Houston lost many of its residents this week who left a legacy in the community, including an oil baroness, an advocate for addiction recovery, and a great-great grandmother. Each of them died within the first week of 2022.
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Here are some of the Houston area residents who are being remembered this week:
Josephine Abercrombie, 75
Legacy.comJosephine Abercrombie.
Josephine Abercrombie was an oil baroness and thoroughbred breeding and racing champion who died January 5, 2022, in Kentucky, where she relocated from her hometown in Houston, according to her obituary. She left behind two sons, George Anderson Robinson IV and Jamie Abercrombie Robinson, and grandchildren George Anderson Robinson V and Blair Abercrombie Robinson.
Abercrombie was born in Kingston, Jamaica as the only child of Texas oilman and Cameron Iron Works founder James S. “Mr. Jim” Abercrombie and Lillie Frank Abercrombie. She took over the oil business after her father’s death in 1975, becoming one of the few women in the industry, the obituary said.
She was a champion horseback rider early in life, winning prestigious titles and developing a passion that led her to becoming a renowned thoroughbred breeder in Kentucky. Abercrombie was also “the driving force” behind the Houston Boxing Association in the ’80s, the obituary said. Don King once called her “the first lady of boxing,” the obituary said.
“With a strong sense of responsibility to future generations, Josephine was passionate about conservation and education. She provided generous philanthropic support of civic, educational, and Thoroughbred industry projects,” the obituary said. “In addition to her generosity to her alma mater Rice University, she was also the founder of The Lexington School in Kentucky.”
Later in life, she rekindled a love of ballroom dancing, and competed around the country, the obituary said.
“Her zest for life and quest for new challenges never faded,” the obituary said.
Anyone interested in contributing to her philanthropic legacy is asked to make donations to contributions to The Lexington School, Attn: Una McCarthy, 1050 Lane Allen Road, Lexington, KY 40504; Woodford Humane Society, Attn: Katie Hoffman, P.O. Box 44, Versailles, KY; or the Thoroughbred Charities of America, Attn: Erin Crady, P.O. Box 910668, Lexington, KY 40591.
Joanne Fisher, 86
Legacy.comJoanne Fisher.
Joanne Fisher was a longtime Houston resident who died January 3, 2022, leaving behind four children and her grandchildren.
“Joanne Adler Fisher was a woman of many names and titles: daughter (born to Mathilda and Elmer in 1935), mom (to Susan, Paula, John and Robert), mother-in-law (to Andy, George, and Lorraine), JoJo (to grandkids), teacher (elementary and Sunday school), colleague (30+ years at Tootsies), guiding light (to many women seeking recovery), advocate, book lover, patron of the arts, blown glass aficionado and collector, mahjong maven and, most importantly, confidante and friend,” her obituary said.
Those interested in donating in her memory are asked to make donations to The Council on Recovery, the Jewish Federation of Houston or to Seven Acres.
Dorothy Barlow, 94
Legacy.comDorothy Barlow.
Dorothy Barlow died at age 94 January 3, 2022, leaving behind two children, five grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren, her obituary said.
Her obituary said she had “a long life that was well lived.”
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Houston Obituaries: Remembering Lives Lost This Week [1/7/22]