| Notes |
- Niagara Gazette
ABATE-Suddenly In this city, February
2, 1969. Harry F. Abate of 8915 Griffon
Ave., husband of Rosamond, brother of
Mrs. Louise Naneo, father of Mrs.
Leonard. (Mary Ann) Sabalo ond Miss
Rosamond, both of this city, brotherin-
law of Mrs. Patsy Abate and Mrs.
John Abate, both of this city. Also
survived by several nieces and
nephews. The family will be present
° at the Lane Funeral Home, 8622 Buffalo
Ave. Monday from 7-9 p.m. and Tuesday
fom 2-4 p.m. Memorial' services
will be held In Bacon Memorial Presbyterian
Church Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
The Rev. Ray K. Hallln officiating.
Memorials may be made to the Harry
F. Abate Scholarship Fund of Bacon
Memorial Presbyterian Church. Interment
will be In Riverdale Cemetery.
ALSO
Niagara Gazette - 2/3/1969
Harry F. Abate, 65, deputy
superintendent of schools, suffered
a fatal heart attack Sunday
(Feb. 2, 1969) in his home
at 8915 Griffon Ave.
Mr. Abate, who spent more
than 43 years in the city's
school system, enjoyed the
reputation of spending untold
hours in his dedication and devotion
to school work.
Retirement Planned
Mr. Abate was scheduled to
retire May 1 of this year, but °
the Board of Education passed
a special resolution citing him
for his "service and leadership
in the educational community,
and urged him to stay on to
aid newly appointed Schools
Supt. Henry J. Kalfas.
Mr. Abate had been -acting
superintendent of schools from
the time the former superintendent,
Weldon R. Oliver, reportedly
in ailing health, left
his desk last November until
Mr. Kalfas' appointment last
month.
Hewas also head of the special
committee of educators and
citizens working on a plan to
integrate Beech Avenue School.
Asked to Stay On
Mr. Abate, who reached retirement
age last fall, in answering
the. board's refusal to
accept his retirement, said,
"It's nice to have the feeling
that I'm going to stay a while
and help. These are the type
of things which have made
my life an important one in 43
years with the system."
He once said, "If there is any
place in the coun'ry where American
ideals of the worth and
dignity of the indviidual should
flourish, it is in the classroom."
Born in Italy
He got an early start in education.
A native of Italy Mr.
Abate came to this country with
his parents as a child. Because
his parents didn't feel that public
education was enough, he
spent every afternoon atending
private school classes
His- father and two older
brothers went to work in coal
mines in West Virginia. All
three were killed in a mine accident,
after which Mr. Abate's
mother brought him and two
sisters and two brothers to this
city.
He attended Cleveland Avenue
School and Niagara Falls High
School. During.his senior year
at Niagara Falls High, the
school was destroyed by fire.
Mr. Abate and other members
of the class of 1922 completed
their high school education attending,
classes in fire halls, the
YMCA and YWCA and gathering
for assembly in local movie
theaters.
He received a bacheloro f
arts degree from Buffalo State
Teachers College in 1928 and
began teaching history and science
at North Junior High
School, moving to the new high
school in 1930.
Named Principal
In 1942, Mr. Abate was appointed
principal of Center Avenue
School and after three
years in this position, he began
his 14-year career as principal
of Niagara Street School - the
grammar school with the largest
enrollment.
In 1959 he became director of
secondary education . for the
school district and the next
year was elevated to the deputy's
post.
While attending Buffalo State
Teachers College he met Rosamond
Olief. They were married
in 1929. He once described
his wife as an accomplishedmusician on the piano and organ.
Mr. Abate was on the board
of directors of the International
Center, The Girls Club and the
Niagara Community Center.
He was a former chairman of
the United Givers Fund drive,
a member of the Niagara Falls
Teachers Association, the American
Association of School
Administrators, the Cristoforo
Colombo Society, the Century
Club, and Bacon Memorial
United Presbyterian Church.
Survivors include his wife;
two daughters, Mrs. Leonard
(Mary Ann) Sabato and Miss
Rosamond Abate, both of this
city; a sister, Mrs. Louise
Nanea, of this city, and several
nieces and nephews.
Rites Tuesday
Friends may call at the Lane
Funeral Home fro 7 to 9 p.m.
today and 2 to 4 p.m. Tuesday
when the family will be
present. Services will be held
at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Bacon
Memorial United Presbyterian
Church with the Rev. Ray K.
Hallin officiating-. Burial will
be in Riverdale Cemtery.
The family said that donations
to the Harry F. Abate
Scholarship Fund of the church
will be acceptable as tributes.
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Abt 1905 - 1969 (~ 64 years)