Obituary of Gary Carl Abrahamson

Gary Carl Abrahamson, 81, of Maple Grove, MN, passed away on January 9, 2024. Gary was born in 1942 in Minneapolis, MN, to Carl and Bernice Abrahamson. Gary grew up in Duluth, MN, on Park Point. He spent his youth fishing the bay of Lake Superior, playing hockey, hunting and gaining an appreciation for the outdoors. Gary graduated from Duluth Central High School in 1960. After high school, he attended the University of Minnesota Duluth and was also in the Duluth Air National Guard.
Gary married the love of his life, his high school sweetheart, Sandra Slotness (known to most as Sam) on July 6, 1963, at First Lutheran Church in Duluth, MN. They were married for 60 years. Gary and Sam raised three children: Jon, Jeff, and Lori. Their first nine years of marriage were spent in Duluth, MN. In 1972, they moved to Maple Grove, MN.
Gary’s career in the food industry brought them to a few different locations including Champlin, MN; LaCrosse, WI; and Overland Park, KS. He specialized in produce and worked his way up from grocery employee to store manager to produce buyer to director of produce. When he retired after his long career, they moved back to Maple Grove, MN. He was a volunteer at Maple Grove Hospital and Advent Lutheran Church in Maple Grove, where they have been members since 1972.
He spent many happy hours with family and buddies while at the hunting shack and on fishing trips. He loved playing cards and passing along his fishing and hunting tips and skills to everyone including his kids and eventually his granddaughters. He was a big Minnesota sports fan especially Men’s Gopher Hockey. If you needed to know when the games were on or the score, all you had to do was ask Gary.
For the last eight years he enjoyed summer resort living in Pine City, MN. He loved dropping a fishing line while on the pontoon, riding around in the golf cart, driving the countryside looking for deer, and telling stories or jokes with all who stopped by to sit with him on the deck. Gary’s love of the outdoors was important to him his entire life so it’s no surprise that his favorite place at home was sitting in his chair watching birds and wildlife outside their window.
Most importantly, out of all his hobbies and interests, his biggest pride and joy was his family and spending time with them.
Surviving Gary is his wife, Sam; children Jon (Lisa) Abrahamson, Jeff Abrahamson, and Lori Abrahamson; granddaughters Kelly (Aaron) Perez and Whitney (Cody) Lubeley; and great-grandsons Finnley Perez and Jack Lubeley.
Gary was preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Bernice Abrahamson; his brother, Rick Abrahamson; and his parents-in-law, Art and Bette Slotness.

A celebration of life will be held on March 9, 2024, at Noon, Advent Lutheran Church, 9475 Jefferson Hwy, Maple Grove, MN 55369. Visitation at 11:30 am with lunch immediately following the service.
Memorial contributions to honor Gary may be made to Advent Lutheran Church - The Endowment Fund. (Advent Lutheran Church, 9475 Jefferson Hwy, Maple Grove, MN 55369)