Garland "Pete" Abrames

Some people wear their troubles on their sleeve, content to let them define who they are, and confine who they will become. Pete Abrames certainly wasn’t one of them. Pete faced many challenges in his lifetime, yet also many triumphs. Every day was a triumph of Pete’s spirit and heart, a heart he graciously shared with all who knew him.

Pete’s story began on a warm summer day in 1958, in the charming town of Mansfield, Ohio. Those were turbulent times in this country, during the Cold War and the Space Race, and racial tensions increasing across America. A boy named Garland Abrames was born into this world on June 28, 1958.

“Pete” as Garland was forever called, had many brothers and sisters; Rob Ellis, Leslie Ellis, Larry (Brenda) Abrames, Roy Abrames, Kenneth Abrames, Marsha Abrames, Luke Abrames (Cindy) and Regina Garcia, though he grew up with Rob and Leslie in their parents’ Mooresville home.

Pete was a happy-go-lucky little boy, energetic and full of life. He loved to be outdoors, and especially loved his time as a Boy Scout growing up. He was always very proud of the things he accomplished with Scouting, as well as the many lessons he learned.

In 1977, just before his 19th birthday, Pete and his family went to the theater and saw Star Wars, and like so many kids all across the country, he fell in love with the fantasy epic. He found something in the film he could relate to, and seeing each subsequent sequel became a tradition for him. No matter where he was, he came back home to see it in Mooresville, with his family by his side.

Pete eventually left his hometown, anxious to head out into the world, and to choose his own path in life. Pete’s path led him to nearly every corner of the country, from New York, to Florida, to across the nation in California, where he lived in the beautiful San Francisco Bay area. Pete loved San Francisco, and especially loved the Golden Gate Bridge, which was one of the most beautiful places he’d ever seen. He loved to look out at the bay there, always finding the water and the ocean so peaceful.

After living in San Francisco for nearly 10 years, Pete packed up and returned to his roots, moving back to Mooresville. After being gone so long, Pete was thrilled to be home again, surrounded by his family. He was such a wonderful son and brother, and his family meant everything to him.

Pete took a job at the local McDonald’s in Mooresville, and he began to really enjoy it. He had worked in restaurants in Florida and California, too, and enjoyed the business very much. He especially enjoyed it in Mooresville, and loved having the chance to see all the familiar faces come in frequently, the small-town feel he missed while living out west. Pete enjoyed working there so much that he never left, staying there 20 years.

Pete had a nice home out in the country, located in Eminence, not too far from his brother Leslie. Pete loved having his family close by, and was very close to his parents and Rob and Leslie, as well as his dear nephew, Bradley.

Pete enjoyed entertaining his family at his home, too, and was a good cook and gracious host. Eventually, however, he began having some health problems, which prevented him from entertaining the way he always liked to.

Pete battled many different illnesses in his life, courageously, quietly, and modestly. No matter what challenges he faced, Pete was always thinking of others first, ever the caring and light-hearted man he was. Later in life, Pete was diagnosed with a liver disease, and required a transplant. Sadly, the wait was too long, and Pete died on Saturday, June 21, 2008, in Mooresville, one week before his 50th birthday.

Pete was a wonderful man, and a wonderful son, a caring, compassionate man who faced many challenges in his lifetime. Pete had seen so much in his life, a life lived coast to coast, yet his heart was always where his home was, surrounded by the family he loved most of all. He will be greatly missed.

Pete is survived by his parents, James Robert and Phyllis Ellis of Mooresville; brothers, Rob Ellis of Brownsburg, Leslie Ellis of Eminence, Larry Abrames, Luke Abrames, Roy Abrames, Kenneth Abrames; sisters, Marsha Abrames, and Regina Garcia; special nephew, Bradley Ellis of Mooresville; a number of other sisters and brothers; a host of loving nieces and nephews; biological parents, Harold Abrames and Lyvonna (Thompson) Garcia. Funeral Service will begin at 1 p.m., Wednesday, June 25, 2008, in the Carlisle & Son Funeral Chapel, Mooresville, with calling there on Tuesday, June 24, 2008, from 4 to 8 p.m. Burial will be in White Lick Cemetery, Mooresville. Please share online memories and condolences by visiting www.carlisleandson.com or www.lifestorynet.com.