“We regard education as one of the most important things a person can have,” said Albert Abercrombie, an independent oil man who founded A.L. Abercrombie Inc. in 1962. Born in Garden City in 1914, he was ever mindful of his humble beginnings when, as a teen, his first job cleaning out the barn and the bunkhouse of the oil field teamsters paid only 25 cents a day. His successful career spanned more than 60 years, including the development of three Wichita oil-based businesses. Together he and his wife, Middy, established the Abercrombie Scholars Endowed Fund at Wichita State University in honor of their parents, Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Abercrombie and Mr. and Mrs. Harve Surrett. The scholarship was intended for students who have struggled in life, who possess high moral character and an interest in entrepreneurship. Albert and Middy Abercrombie were recipients of the Fairmount Society Lifetime Achievement Award and the Fairmount Founder’s Award. Both were life members of the Alumni Association.
