Hilton Head Vacation 2014

The Abbott tribe took over the Hilton Head Island in August of 2014.  We had over 30 members of the family vacationing on the island the first week of August.

Abbott Family Reunion in Hilton Head August 2014

The Abbott family had a major reunion in Hilton Head.  The family of my late Uncle Guy and Aunt Rosemary gathered in Hilton Head this month to have a family reunion.  The pictures show the complete clan and my Father is in some of the Photo ops.

Vacation in Duck 2014

Another great vacation with the family.  It was a relaxing week of sun and fun.  The kids were pumped up and excited.   We had a great week of weather and some good family fun.

In Memory of Guy Lewis Abbott

In Memory of Guy Lewis Abbott Dec 8th, 1927 to July 10th, 2009

Born to Guyton and Geraldine Abbott on December 8, 1927. He was known as "Sonny" to all of the Abbott family. The nick name came from a neighbor who called him the sunshine of her life. He grew up and went to school in Swissvale, Pa.

Sonny was a sergeant in the army (WWII) and stationed at Fort Lewis in Washington. He was scheduled to be shipped out to the Pacific theater when we dropped the A-Bomb so he never went overseas. He then was recruited to be a MP and was assigned to track down and bring back deserters to the base.

He returned and went to Duquesne University, married Rosemarie and they had two boys and two girls. Ricky, Michael, Sandy and Eileen. They lived for a while in Irwin, Pa while Guy worked as a draftsman at the Switch & Signal. After that they moved to Cannonsburg, PA while he worked as a supervisor for RCA. In the years after he retired they moved to Hilton Head and again enjoyed a number of years hosting family members at their South Carolina house.












Guy loved his family, children, grandchildren, and his great grandchildren. They were a special part of his life and the ones he leaned on when he became ill. He had a heart bypass, recovered and then was diagnosed with Lung cancer. He had an operation to remove the cancer from his lung. But, as so often happens cancer was found to be in his bones. As the disease advanced he moved in with his daughter Sandy, at her house in Charlotte, NC.

Last July we went down to Charlotte and had the opportunity to see my uncle one last time. My dad went with us to spend a few days with his brother. When we left him, my dad visually upset knowing he would not see him in this world again. On July 10th, 2009 my Uncle, known also as "Sonny", brother, husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather left us.


He will be missed by all that knew and loved him. But never forgotten.

Father Day 2010

For Our Fathers who we Love and Honor

Great Grandpa and Grandpa we still think of you both

Fathers day is a very important and sometimes emotional day for we honor that man who was a part of our existence. Not just physical, but emotionally and even spiritually to make up who we are.

We need to look deeper into the true meaning of fatherhood. It is not that you are able to create life with your partner, but are able to give of yourself , your time and your resources. To be able to stand in the gap at times for your children and shape them into the people they become.

To be able to have a stake in the future of the ones we love and to be a part of their lives and hopefully their childrens lives.

My father always spent the time to be with us on the baseball field and at home. We were taught to respect others and to work hard to get what we wanted. Our dad has been there when we really needed him.

Thanks Dad we love and appreciate you......

April Showers brings May Birthdays

Birthday Mania

May is a very busy month in the Abbott family

Cathy and I have our anniversary on the 1st Day of the month.

Followed by Birthday after Birthday.... from Brian, Kevin and Jeff ..... all three brothers born in May.


Followed by two of Kelly's children Taylor and Samantha also have birthdays in the Fifth month of the year.




Alyssa eating the cake for the May Crew
Her birthday is next month.

Some families save money for the Christmas holidays, but we also have to spend more in the Fifth month of the year than at the end of the year.





Sammie gets ready to light the cake
and sing for all.

It is a joy to spend time with the family and enjoy talking of the days gone by and share in the family dreams of tomorrow.

Taylor waiting for the Birthday songs to begin

The Abbate Family off to America

Formicola, Italy...

The year was 1848. In Italy a revolution was growing for national unity and independence. That year revolution had initiated uprisings from Vienna which moved through several other regions. Finally, in 1861 the Kingdom of Italy was established. During this Italian unification, the territories of Emilia and Romagna combined into the new nation.

This war and the building of a new nation had prompted many to emigrate to the United States. A large number of Italians sailed off to the New World which held a promise for a new start, cheap land and endless opportunities.


This takes us to a young couple from the city of Formicola, which is 55 km northeast of Naples. Formicola means "Ant Hill", which may be another reason why they left for the new world.
Vincenzo Abbate and Filomena Caputo married and decided to leave the old country for a new start.

Here they stand a few years later.

In 1901 the Abbate family invaded the New World, arriving at Ellis Island in two waves. Vincenzo James Abbate then 32 arrived in May of 1901 establishing a residence and job to provide for his family. While his wife Filomena Caputo Abbate then 24 arrived in September with their children.



The journey eventually took them to a new area in western Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. They lived out their lives in Pittsburgh with the family flourishing around them.

Filomena died Sept 3rd, 1945 at age 68. Vincenzo died June 10th, 1952 at age 83.

Although their journey has ended, the Abbott family
legacy continues to grow in the country where a young italian couple braved the ocean and raised a family in love.

I say to them .... noi ti amiamo, GRAZIE
(we love you, and thanks)



My Greatgrandfather and Grandfather