Rockford attorney Alex Abate passed away last month at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, Minn. Abate earned his bachelor's degree in economics and juris doctorate from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. After school, Abate returned to Rockford, where he practiced law for 35 years. He practiced with the Abate & Smith Law Firm for 13 years. Click here to read the full obituary in the Rockford Register Star.