Obituary: Warren Abrahamson, 95, Ludington.

Warren Abrahamson

Warren Gene Abrahamson, 95, of Ludington, passed away on October 22, 2015 at Mercy Health in Muskegon.
Born on May 7, 1920 in Detroit, he was the son of the late Martin and Elfrieda (Johnson) Abrahamson. Warren attended Ludington schools, graduating from Ludington High School in 1938. He attended Albion College and the Detroit Business College, and received a sales training degree from LaSalle Extension University of Chicago.

During World War II, he married Alice Enid Johnson on February 25, 1942 at Chanute Air Force Base, Rantoul, IL, where he served in the Intelligence Office. Subsequently, he had assignments in Santa Ana, CA, Phoenix, AZ, Amarillo, TX, Bellville, IL, and Madison, WI. Following WWII, Warren returned to Ludington and served in the U.S. Army Reserve as commanding officer of Company C, 771st F.A. Battalion and was honorably discharged as a first lieutenant, Military Police Corps, USAR.

He was the owner-manager of an appliance, heating, plumbing, and electrical business, and later became the president of the Abrahamson-Nerheim Lumber Company, Ludington. Subsequently, he was a buyer with Wickes Lumber Company, Saginaw and became a partner and vice president of marketing and sales with the Jim White Lumber Company, Bay City. After retirement in 1982, he returned to Ludington and worked as a realtor with Coolman-Anderson Realty and managed Landmark Development Company, Inc.

Dedicated to civic and community projects, Warren served as a director and then president of the Ludington Chamber of Commerce, and was a charter member of the Ludington Optimist Club and the Ludington Yacht Club, a director of the Western Michigan Fair Association, a volunteer fireman with the Ludington Fire Department, and served on the Hamlin Township Planning Commission. He was a life member of the Royal Arch Masons, Elks Club, and Delta Tau Delta fraternity, and was a member of the American Legion and Lincoln Hills Golf Club. Especially dedicated to the United Methodist Church, Warren served on numerous committees, as superintendent of the Sunday school, director of the children’s and chancel choirs, and he sang in church choirs for 55 years. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and boating with friends and family on the Little Manistee and Pine Rivers, Hamlin Lake, and Lake Michigan. Warren’s dedication and love will live on in the hearts of his family and friends.

Warren was predeceased by his loving wife of 68 years Alice in January 2011, and is survived by a daughter and son-in-law Sheryl and Milan (Budde) Reed of Ludington and a son and daughter-in-law Warren II and Christy Abrahamson of Lewisburg, PA. He is also survived by four grandchildren and their significant others, Brett Binkley (Suzann) of Boyne City, MI, Sara Binkley-Tow (Jeff Tow) of Rockford, MI, Jill Abrahamson (Matt Sauers) of Selinsgrove, PA, and Ryan Reed of Ludington and by six great grandchildren Spencer and Carter Binkley of Boyne City, MI, Samantha and Jake Tow of Rockford, MI, and Andrew and Hannah Sauers of New Berlin, PA, and by numerous nieces and nephews. Warren was predeceased by his sister Dorothy Karlsen in 2004.

A memorial service with military honors by the American Legion Post 76 will be held at 11:00AM on Wednesday October 28, 2015 at the United Methodist Church of Ludington with Pastors Dennis Bromley and Ken Tabor officiating. The family will receive friends for visitation from 10 a.m. until time of service. A luncheon will immediately follow the service and final interment will be at Lakeview Cemetery in Ludington.

Memorial gifts may be made to the American Diabetes Association, 1550 E Beltline SE, Suite 250, Grand Rapids Charter Township, MI or the United Methodist Church, 5810 Bryant Road, Ludington, MI 49431, or to a charity of the donor’s choice. Feel free to share a memory or photo with Warren’s family at www.oakgrovefh.com. The family has entrusted funeral arrangements with Oak Grove Funeral Home & Cremation Center.