Thomas Westcott Abell

Thomas Westcott Abell

Thomas Westcott Abell, 86, of Miami, FL passed away peacefully on Saturday, November 5, 2022, from complications of a blood disorder that he managed beautifully for 10 years. 

He was born October 13, 1936, in Dover, England. He graduated from Kings College School and went to the University of London. After four years in the Royal Air Force, he emigrated to Canada living in Toronto (and ironically, the city of London, Canada). In 1963, he moved to New York City and began his insurance career with Marsh McLennan eventually starting his own company. Christmas Eve that same year, he met Susie August who would eventually become his wife.  His career took them to Richmond, Virginia, and St. Louis, Missouri where his two daughters, Jennifer and Claire, were born. His time in risk management fed his love of travel and took him all over the world. In 1978, the family was transferred to Miami, Florida.

Tom thoroughly loved his community, serving on the boards of ARC and his daughters' school, Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart. In addition, he volunteered with the Coral Gables Mobile Patrol, at The Kampong, Pinecrest Gardens, Fairchild Tropical Garden, and the George Merrick House. He was unofficially known as the mayor of his neighborhood and enjoyed his work with the St. Vincent de Paul Society. 

His love of modeling was evident throughout his life from the Army tanks that he would march over the carpet to amaze his daughters and the wooden ships he fashioned in his later years. Always dressed sharply from head to toe in shoes, pants, a button down and a belt, he was an Englishman through and through and believed in keeping his mind active with daily games and time for jigsaw puzzles, long before they were the Covid rage. He never met a full English breakfast or vanilla ice cream cone he didn’t like. He was happiest bringing people together and celebrated his 86th birthday in Bamburgh, Northumberland surrounded by 50+ family members from all over the globe. 

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Susan August Abell, and daughters Jennifer (Jim) Mills of San Francisco and Claire (William) Bindeman of Mill Valley, and four grandchildren who brought him enormous joy: Clay, Bridget, Kate, and Ryan and his sister Susi (Peter) Jones of Devon, England.  

A Mass of the Resurrection will be held at the Church of the Epiphany (8235 SW 57th Avenue) on Friday, November 11 at 11 am EST.  It will be live-streamed here: https://youtu.be/XPoJtcpKsWo      

Tom requested, in lieu of flowers, that donations be made to Saint Mary’s Cathedral School, attn: Mrs. Julie Perdomo, Principal, 7485 NW 2nd Avenue Miami, FL 33150.