ist ▁Society . ▁ ▁Ann amar ie ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Kansas ▁City , ▁Missouri ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 6 , ▁and ▁studied ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁li br arian , ▁worked ▁for ▁a ▁short ▁while ▁as ▁a ▁li br arian ▁but ▁eventually ▁became ▁a ▁social ▁worker . ▁ ▁George ▁Og den ▁Ab ell ▁was ▁named ▁for ▁his ▁mother ' s ▁brother , ▁George ▁Og den . ▁ ▁The odore ▁and ▁Ann amar ie ▁divor ced ▁when ▁Ab ell ▁was ▁ 6 ▁years ▁old . ▁ ▁Ann amar ie ▁and ▁son ▁went ▁to ▁live ▁with ▁her ▁father , ▁also ▁George ▁Og den , ▁who ▁was ▁an ▁author ▁of ▁western ▁nov els . ▁ ▁The odore ▁maintained ▁regular ▁contact ▁with ▁Ab ell ▁and ▁took ▁him ▁to ▁many ▁museum s ▁and ▁to ▁Griff ith ▁Observ atory ▁and ▁planet arium ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁about ▁ 8 , ▁soon ▁after ▁it ▁opened . ▁ ▁This ▁prompt ed ▁Ab ell ▁to ▁start ▁reading ▁books ▁on ▁astronom y . ▁ ▁Ab ell ▁attended ▁Van ▁Nu ys ▁High ▁School ▁where ▁he ▁achieved ▁all ▁As ▁in ▁all ▁math ▁and ▁science ▁courses ▁that ▁he ▁took . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁youth , ▁Ab ell ▁held ▁many ▁part - time ▁jobs , ▁he ▁had ▁a ▁newspaper ▁delivery ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁mail ▁route , ▁worked ▁in ▁a ▁bow ling ▁al ley , ▁a ▁restaurant , ▁gro c ery ▁store , ▁and ▁did ▁home ▁maintenance ▁work . ▁ ▁Military ▁service ▁Ab ell ▁en list ed ▁in ▁the ▁US ▁Army ▁Air ▁Corps ▁after ▁he ▁graduated ▁from ▁high ▁school