Illissa Abrahams

Abrahams, Illissa Kay

Illissa Kay Abrahams, 66

Artist, Graphic Designer, Bon Vivant

After many years struggling with debilitating tinnitus and fighting advanced lung cancer, Illissa passed away peacefully Feb 19, 2023. She had been attended with great care and compassion by Hennepin Healthcare Hospice for the past 2 years, living in her own home, surrounded by all things she loved.

Illissa was born in Dayton, OH to Harris and Betty Jane Abrahams. She was named after her father's father, Isadore Kay Abrahams (Nashville, TN) and carried his same moniker "IK" into her own life. She went to Fairview High School in Dayton, and graduated from Miami University in Oxford, OH in 1979 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, with a focus on Marketing & Advertising. That same year, she joined the Ad Agency Kircher Helton & Collett in Dayton, quickly advancing to Asst. Art Director. She then moved to Atlanta, GA to pursue design work with Genigraphics Corp, as a pioneer in the new field of computer graphic design. Later in life, she made Minneapolis her home, working for MoneyGram. She is predeceased by her mother and father. She is survived by 3 older siblings - Lewis, Nancy and Jeffrey.

She made lifelong friends wherever she went and was supported by so many of them these past few years. She loved her garden, and the birds and animals it attracted. She had an uncanny and eclectic sense of style, reflected in her home, her own drawings, her humor, her style of dress, and the things she found "graphically pleasing".

She thanks and gives gratitude to Hennepin Hospice services and Open Arms of Minnesota. She donated her remains to University of Minnesota Research and will have a marker in Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis. There will be a private Celebration of Life to honor her final wishes.