Herschel was a junior at the University of Maine when Pearl Harbor was attacked.  He immediately enlisted in the United States Navy V7 Program.  Upon graduation in 1943 he reported for service and one day after receiving his commission he married Beth Kennedy.  He served three years of active duty and twenty-four years in the Naval Reserve. 

After his active service in the Navy he continued his education and obtained his Masters degrees in Biology and Forestry from HarvardUniversity.  He joined the faculty of the University of Massachusetts in 1953 and remained there for thirty-three years.  He was the recipient of numerous awards for his contributions to the forestry profession.  Herschel was admired by his students and pushed them hard to learn about the diverse forests that dominate the New England landscape. He was particularly fond of, as well as adept at, managing white pine stands and identifying wildflowers and unusual flora. Even during a short walk in the woods Herschel would invariably provide a wealth of knowledge to his companions.

In the late 1980’s he was instrumental in establishing and funding several scholarship funds at the University of Massachusetts including The Herschel G. Abbott Award for Forestry. Herschel also practiced what he preached.  With his friend and colleague J. Harry Rich, he acquired and managed several woodlots including the property now known as the J. Harry Rich State Forest in Groton, Massachusetts.

Herschel enjoyed antiquing with a special interest in Currier & Ives prints. He was also an avid hunter and cherished fishing for native brook trout in small New England streams.

There will be a private burial in Woodstock, Maine. Obituary and memorial register at www.douglassfuneral.com.

Service details, Social networking, Memorial Guestbook and Slideshow are available here.