Eshetu Koyra Abate
June 29, 1955 - December 28, 2011
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Eshetu Koyra Abate
June 29, 1955 - December 28, 2011
Obituary
Eshetu Abate, 56, was called to be with his LORD and savior Jesus Christ on December 28, 2011 in Fountain Valley, CA while his family was at his side.
A visitation service is being held on Friday January 6 at O’Connor Mortuary in Laguna Hills, CA from 7 to 9 P.M. In addition, there will be a farewell service conducted at First Lutheran Church, in Long Beach, CA at 1 PM on Saturday January 7 as Dr. Eshetu will be interred in his birthplace of Ethiopia.
Eshetu Abate was born in Arbegona, Ethiopia to Mr. Abate Koyra and Egigayehu Kassaye. From his early years, the good news of Jesus Christ reverberated in the Abate household. Nevertheless it was not until he reached the age of 18 that he realized his life’s purpose: to walk with the LORD and proclaim his grace and mercy to others.
After obtaining his doctorate in theology, 1988, from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Dr. Abate returned to Ethiopia to work at the Mekane Yesus Thelogical Seminary from 1988-2000. Afterwards he worked at the Bible Society of Ethiopia as a translation consultant from 2000-2002. His final professional spell was at Concordia University, Irvine where he worked as professor of Theology from 2002 until 2 weeks before his passing.
Above all, though, he esteemed working as a servant of the LORD; first as a Reverend at Addis Ababa Mekanye Yesus in Ethiopia and later in the United States’leading Ethiopian congregations in Long Beach and Los Angeles.
He will be remembered for his deep love and commitment to Jesus Christ.
He is survived by his wife of 21 years, Amarech and his three children: Miseker, Eliezer and Benjamin.
Condolences and Donations may be sent to the family through:
Evangelical Mekane Yesus Lutheran Fellowship in North America
2001 Riverside Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55454
Bank Address:
Wells Fargo Bank
2600 E Franklin Ave.
Minneapolis, MN
55406
Routing No. 0910000191
Account No. 9817300735
OR
You can send a check to the following address:
Francis Stephanos
4537 Cinnamon Ridge Trail
Eagan, MN 55122
26 responses to Eshetu Koyra Abate
Ken Chitwood says:
January 4, 2012
Brother. Everybody was Dr. Abate’s brother or sister and he greeted us all accordingly with the warm touch of family. I feel blessed that I was able to call Dr. Abate my brother over the last eight years. I will always cherish this man’s gentle greeting and warm friendship. Dr. Abate was more than a teacher for many and he proved a friend and mentor to me in my time at Concordia and I always looked forward to our conversations and meals together. His hospitality mirrored his compassion in its humble greatness and his passion for theology and ministry was reflected in his teaching and personal relationships with faculty and students. Dr. Abate was as wise as he was kind and he will be fondly remembered for his bright smile and soft spoken strength. I will dearly miss my brother in Christ, my teacher, my mentor and friend Eshetu Abate Koyra. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. Salam, gewadegna. ???
-Ken Chitwood
Sarah Walls says:
January 4, 2012
Dr. Abate had a passion like no other! He was filled with the Holy Spirit and expressed his faith with a rare passion. His teachings go on in the lives he touched!
Miseker Abate says:
January 5, 2012
1 file added to the tribute wall
Seblewongel Belachew says:
January 5, 2012
I would like to express my deep sympathy for the death of Rev. Dr. Eshetu Abate. He was one of my professors at EGST. He was one of the visionaries for the foundation of the first post graduate school of theology in Ethiopia.
May God the Holy Spirit Comfort his family!
Steve Zank says:
January 5, 2012
My brother. I’ve never met a man of more humility, patience, and love than Dr. Eshetu. There are many things he taught me about Hebrew and the Book of Concord that my feeble mind has not been able to maintain, but Eshetu’s gentleness and love for others penetrated beyond my mind into my spirit. The lessons of the servants heart that he taught by example I can never-ever forget, and am to him eternally indebted. Our God is faithful.