Roy Abbott

Roy Lincoln Abbott, 69, of Brainerd, MN died on Monday, June 16, 2014 of Marfan Syndrome, a connective tissue disorder. Celebration of Life for Roy will be held on Friday, June 20, 2014 at 2:00 PM with Pastor Lilja Behr officiating at Brenny Funeral Chapel in Baxter. Friends and family are invited to gather one hour prior to services for visitation.

Roy was born in Beatrice, Nebraska to Albert and Shirley (Lincoln) Abbott. His family lived in Omaha, Nebraska; Riverside, California; and Rochester, Minnesota before settling in Ames, Iowa. He graduated from Ames High School in 1963 and attended the University of Nebraska where he first majored in Art and then Architecture graduating in 1970. Roy married Carolyn Thompson in 1967 and they shared a strong interest in art and design. Following his graduation in 1970 he worked in architectural firms in Iowa and Minnesota prior to being one of three founding principals of the Brainerd firm Architecture One in 1978. He served as President of the firm until his retirement in 2004. He was the designer of several local building projects including numerous additions to St. Joseph's Medical Center, the Brainerd YMCA Pool addition, Northern Eye Center, Northern Orthopedics, Grand View Lodge Conference Center, and The Pines Golf Clubhouse as well as a number of buildings throughout the state. With a keen interest in design and the built environment, he served for 17 years on the Brainerd City Planning Commission. He was always interested in "making things" and continued his intense activity in sculpture and photography after his retirement.

His brother Eric and his mother preceded him in death. He is survived by his father of Rochester, MN; wife Carolyn; daughters April (RJ) Auburn of Orlando, Florida, Sabra (Eric Gierzynski) Abbott of Chicago, Illinois; and three grandchildren; Anna-Teresa, Eric and Iris Auburn. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the National Marfan Foundation and St. Joseph's Medical Center. Arrangements have been entrusted to Brenny Funeral Chapel in Baxter, MN.