Abebetch E. Tadesse

Abebetch E. Tadesse was born in 1944 in Harar, Ethiopia, to Colonel Tadesse Gashaw and Azaletch Belay. She grew up in the historic walled city of Harar alongside her two older sisters, Roman and Zewdenesh, and her younger brother, Gashaw, in a home grounded in family, tradition, faith, and community.

After the loss of her parents, Abebetch entered adulthood with the strength and independence that would remain defining qualities throughout her life. In 1964, she began working for Ethiopian Airlines as a flight attendant, an experience that introduced her to a world beyond her home country. In 1966, she made the difficult decision to leave Ethiopia and begin a new life in the United States, leaving behind her siblings and settling in New York City.

In New York, Abebetch became part of a close-knit Ethiopian and international community whose members supported one another and, over the years, became like family. It was within this community that she met Tura K. Ebba in 1969. Their relationship grew through shared values, mutual respect, and companionship, and in June 1972, they were married, surrounded by the community that had become an important part of their lives.

Education was a lifelong priority for Abebetch. She earned two master’s degrees from City College and Columbia University and dedicated 24 years to teaching in New York City public schools on the Lower East Side. She was deeply committed to her students and believed strongly in the opportunities that education could provide, a value she also instilled in her family.

Her faith in God and devotion to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church were central to her life. Abebetch was one of the founders of St. Mary Zion Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in New York, helping to establish a spiritual home for the growing Ethiopian community. Her faith remained a source of strength and guidance throughout her life. She also loved to travel and took great pleasure in seeing and experiencing the world.

Abebetch and Tura raised their two daughters, Azaletch and Wosenyelesh, in New York. As a mother, she was loving, devoted, and deeply invested in their lives. She encouraged them to trust in their abilities, stand with confidence, and become strong and independent women. Her grandsons, Cooper and Odinn, later brought her tremendous joy and held a very special place in her life.

Abebetch's love and concern extended far beyond her immediate family. She built relationships that lasted for decades and had a remarkable way of making people feel seen and remembered. She was uncommonly funny, with a beautiful smile and an infectious laugh that brought joy to those around her. She took a genuine interest in people—remembering their children, asking about a concern shared weeks earlier, offering encouragement, or quietly making sure someone in need was cared for.

She was everyone's personal cheerleader. She believed in people, sometimes before they fully believed in themselves, and took genuine pride in seeing those she loved succeed. She reminded others of their worth and what they were capable of accomplishing.

Abebetch passed away on August 8, 2026, in her beloved Harlem, New York City—the city that became her home and where she built her family, her career, her faith community, and a lifetime of friendships.

She is survived by her daughters, Azaletch and Wosenyelesh; her sons-in-law, Chris and Ray; her grandsons, Cooper and Odinn; her younger brother, Gashaw; and her extended family and many cherished friends.

Abebetch will be remembered for her strength and elegance, her devotion to family and faith, her commitment to education, and the love and encouragement she gave so freely to others. Her influence lives on in her family, her former students, her friends, her church community, and all those fortunate enough to have known her.

May her soul rest in eternal peace, and may her memory remain with us always.