Abe’s family immigrated to Canada when he was 7, settling in Tofield, Alta., where times were tough. Abe left home at 14 to find work. He attended Coaldale (Alta.) Bible School and Winkler (Man.) Bible Institute. In the 1940s, Abe moved to Ontario, where he met Hertha, and built houses in St. Catharines and Sudbury. In 1966, he turned to commercial construction in St. Catharines; Tabor Manor, Pleasant Manor, and Scott Street MB Church are among his work. In the 1960s, Abe began 31 years of volunteering with Mennonite Disaster Service, beginning with the bombed houses in Mississippi. A stroke in 1992 ended his MDS service, but not his golfing. On retiring, Abe made trivets, benches, and games, most of which he gave away. After moving to Tabor Apartments in 2007, he switched his focus to caring for Hertha and cheering on his grandchildren’s activities. He was dedicated to his church community.
