LaRay Abbott

LaRay Abbott, long time Livermore and Discovery Bay resident, died Sept. 25. She was 83.

Abbott was born March 20, 1933 in Murray, Utah. She moved to California in 1963 and moved to Livermore in 1969. She relocated to Discovery Bay in 1989.

Abbott retired from the Radioactive Hazardous Waste Management Division of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in 2005. Before going to work for the laboratory she worked for the Livermore Valley School District for 18 years.

Abbott was active in many areas. On her retirement from the Lab she served on the Contra Costa County Civil Grand Jury. She served on three committees and chaired the Public Awareness Committee in addition to serving as the jury’s secretary. She was a member of Beta Sigma Phi where she served as council president from 1974-1975. At the state level she served as philanthropic chairman and recording secretary of the northern area. She was a member of the California Schools Employees Association (CSEA). She served as Livermore chapter 334 president for five years and was active on the negotiating committee. She also served on the negotiating committee at the state level and chaired the Constitution and Bylaws committee for three years. Abbott also served as vice president of the Livermore CSEA retirement chapter.

At the Lab, Abbott served as chair of the Diversity Committee for the Environmental Protection Department, as well as the Laboratory’s Site Operations Diversity Steering Committee. She was active in the Delta Beta Unit of the California State Association of Parliamentarians and served two years as unit president. She also served as yearbook chairman for 1998-99 and served on the 1999 convention committee.

Abbott’s favorite activities were reading, dancing, golf and supporting the arts. She was a season ticket holder for San Jose Civic Light Opera and San Francisco’s “Best of Broadway” series. Both of which she attended with her dear friend Mary Kroesen for many years.

She is survived by her two sons, Mark R. Abbott of San Francisco and Carl R. Abbott of Riverbank; daughter-in-law, Cathy Abbott of Riverbank, and several nieces and nephews whom she adored.

Services will be held at Callaghan Mortuary, 3833 East Ave. Livermore California on Friday Oct.14 at 12:30 p.m.

Donations can be made in her name to the American Heart Association or UNICEF.