Ronald Abbas with the Lord
Rev. Ronald Abbas
1935-2025
Ronald Merlin Abbas went to be with the Lord and Savior, whom he loved and served, on August 28, 2025. As a young person, he accepted Christ as his personal Savior under the influence and guidance of his father.
After graduating from high school, he attended Omaha Baptist Bible Institute in Omaha, NE (now Faith Baptist Bible College in Ankeny, IA). It was there he met Beverly Clewell. Upon completing his four years of college in the pastoral course, they were married on June 29, 1957, at Grandview Park Baptist Church in Des Moines.
His first place of ministry was at the First Baptist Church in Brayton, IA. It was there that two children were added to the family, Jolynn and Timothy. He was ordained into the ministry at this church. He then served as pastor of the Bethel Baptist Church in Oskaloosa, IA. This next church was North Court Baptist Church in Ottumwa, IA. While serving there, this church became a mother church of two new churches, Faith Baptist Church in Fairfield, IA, and Calvary Baptist Church in Burlington, IA. His last pastorate was in Bloomfield, IA, before retiring. He also served as the director of the Iowa Regular Baptist Camp in Ventura, IA, for 15 years.
After retirement, he served as interim pastor at First Baptist Church in Unionville, IA; Faith Baptist Church in Fairfield, IA; and Mark Baptist Church in Mark, IA, and filled the pulpit for churches which were without a pastor. In each one of these places that he was called to serve, he saw God’s definite hand of leading. Even though he often felt very inadequate for the task he could see God’s hand of blessing. He considered having been able to serve the Lord through these years as a blessing and a privilege.
Funeral: Tuesday, September 2, at 2:00 pm at North Court Baptist Church, Ottumwa
Visitation: Family will greet friends one hour prior to the service at the church.
Pray for Pastor Ron’s wife, Beverly, as well as the Abbas family and the North Court Baptist Church family. Ron was a beloved and faithful servant of the Lord. We will miss him. —Tim Capon
*The information in italics was taken from the full obituary of Rev. Ronald Abbas on the Reece Funeral Home website.
