Over the span of 15 verbally resounding years, George Abram, AKA, “Voice of the Yeomen,” became one of the most recognizable people in town along with his infectious smile. When he smiled, you smiled, because George always had a very special gift, the gift of elevating ones spirit by simply tickling your funny bone with spontaneously colorful humor.
He told the story of a day when he was walking through Midway Mall in Elyria when a woman and her two young children approached him. “One kid looked up at his mom and says, mom, that’s the ‘two man’!!” At that moment George said he extended his open palm and shook the young boy’s hand. He then chatted with the boy and his mom for a few minutes. George later said with a smile and much appreciation “I still don’t know who they were, but they knew me,” followed by a boisterous laugh!!
Abram worked at Oberlin College as a public-address announcer for the sports of football and men’s and women’s basketball. He was well known to the school’s fans for his famous touchdown and 3-point calls.
An Oberlin resident for over 50 years, Abram also worked as a PA announcer at Oberlin High School for 39 years before retiring from that position last year.
Abram served the community with more than just his voice, he was a licensed realtor for Howard Hanna for 17 years.
He was the first African-American General Manager at WABQ radio in Cleveland, founder and president of the Boys and Girls Club in Oberlin, chairman and original board member of Cable Co-op, chairman of the Underground Railroad, and created the Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Program for the City of Oberlin. Additionally, Abram retired from the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) after 20 years of service as Director of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO).
Abram was married to his wife, Cleo, for 65 loving years. Together they have three children and four grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
