Obituary of Joseph A. Abraham

Joseph Anthony Abraham, 91, passed away at the Siegenthaler Center on May 14, 2025.

He was born on Pratt Ave in Clark Mills, the son of Jerry and Freda Rice Abraham, and brother to Mary Ann “Mamie”. Joseph had lived in the Hamlet of Clark Mills his entire life and was educated in the Clinton Schools.  In January of 1952, he enlisted in the US Navy during the Korean War.  He served aboard the USS Lewis Hancock and was honorably discharged in December 1955 as Seaman First Class after four years of active duty.  On January 21, 1956, he married the former Nancy V. Zurawski at Holy Trinity Church in Utica.  He worked for General Electric for 27 years and 4 months.  Upon his retirement he decided to become a fishing guide on the Salmon River and a First Mate on a charter boat on Lake Ontario.  Joseph was an avid angler and hunter.  He had a wonderful opportunity to assist in guiding President George H. W. Bush on the Salmon River in October 2001.  This honor was with his late cousin Happy Acee Jr. He was a member of Church of the Annunciation, the American Legion Post #26, and was former Vice President of the Clark Mills Historical Society.

He leaves his children, Pauline and Barry Dickstein, Sharon and David Wankel, Simon “Sam” and Kathy Abraham, and Joann and Chris Thaler; his grandchildren, Eric (Anna), Justin (Jodi), Jessica, Julia, and John; three great-grandchildren, Avery, Ashton and Grayson; his loving companion, Jennifer Scoones and her two sons David and Michael; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Moses and Sophie Acee; his nieces, Terry Crane, Cindy (Terry) Nielsen, and Wendy (Steven) Fisch; lifelong friend Warren Evans.

He was predeceased by his parents Jerry and Freda Abraham; his sister Mary Ann “Mamie” Brown; his former wife Nancy; and his grandchildren, Adam Wankel and Amanda Thaler.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10am Tuesday, May 20, 2025, at Church of the Annunciation in Clark Mills.  All are invited to call from 9am-10am at the church prior to Mass. He will be buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Westmoreland. Arrangements by Owens-Pavlot & Rogers Funeral Service, Clinton.

Please consider donations in Joe’s memory to Clark Mills Fire Department, Clark Mills Historical Society or Hospice and Palliative Care.