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Jessica Marie Abate Date of Death: 01/13/2007 Jessica Marie Abate, 23, of Wilmington, NC, died Saturday, January 13, 2007 at New Hanover Regional Medical Center. She was born in Silver Spring, MD, November 2, 1983, daughter of Peter J. Abate and Regina Corvelli Abate of Wilmington, NC. Surviving in addition to her parents are three sisters, Christa, Elena, and Regina Abate; grandparents, Frank and Rose Abate, Mary Grace Corvelli, and Homer Wade; her fiancée, Jonathan Hall; her devoted pet, Sam; and many aunts, uncles, and cousins. She was preceded in death by a grandfather, Henry V. Corvelli. Jessica graduated from UNCW in December 2005 with a Bachelor of Science, Business Administration, with a major in management. Jessica paid her way through college by working numerous jobs, including Manhatten Bagel, Belk-Beery, Enterprise, and the Social Work Department at UNCW. After graduating from UNCW, she was employed by Cooperative Bank in February 2006 as a teller, and after three months was promoted to Commercial Lending Assistant. Cooperative Bank was a special place to Jessica; she loved her job and all the staff. The most important part of Jessica's life was her immediate family, mom, dad, three sisters, her loving fiancée, Jon Hall, and her dog, Sam. She enjoyed spending time with her family. Nothing made Jessica happier than coming to her parent's home with Jon and Sam to enjoy a good meal, spend time around the pool, and watch movies. Jessica and Jon were engaged and planned to marry in April 2007. Jessica especially loved her three sisters who will miss her dearly. They were always spending time together and had a special loving bond. She was always a great role model for her sisters. Jessica was an honest, loving, courageous, and dedicated woman who will be missed by all who knew her. She was diagnosed with Adenocarcinoma / Lung Cancer in August 2006. Before that she had never been sick a day in her life. She maintained a healthy lifestyle and we have no idea how she got this terrible sickness. During that time, she always maintained a smile and had the heart of a lion and never gave up. We would give everything we own just to hold her once again; just to touch her once again. Love, dad, mom, and sisters. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, January 17, 2007, at St. Mark Catholic Church by the Rev. Msgr. Matthew Hendrick. Interment will follow in Greenlawn Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 7:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Tuesday at Andrews Mortuary Valley Chapel, 4108 South College Road, Wilmington, NC. Memorial gifts may be made to St. Mark Catholic Church, 1011 Eastwood Road, Wilmington, NC, 28403.