Abeles is back

Longtime news reporter Neil Abeles will be returning to the Journal after about 30 years. Abeles has been covering Cass County news for the Texarkana Gazette but has recently decided to come back to the newspaper he got started with. Abeles has been a gentle voice in the community that blends in to capture this community’s special moments.

Abeles was born and grew up in Paris, Texas, and graduated from Paris High School in 1957. He then went on to Southwestern University, Georgetown, TX, to major in philosophy and go on to graduate school at Vanderbilt University Divinity School where he graduated in 1965.

Soon after he became a teacher at New England prep schools for five years. When he came back to Texas, he was asked by his hometown newspaper editor if he would like to write. It was then he started his newspaper career.

Afterward, he moved to the Texarkana Gazette as an education reporter, then became an editor with Atlanta Citizen Journal. After working at the Journal he became a public information person for Texas A&M University--Texarkana for 20 plus years then retired.

After retirement from the University, he was asked to write for Gazette’s new section Cass County News in 2007. During that time, he built strong community relationships, allowing him to give a unique angle to the news in Cass County. Now back with the paper he left several years ago, he will be back providing some of the same special stories that have endured him to the community.

Abeles said he left the Journal for the first time to become a public information person for a university. He returns now “to be close to this community, relax a bit more.”

Abeles likes to write positive stories about people. He says he likes them to “tell their stories”.

His inspiration was Paris News editor, the late Bill Thompson. He aspired to write like him.

His favorite story was a personal one. He wrote about a Thai college student who became (his) wife and mother of his children, Wanlapa. Then, her process of becoming an American citizen.

Abeles says that he “loves variety and daily enthusiasm. Love talking about the meaning of life.”

For Abeles, his favorite stories over the years have been about the “success of our community, i.e. schools, hospital, churches, businesses, quality of life.” This includes the restoration of the county courthouse, the development of the Texas Highway Department, Wright Patman Dam and Lake, and Atlanta State Park. He has enjoyed writing about the “outstanding fire departments, and the leadership of many individuals now deceased.”

His least favorite memory was being downtown for the burning of Allday Department Store.

When asked what people should expect now that he is back, he said, “insightful stories to read, with meaningful pictures.”

Abeles said that he gets his passion to continue journalism from a desire to read, listen to learn from others. “Would do this job as a gift. Journalism has been like religion for me.”

Abeles lost his wife Wanlapa in 2004. He has two daughters Angela and Florence, and five granddaughters.