Bill Text: NY J00207 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Honoring Dr. John W. Abbuhl posthumously upon the occasion of his designation for special recognition by Albany County at its Honor A Veteran Ceremony

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2019-01-15 - ADOPTED [J00207 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-J00207-Introduced.html

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Senate Resolution No. 207

BY: Senator BRESLIN

        HONORING  Dr. John W. Abbuhl posthumously upon the
        occasion of his designation for special  recognition
        by  Albany County at its Honor A Veteran Ceremony on
        August 6, 2018

  WHEREAS, Members of the Armed Services from the State of  New  York,
who  have  served  so  valiantly  and  honorably  in  wars in which this
country's freedom was at stake, as well as in the preservation of  peace
in peacetime, deserve a special salute; and

  WHEREAS,  This Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Dr. John W.
Abbuhl posthumously upon the occasion of  his  designation  for  special
recognition  by Albany County at its Honor A Veteran Ceremony on Monday,
August 6, 2018, at Bethlehem Town Hall, Slingerlands, New York; and

  WHEREAS, In June of 1993, a  committee  was  formed  by  the  Albany
County  Veterans  Bureau  known  as  the  Albany  County Honor-A-Veteran
Committee; the committee was formed to honor a  deceased  Albany  County
veteran,  who  has  served  his country in time of conflict; the Honor A
Veteran Program takes place monthly on the first Monday of  each  month;
and

  WHEREAS,  Born  on  June  27, 1926, to the late Frederick and Gladys
Willmott Abbuhl in Troy, New York, John W.  Abbuhl  graduated  from  The
Albany  Academy  in  1943;  as part of the wartime Navy V-12 program, he
went on to graduate from Rensselaer Polytechnic  Institute  and  Harvard
University; and

  WHEREAS,  While attending Albany Medical College, John W. Abbuhl met
his first wife, Audrey, and the  couple  was  married  the  day  of  his
graduation in June of 1949; and

  WHEREAS,  John W. Abbuhl proudly served his country with courage and
dedication as a United States Navy flight surgeon during the Korean War,
during which time he was briefly stationed in California and Japan; and

  WHEREAS, Upon returning home, John W. Abbuhl completed his pediatric
residency at Albany Medical College in 1956, and immediately  began  his
illustrious career in pediatrics which spanned more than 50 years; and

  WHEREAS, A founding partner of Schoolhouse Road Pediatrics, Dr. John
W.   Abbuhl cared for and touched the lives of countless families in the
Capital District; and

  WHEREAS, Dr. John W. Abbuhl retired  from  practice  at  Schoolhouse
Road  Pediatrics  in  2005, but continued to serve at the Parson's Child
and Family Center, now Northern Rivers Family Services,  well  into  his
eighties; and

  WHEREAS,  In  addition to his remarkable medical career, Dr. John W.
Abbuhl was the visionary  behind  the  Pine  Hollow  Arboretum  and  the
Cornwallville Conservation Corporation; and

  WHEREAS,  Dr.  John  W.  Abbuhl's  love  for  old fashioned long bow
hunting led him to form a group of like-minded individuals with  a  goal
of  acquiring  and preserving land in the Northern Catskill Mountains in
the late 1960s; today, the Cornwallville  Conservation  Corporation  has
successfully preserved over 1,000 acres of land in perpetuity; and

  WHEREAS,  In  keeping  with  his love of and respect for the natural
world, Dr. John W. Abbuhl's passion for horticulture blossomed  when  he
and  his young family moved to Pine Hollow Road in Slingerlands in 1966;
and

  WHEREAS, It  was  there  that  he  began  to  spend  his  free  time
assiduously collecting and planting trees and woody plant specimens from
all  over  the world; this labor of love is now known as the Pine Hollow
Arboretum, a  public,  member-supported,  not-for-profit  arboretum  and
nature  center  which  includes  over 3,300 specimens on 25 acres in the
heart of Slingerlands, the vast majority of which were planted by John's
own hands; and

  WHEREAS,  With  a  steadfast  and  unwavering  dedication   to   his
community,  Dr.  John W. Abbuhl was a founding member and advisory board
member of the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy which  now  preserves  more
than  5,000  acres  of land in the region; in addition, he was a Trustee
Emeritus of Historic Cherry Hill in Albany, and staunch supporter of the
Fort Orange Wine Society; and

  WHEREAS, Dr. John W. Abbuhl died on Saturday, January  6,  2018,  at
the age of 91; and

  WHEREAS,  Having  exhibited  his patriotism both at home and abroad,
Dr. John W. Abbuhl demonstrated his love  for  his  country  and  merits
forevermore, the highest respect of his State and Nation; and

  WHEREAS,  Our  Nation's veterans deserve to be recognized, commended
and thanked by the people of the State of New York for their service and
for their dedication to their communities, their State and their Nation;
now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
honor  Dr.  John  W.  Abbuhl  posthumously  upon  the  occasion  of  his
designation for special recognition by Albany  County  at  its  Honor  A
Veteran Ceremony on August 6, 2018; and be it further

  RESOLVED,  That  a  copy  of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the family of Dr. John W. Abbuhl.