Obituary of Lea Anne Abate
Lea Anne Abate, age 90, of Joliet, passed away Sunday, June 13, 2021, at Adventist Bolingbrook Hospital, with her loving family by her side.
Born June 17, 1930, in Joliet, she was the daughter of the late Walter and Josephine (Bissel) Luehrs. She was a graduate of St. Patrick’s Grade School, attended St. Francis Academy for two years, and graduated from Little St. Mary on the Fox High School.
She married Alfred “Fuff” Abate in 1952, and he preceded her in death in 1998. Four siblings also preceded her in death.
Lea Anne was blessed with her loving children, the late Debbie Abate Stern (2009), Sandy Abate Whitgrove, Peter (Dee) Abate, Marijo (Nick) Abate Amatulli, and Marcie Abate; her adoring grandchildren, Greg (Mara) Stern, Stephanie (Tizoc) Stern Landeros, Carrie (Matt) Whitgrove Blackburn, KC (Danielle) Whitgrove, Stacy (Jerry) Whitgrove Baker, Nina (Adam) Abate Lindley, Emily (Cliff) Abate Cozzi, Carly (Derek Lang) Abate, Maggie (Sean) Abate O’Connor, Toni, Talia and Geno Persico, and Leah and Nicholas Ochs; 18 dear great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
All family and friends are invited to meet at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, June 18, 2021, at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 710 W. Marion Street, Joliet, for her Mass of Christian Burial. Facemasks and social distancing is required. Interment will follow in St. John’s Cemetery, Joliet.
In lieu of flowers, memorials to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (www.stjude.org) would be appreciated.
Fred C. Dames Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. For more information, please call (815) 741-5500 or visit her Memorial Tribute at www.fredcdames.com where you can share a favorite memory or leave an online condolence.
