obituaries

Mapquest.com doesn't recognize the junction of County Road 101 and Minnetonka Boulevard as Ty Abel's Corner, but many who pass through the busy Minnetonka intersection still do.

Designated by the Minnetonka Community Resources Commission as a city landmark in 1996, the intersection is named for the man who ran a service station there for nearly 50 years and brought what is believed to be the first car wash, bowling alley and hair salon to Minnetonka. His Union 76 station is now Leighton's Garage.

Abel died of natural causes Jan. 19 at Presbyterian Homes in Spring Park. He was 94.

In 1933, as the first male valedictorian in the history of Chaska High School, he had plans to go to medical school at the University of Minnesota, said his daughter, Kathleen Abel, of Duluth. Unable to pay tuition and needing work to help provide for his family, Abel held a number of odd jobs until 1941, when he opened a service station.

"He wanted to be a pharmacist, but instead he became a doctor of cars," she said.

Save for three years he served in the Navy during World War II, Abel pumped gas and fixed cars for a spectrum of people, including businessmen, legislators, sports stars and residents of the nearby Groveland neighborhood. The loquacious Abel loved to tell jokes, his daughter said. He shared his pride in Minnetonka with all who walked through the station's door, keeping scrapbooks and memorabilia of city events at the ready.

"He was one of those people who could talk to anybody about anything and get them interested," said former Minnetonka City Clerk Kathy Magrew.

He ran a Nash car dealership for a short time at his station and opened the Aqua Bowl in the 1950s to provide a place for families to have fun, Kathleen Abel said.

He also contributed to the city. As a member of the Lions Club, he led an effort to clear trees to make way for baseball fields at Bennett Family Park. He served as the Lions Club president and district governor, and was the first president of the Minnetonka Chamber of Commerce, first president of the Minnetonka Gasoline Dealers Association and a past president of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Wayzata.

After he sold his gas station and bowling alley, Abel continued to serve others. He worked as a greeter at the Minnetonka Cub Foods well into his 80s.

"He liked to wipe down carts for shoppers," his daughter said. And if they had one with a bad wheel, "he'd tell them, 'I have a better cart for you.' People just loved that."

In addition to his daughter, Abel is survived by a son, Michael, of Wayzata, and two grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 115 W. Wayzata Blvd., Wayzata. Visitation will be held one hour before services.