Ralph L. "Abe" Lincoln

Ralph L. ("Abe") Lincoln, Jr., age 88, passed away peacefully on March 30, 2023 after a brief illness. Abe was born in Marion, VA to Ralph L. Lincoln and Sarah Richardson Lincoln and graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Abe lived his adult life in Kingsport after marrying Margaret ("Peg") Church of Glade Spring, VA. 

Abe enjoyed a career that allowed him to travel and make many new friends before retiring from Eastman Chemical in 1994. Abe was involved in many civic and special interest organizations, including the Kiwanis Club, United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, the Johnson City Power Squadron, and the Mogul Mashers.  He was a founding member of the Cosmopolitan Kiwanis club and maintained over 60 years perfect attendance.  He served as the former Chairman of the Sullivan County Republican Party and was an active participant of the Boy Scouts of America, serving on the Board of Directors of the Sequoyah Council and serving as the Scout Master of the Palmer Center Boy Scout Troop. In recognition of his years of service, the Boy Scouts of America honored Abe with the Silver Beaver Award.

Abe was an active member of Waverly Road Presbyterian Church in Kingsport, where he previously served as an Elder and led the Maintenance Committee.  Abe loved his church family and gave countless hours to maintaining and updating his beloved church, performing his ministry with an overflowing toolbox and a big smile. Abe was known by all as the ultimate handyman who could design, build, and repair anything and everything. He never called a repairman and had every tool needed for woodworking, plumbing, or electrical repair, and was always ready to help the church or a neighbor in need.

Abe lived every day to the fullest and loved meeting people and traveling the world.  After his retirement, Abe traveled to Nepal, Egypt, Antarctica, China, Africa, The Holy Land, the Amazon River, and celebrated his granddaughters' college graduations with trips to Alaska and Hawaii.

Abe's pride and joy was the lake house he designed and built along with his sons in the early '70's. Abe had a love of all things nostalgic, including materials and furniture, and built the cabin with brick floors made of bricks taken from old sidewalks from his hometown of Marion, VA, a stone fireplace built with stones from an old family farmhouse, and filled with antiques that each had a story.

Abe loved his family and was very involved in his granddaughters' lives, making homemade biscuits and waffles on weekends, taking them on boat rides on Boone lake, and enjoying annual trips to Hilton Head and Dollywood. He was incredibly proud of his granddaughters, and they loved to spend time with him and make him laugh.  "Poppie" was an ever-present figure at the dinner table for every holiday or family celebration and was known for his compliments because every meal was "the best he'd ever tasted.  Cheers!" 

Abe was preceded in death by wife Margaret "Peg" Lincoln in 2022 and son Ralph L. "Abe" Lincoln III in 2021. Abe leaves his son Robert Lincoln and wife Robin, granddaughters Claire Lincoln Cross and husband Grant of Knoxville, Paige Lincoln of Nashville, and daughter-in-law Melissa Lincoln (Abe III) of Richmond.

Funeral services will be held at Waverly Road Presbyterian Church, Kingsport at 6:00pm on Monday, April 3, with Rev. Collin Blair Adams officiating, with visitation at the church from 4:45 - 5:45pm. The family would like to extend special thanks to Dr. Vaughn of Holston Valley Medical Center and Dr. Bert "BJ" Smith of NHC Johnson City for their special care.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to any of the following organizations: Girls Inc. of Kingsport, 1100 Girls Club Pl., Kingsport, TN 37660, Dawn of Hope of Johnson City, 500 E. Oakland Ave., Johnson City, TN 37601 or Waverly Road Presbyterian Church, 1415 Waverly Rd., Kingsport, TN 37664.

Visit www.hamlettdobson.com to leave online condolences.