Louis "Lou" Abate

“My entrance and exit have been written in the sands of time. The pictures I choose to create in between are up to me. I can only hope to create something beautiful.”

Louis "Lou" Abate, the author of this verse died on Sunday at the age of 58. Born and raised in Hibbing, Lou started his career in appliance repair at Keenan TV and Appliance. He later moved to Mora, MN and started his own successful appliance repair business. Following in his father’s footsteps, he also served as a volunteer fire fighter for 15 years.

Lou eventually moved back to Hibbing where he chose to live life the “Lou way”, becoming an unlikely poet and gaining appreciation for the world around him. Able to find a heart shape in the most unlikely places, in a beautiful flower in the darkest area, he used his appreciation for nature’s beauty, his verse and his infectious smile to help brighten other people’s lives no matter where his was at. Lou was preceded in death by his father, Orlando Abate, Sr., his mother, JoAnn (Mattson) Abate, his brother Mark Abate and his sister, DeAnn Abate. He is survived by his son, Jason Vesel and his significant other, Krista Sabin, daughter, Destiny (Ricardo) Contreras, his granddaughter, Jessalyn Vesel, his brothers Kevin (Karen) Abate and Orlando Jr. (Patty) Abate, his nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.

They named me Lou.

For I am but a man.

Sometimes I know

not what to do.

But I will always do

the best I can.

My broad shoulders

can carry a heavy load.

Life like boulders.

Sometimes too heavy to hold.

Mistakes will be made.

I will do the best I can.

For they named me Lou.

But I am just a man.

Useful ramblings from a delusional mind

Celebration of life will held at Sportsmen’s tavern 1/15/22 at 4pm