I met Abe in 2002, it was before July 2002, before Perry but I don't remember which month.
I sent an email to OBRPC for membership and Abe responded. Abe was kind enough to accommodate me individually for the orientation and safety check, since I wanted to get membership right away. I met him at the range and he was very kind and encouraging. I had never really shot before, other then the introduction course I took with Ken Uzar (now a great friend). Since then Abe was always there, always listened and usually was the first to respond with advice and even equipment.
When I went to Perry for the first time, Abe gave a big package full of useful information, copies of maps and everything and anything one would need on a first trip to Perry. He was so helpful in everything that I could write at least one incident for every time I saw him. He was the first one who showed me how to take a 1911 apart. He was the first to tell me that you don't need a super tight grip and showed me you can shoot a 1911 with 2 fingers only.
He was an artist when it came to teaching. He was always so well organized and had a wonderful way of getting the knowledge across. Everyone who crossed paths with him always walked away learning something from him.
We will all miss you, Abe. It’s still hard to believe that I won't see you at the range or have a chance to learn more from you.
regards,
Faisal Yamin
Thank you for the pics and videos. Abe was my friend for about 45 years having met in high school. We were study partners and learned a lot from each other. For one early and one later example: in high school there was a study hall period during which we sat side by side. Abe, who had artistic talents taught me how to draw more natural human figures and military hardware like tanks, missiles, rocket launchers and so on - all under the watchful eyes of the studyhall supervisor. I still have one or two books with the drawings in the margins. Within the last 8 years he taught me the basics of target shooting at the range - a sport I never would have imagined myself enjoying as much as I did. Over many years, we discussed music, films, politics, computing, photography, MCI Worldcom (a lot!) etc. If he had skills in anything he would share them just for the asking. During our lives as friends there were times we saw and spoke to each other frequently and other times when we did not for months at a time. But even when life's circumstances kept me occupied I wondered what Abe would say about many things. I remember his mother, father and brother as clearly today as if it were 45 years ago, having been at their small two family house in Brooklyn on Carrol Street many times. Two of our favorite life-long friendly dis-agreements revolved about the artistic merits of a movie called "The War Lover" with Richard Widmark (he liked it, I thought it was mindless pap) and the music of Crosbey Stills Nash and Young vs. Steely Dan. (I liked them both but would favor the Dan because he hated them and what's a friend for if not to bust once in a while?) When I heard that Abe had become unresponsive in the hopital I planned to get over there and whisper one of the frequently debated points about harmony to stimulate him. The Sunday I planned to be there was the day after he passed - my sad lesson is "If you care act now."
I hope to share more stories about my friend Abe at the gathering.
Ted Able