9 - 1 9 7 2 ▁ ▁Education ▁Committee , ▁Chair man ▁ ▁Astronom ical ▁Society ▁of ▁the ▁Pacific ▁ ▁President ▁ 1 9 6 9 - 1 9 7 1 ▁ ▁Member ▁Board ▁of ▁Direct ors ▁ 1 9 8 2 - 1 9 8 4 ▁ ▁Royal ▁Astronom ical ▁Society , ▁elected ▁a ▁Fellow ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁ ▁International ▁Astronom ical ▁Union ▁ ▁Cos m ology ▁Commission , ▁President ▁ ▁Organ ized ▁sym pos ia ▁on ▁the ▁large - scale ▁structure ▁of ▁the ▁universe ▁ ▁U CLA ▁– ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁ ▁Cre te ▁– ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁ ▁American ▁Association ▁for ▁the ▁Ad van cement ▁of ▁Science , ▁Member ▁of ▁the ▁gover ning ▁board ▁ ▁Summer ▁Science ▁Program ▁ ▁Academ ic ▁Director ▁ 1 9 6 0 - 1 9 8 3 ▁ ▁Gu est ▁speaker ▁in ▁other ▁years ▁ ▁S ke pt ical ▁ ▁Committee ▁on ▁Scient ific ▁Investig ation ▁of ▁Cla ims ▁of ▁the ▁Par an ormal ▁( found ing ▁member ) ▁ ▁Which ▁became ▁Committee ▁for ▁S ke pt ical ▁In qu iry ▁ ▁P ant he on ▁of ▁S ke pt ics , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁initial ▁ 2 7 ▁members ▁ ▁Personal ▁life ▁Ab ell ▁was ▁married ▁twice . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁marriage ▁occurred ▁right ▁after ▁his ▁gradu ation ▁from ▁Cal tech . ▁ ▁His ▁first ▁wife ▁was ▁a ▁school ▁teacher ▁and ▁they ▁had ▁two ▁sons ▁together ▁named ▁Anthony ▁and ▁Jonathan . ▁ ▁This ▁marriage ▁ended ▁after ▁