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Abbott, Donald Humphrey (1908–1973)

By Godfrey K. Sang

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Godfrey K. Sang is a historical researcher and writer with an interest in Adventist history. He holds a B.A. in History from the University of Eastern Africa Baraton and a number of qualifications from other universities. He is a published author. He is the co-author of the book On the Wings of a Sparrow: How the Seventh-day Adventist Church Came to Western Kenya. 

First Published: October 10, 2024

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Dr. Donald Abbott was a missionary doctor to Africa who served in various countries, including Kenya.

Early Life

Donald Humphrey Abbott was born on August 28, 1908, in Loma Linda, California.1 He was the second of three children from George Knapp Abbott (1880-1959) and Cora Mae née Richards (1877-1953).2 His father was a renowned medical missionary who served as the first president of the College of Medical Missionaries at Loma Linda.3

Education and Family

Donald Abbott attended Shenandoah Valley Academy in Virginia and then Washington Missionary College. In 1928, he attended the College of Medical Evangelists (later known as Loma Linda University) in California.4 In 1933, he graduated with a medical degree.5 He then completed his internship and surgical residency.

Upon completion of his education, he married Susie Belle née Briggs, who greatly assisted him in his medical ministry.6 They were blessed with two children: Donald Abbott, Jr., and Carolyn Sue Abbott.7

Missionary Work

After completing his residency, Dr. Abbott accepted an appointment to the Kanye Medical Mission in Bechuanaland (now Botswana).8 He served as the medical superintendent.9 He remained in Botswana in 1936 and 1937.10 He then moved to the Malamulo Hospital in Nyasaland (now Malawi).11 He also worked as the medical secretary at Zambesi Union.12

After Malamulo, he moved to the Cancele Dispensary13 in Cape Province in South Africa, where he worked for a year. Around this time, he also lived at Claremont in Cape Town.14 Starting on December 2, 1938, Dr. Abbott worked at the Nokuphila Hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa.15 He took over from Dr. A. N. Tonge, who had served there for two years. He often visited camp meeting sites to provide medical talks and services at the Southern Africa Union Conference.16 He worked there until 1940.17

He then returned to the United States on furlough and, in 1942, returned to Africa, this time to the Congo, serving at the Songa Mission. He returned to Kanye Hospital briefly before moving to Kendu Mission Hospital in Kenya. It was in Kendu that he served the longest, working there for six years. It was at this time that he established the School of Nursing at the hospital that continues to this day. He also joined the Trans-Africa Division as the medical secretary. In 1946, he received his fellowship of the American College of Surgeons. In 1950, he obtained the fellowship of the International College of Surgeons. He then returned to Loma Linda, ending 15 years of mission service.18 Everywhere he worked, he had the faithful companionship of his wife, who assisted him by providing childcare services. She also worked in the colporteur ministry.19

Moving to Kenya

In 1944, he moved to the Kendu Mission in East Africa.20 He took over from Dr. Paul Foster, and he worked with veteran nurses Ms. Nielsen, Ms. Olsen, Ms. Welch, and numerous African nurses and orderlies. It was here that he founded the School of Nursing that trained even more nurses for the Adventist hospitals and dispensaries, not just in Kenya, but across in East Africa. He worked there until 1951.21 In 1945, while serving in Kendu, he was appointed the director of the Medical Department of the Southern African Division under Division President F. G. Clifford.22

In 1946, he was appointed the member of the Medical Advisory Board in the General Conference.23 In 1951, he was appointed the medical secretary at the East African Union Mission.24 During the same year, he served as part of a team of researchers who conducted an experiment at the Songa Mission Hospital to determine the optimal protein requirement of adults in a vegetarian diet. The other members of the team were Dr. Hegsted, Dr. Tsongas, and Dr. Stare.25

Death and Legacy

In 1951, while serving at Kendu Mission Hospital, he fell sick, and he had to be returned to his home in the United States permanently. 26 In 1952, he joined the staff at La Sierra College in California.27 Dr. Abbott passed away on May 27, 1973.28 He was 64. He was survived by his second wife Maxine, his son Donald Humphrey Abbott Jr., who was also a medical doctor, and his daughter Carolyn, now Mrs. Hinsdale. He also had a stepson Cornel Morton and stepdaughter Phyllis Boyd.29

Dr. Abbott is recognized for his outstanding contribution to the growth and success of the Adventist health system in several countries in Africa.30 His surgical skills added prestige to the hospitals he served in, especially at Kendu Hospital.31

Sources

Bringle, C. P. “Report of the Medical Department.” Southern Africa Division Outlook, June 15, 1951.

Clifford, F. G. “The camp-meeting.” Southern Africa Division Outlook, February 1, 1939.

Dye-Schaffner, D. “The Songa Story.” Southern Africa Division Outlook, April 15, 1955.

Ficker, F. H. “With Our Colporteurs.” Southern Africa Division Outlook, December 15, 1939.

“General News Notes.” Southern Africa Division Outlook, December 15, 1938.

Pedersen, E. W. “Report of the President of the Kenya Mission Field.” Southern Africa Division Outlook, April 15, 1955.

“Report of the Nominating Committee,” Southern Africa Division Outlook, June 15, 1937.

Rouche, Dr. O. “Optimal Protein Requirement and the Vegetarian Diet.” Southern Africa Division Outlook, September 1, 1951.

Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia. Second revised edition. Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald, 1996.

Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook. Various years. https://www.adventistyearbook.org/.

Wood, Kenneth H. “Deaths,” ARH, July 12, 1973.

Wright, J. H. “President’s Report.” Southern Africa Division Outlook, June 15, 1937.

Notes

  1. https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/L6DW-FNG, accessed May 8, 2024.↩

  2. Ibid.↩

  3. Kenneth H. Wood, “Deaths,” ARH, July 12, 1973, 23.↩

  4. file:///C:/Users/HP/Downloads/findaids_300%20(1).pdf, accessed May 7, 2024.↩

  5. J. F. Wright, “President’s Report,” Southern Africa Division Outlook, June 15, 1937, 2.↩

  6. F. H. Ficker, “With Our Colporteurs,” Southern Africa Division Outlook, December 15, 1939, 4.↩

  7. https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/L6DW-FNG, accessed May 8, 2024.↩

  8. Wood, “Deaths,” 23.↩

  9. “South Africa Union Conference,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (1937), 196.↩

  10. Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia (1996), mmmcccxx.↩

  11. J. F. Wright, “President’s Report,” Southern Africa Division Outlook, June 15, 1937, 2.↩

  12. “Report of the Nominating Committee,” Southern Africa Division Outlook, June 15, 1937, 4.↩

  13. “South Africa Union Conference,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (1938), 194.↩

  14. “South Africa Union Conference,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (1942), 298.↩

  15. “General News Notes,” Southern Africa Division Outlook, December 15, 1938, 8.↩

  16. F. G. Clifford, “The camp-meeting,” Southern Africa Division Outlook, February 1, 1939, 4.↩

  17. Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia (1996), mmmmcccLviii.↩

  18. file:///C:/Users/HP/Downloads/findaids_300%20(1).pdf, accessed May 7, 2024↩

  19. Ficker, 4.↩

  20. C. P. Bringle, M.D., “Report of the Medical Department,” Southern Africa Division Outlook, June 15, 1951, 36.↩

  21. Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia (1996), mmmccclii.↩

  22. “South Africa Union Conference,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (1945), 9.↩

  23. “South Africa Union Conference,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (1946), 12.↩

  24. “South Africa Union Conference,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (1951), 185.↩

  25. Dr. O. Rouche,” Optimal Protein Requirement and the Vegetarian Diet,” Southern Africa Division Outlook, September 1, 1951, 2.↩

  26. E. W. Pedersen, “Report of the President of the Kenya Mission Field,” Southern Africa Division Outlook, April 15, 1955, 6.↩

  27. “South Africa Union Conference,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (1952), 248.↩

  28. Kenneth H. Wood, “Deaths.”↩

  29. Ibid.↩

  30. D. Dye-Schaffner, “The Songa Story,” Southern Africa Division Outlook, April 15, 1955, 4.↩

  31. E. W. Pedersen, “Report of the President of the Kenya Mission Field,” Southern Africa Division Outlook, August 15, 1951, 6.↩

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Sang, Godfrey K. "Abbott, Donald Humphrey (1908–1973)." Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. October 10, 2024. Accessed November 27, 2024. https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=GJPD.

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Sang, Godfrey K. "Abbott, Donald Humphrey (1908–1973)." Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. October 10, 2024. Date of access November 27, 2024, https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=GJPD.

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Sang, Godfrey K. (2024, October 10). Abbott, Donald Humphrey (1908–1973). Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. Retrieved November 27, 2024, https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=GJPD.

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