Pete Abele

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Homer E. "Pete" Abele (November 21, 1916 – May 12, 2000) was an American politician of the Ohio Republican party.

Abele graduated from Wellston High School in his birthplace of Wellston, Ohio in 1934. From 1935 to 1936, he served in the Civilian Conservation Corps. After that, he played baseball with the Nashville Vols of the Southern Association. From 1938 to 1941, he lived in Lancaster, Ohio and McArthur, Ohio, working for the Anchor Hocking Glass Corp. and the Austin Powder Co.

In 1941, Abele joined the Ohio State Highway Patrol and worked as a state trooper from 1941 to 1946, except for a stint in the Army Air Corps from 1943 to 1946.

In 1948, he earned a degree in pre-law from Ohio University (Athens, Ohio). In 1953, he received a law degree from Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio).

In 1949, while still a student in law school, Abele was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives, where he served from 1949 to 1952. In 1952, Abele joined the unsuccessful presidential campaign of Robert Taft.

From 1953 to 1957, Abele was a lobbyist for railroad interests. In 1956, he was appointed solicitor of the village of McArthur, Ohio. In 1952, Abele attended the Republican National Convention. In 1956, he was a delegate to the convention. From 1954 to 1957, Abele was the chairman of the Vinton County, Ohio, Republican Executive Committee.

In 1958, Abele was the Republican nominee for U.S. representative in the 10th district. He lost to incumbent Walter H. Moeller. In 1962, Abele challenged Moeller again and unseated him; Abele began his service in 1963 (88th Congress). However, he served only one term. In 1964, Moeller won back his seat from Abele.

In 1966, Abele was elected to the office of judge of the Ohio Court of Appeals for the Fourth District. He was re-elected in 1972, 1978, and 1984. He retired at the end of his fourth term in 1991. During his tenure, he was presiding judge from 1977 to 1978 and from 1983 to 1984. In 1978, Abele was chief justice of the Ohio Court of Appeals. Abele also occasionally sat as a visiting judge on the Ohio Supreme Court.

Abele remained a member of the Ohio State Highway Patrol Auxiliary, maintaining the rank of major. From 1967 to 1991, every graduating class of the State Highway Patrol Academy was administered its oath of office by Abele.

He died in Hamden, Ohio at age 83 after suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

Abele's son Peter B. Abele is currently a judge on the Fourth District Appeals Court.

[edit] References

  • (1989) Biographical Director of the United States Congress, 1774-1989: Bicentennial Edition, 2115 p. ISBN 0-16-006384-1. 

See also:

Preceded by
Walter H. Moeller		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Ohio's 10th congressional district
January 3, 1963–January 3, 1965		 Succeeded by
Walter H. Moeller