these people had for Dick.
Dick also worked with quite a few names from the world of rock and roll with artists, producers and engineers all passing through his door. Some of the greatest music makers grew their skills and knowledge from Dick, some of those writing on this page.
All Dick’s family were known at the office , wife Lois, son Steve and daughter Lori. I always thought Lori would become professional because Dick was a well known sportsman as a younger man, Steve had a hockey scholarship and Lori was the backbone of the not quite infamous GGRP Softball team.But Lori became a police officer and a. Nurse, A wife to John and a mother to four Dick Abbott grandchildren.
Dick you were very much loved from a very wide cast of people. You will live on in our hearts and in our minds.
My sincere condolences. Working with Dick was always such a pleasure his knowledge, professionalism, and support always lifted my game. He will be truly missed. May his name be a blessing.
First, my sincere condolences to Dick’s immediate and extended family on the loss of a truly kind, generous and accomplished man who will be missed and always remembered by all of us who had the pleasure of knowing and working with him. His unmatched skills and precision as a recording engineer and producer were equalled only by rhe joy and unbridled enthusiam he brought to every recording session. Always finding ways to make a good session even better. He was a great guy to work with and an even better man to have known.
My first memories of Mr Abbott was first as a hockey dad, as passionate about the game as anyone that I knew. Later I got to know him as Dick – the best sound engineer in the city, first at GGRP and later at Dick & Rogers. He mentored me as a new advertising rookie, teaching me the business from his perspective. I know I was only one of the many young ad guys, sound engineers, and sound talent that he motivated and encouraged over the years. I was grateful for his experience and guidance…and for his ability to make me laugh out loud every time I saw him.
I am grateful to have known him and privileged to have worked with him for many years.
Sending you all my deepest sympathy and support
George
Dear Lois, Lori and Steve
My condolences to you and your families.
There isn’t a day goes by that I don’t feel a special connection to Dick. Such a presence and influence he had in my life during a very formative time at Little Mountain Sound, and beyond. He continues to be the benchmark for all the creative work I do.
Sad for his loss, so grateful for his gifts
This is sad news indeed. From the day I started as a janitor at Little Mountain, DIck was one of the first people there to encourage and help me. He always had a kind word and loved to share his his recording techniques with me, even though (in those beginning years) I didn’t know what he was even talking about. haha What a kind gentle soul he was. Happy trails DIck, thank you for everything ….. you will be sorely missed.