Abraham (Abe) Nosser

Abraham (Abe) Nosser was born August 11, 1930, in Mineral Point to Charlie Nosser and Florence Burns Counts.

Abe’s early years were spent in Mineral Point; he started school there and walked to school 6 miles each way as did his 6 brothers and 2 sisters until the 8th grade. His family struggled on their modest farm due to the depression and the departure of his older brothers who were serving their country in all branches of the service. At age 16 he was a registered automobile dealer in Missouri. The youngest ever to hold a dealer license. Abe elected to join the Armed services as had his brothers, selecting the Air Force. Prior to joining at age 20, he met the love of his life, Carolyn Ann McKee, the daughter of Erenst McKee, the new Superintendent of Potosi Rural Public Schools who had moved from Lamar. Upon returning from basic training in San Antonio, Texas he asked Ernest and Mamie McKee for her hand in marriage.

In the presence of Carolyn’s parents, they married on April 7, 1952, in Pocahontas, Arkansas, during his furlough from the United States Air Force. The couple moved to Roswell, New Mexico Air Force Base. Abe became a training instructor teaching inventory control. His students all excelled, none of his students ever failed, in fact most passed with 100% on test scores. Abe was frequently filmed with his troops during drill exercises. Those films were shown in movie theaters prior to the movies starting “Today’s Armed Forces”.

In 1955, the couple moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming Air Force Base for the duration of Abraham’s service to his country towards the end of the Korean War in 1956.

Upon honorable discharge, Abraham moved his family back to Missouri with their first two children, Carol Linda and Steven E. Nosser. That same year, he started on a long line of business ventures with the opening of Nosser Auto Sales & Parts in DeSoto. This first venture was extremely successful for the next 10 years and the Nossers grew their family with the addition of Sandra Lea in 1960.

A transitional business year was 1969 when the Nossers invested in and operated many hotel business ventures starting with The Inn St. Louis at I-55 and Butler Hill Road. In 1975 the couple sold to Drury Inns and moved to Vernon, Texas, after purchasing the Ramada Inn there. Carol, their daughter, and her husband Bill Snelson joined him in operating the acquired hotels.

In 1976 they formed Select Inns Management Company, Inc. that specialized in hotel acquisitions, and management of full-service hotels across the country. Abe was President of Operations with Carolyn playing a key role in the operations of the hotels as Director of Finance which included the Holiday Inn at the Coliseum and Ramada Inn at the Airport in Portland, Oregon in 1977. After purchasing the Park Inn in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, in 1984, they returned to the Midwest.

Putting successful hotel operations aside in 1984, they moved back to Missouri, returning to their business roots with Auto Market, Inc. in Halltown, Missouri. Upon retirement in 1996, they moved to Wichita Falls, Texas, where Carolyn was assistant financial officer for Zooth, a company partially owned by her son Steve. Carolyn was crucial to advancing the company to number one market share with Children’s toothbrush in the United States. Upon Carolyn’s retirement in 1999, finally they both lived life to the fullest in Carthage, Texas. Traveling primarily in an RV with a few cruises outside the states.

In Abe’s later years he looked like an older Elvis Presley with his black hair, long sideburns, gold frame sunglasses and dynamite smile. He fed the rumor that Elvis is not dead and was happy to sing a few top Elvis songs, sign autographs, and take pictures with Elvis’s admiring fans.

Upon Carolyn’s passing in 2013, Abe moved to Murfreesboro, Tennessee where he passed away with his son Steve and daughter Carol by his side.

Abe was a devoted husband of 60 years.

Through Abe’s unique ability to give of himself to others providing caring sound advice, he enhanced the lives of his family, friends and many strangers. As businessman, Dad, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle, brother, and family anchor, he will be sorely missed. But, his positive influences and life lessons will live long in those he touched. He was known by his children as The Daddyo’s of Daddyooo’s. To his grandchildren as Papa. But upon the arrival of a Great Grandchild, he became known as “The Great One His famous words to all he loved “It’s where you come from”

He was preceded in death by his parents Charlie and Florence Nosser, his in laws, Ernest and Mamie McKee; all 8 of his siblings, Maude Kaufman, Steve Nosser, Harding Nosser, Mac Nosser, Hoover Nosser, Cebe Coleman, Delano Nosser; all brother and sister in laws, except Mae Nosser of Desoto. His youngest daughter Sandra Griffin of Centrailia, Washington. Many of his nephews and nieces including Lynn Coleman of Potosi, Jimmy,Paul,Mary Nosser of Arnold, Linda Nosser of St Louis, Cheryl Nosser of Quincy, Roger Nosser of Springfield.

He is survived by a brother in law, William Ernest McKee, of Alma, Arkansas; one sister in law, Helen Nosser; two children, Carol L. Snelson of Topeka, Kansas, Steven E. Nosser of Arrington, Tennessee; nine grandchildren: Terica L. Gatewood of Topeka, Kansas, Chabe H. Snelson of Lawrence, Kansas, Carlene Snelson Walker of Olathe, Kansas, Christopher Nosser, of Wichita Falls, Texas, Lauren Nosser and Jack Nosser of Arrington, Tennessee, Chelsea Kuykendall of Athens, Georgia, Audrey Griffin of Portland, Oregon and Nicholas M. Griffin of Centralia, Washington; Great-Grandchildren: Kennedy and Koen Gatewood of Topeka. Haley Kuykendall of Athens, Georgia, Evelyn Walker of Olathe, Kansas. The extended family includes nieces and nephews, grand nieces and nephews living primarily in Texas, Missouri, and Illinois.

A Visitation was Saturday, September 24th from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at DeClue Funeral Home, Potosi.

A funeral service was Saturday, September 24th at 1 p.m. at the DeClue Memorial Chapel, officiated by Elder Leonard Compton. Interment followed at Redbud Memorial Gardens in Potosi.

Family encourages contributions to any Disabled Veteran organization in his honor.

DeClue Funeral Home was honored to have served the family of Mr. Abe Nosser.