Franklin Raby, 24, of Huntsville, AL passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, October 3rd, 2023.
Franklin was born in Huntsville, AL to Lon F. Raby, Jr. and Rebecca (Becky) Barham Raby, and he was the beloved little brother of two sisters. He attended the Mayfair Child Development Center, Randolph School, and graduated from Huntsville High in 2017. He attended Calhoun College, The University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa, and The University of Alabama Huntsville. He was majoring in finance in which he excelled and was set to graduate on December 11th of this year. He was honored with being on the Dean’s List every semester save one, when he was on the President’s list. He had an internship with a tech company this summer in Dublin, Ireland. He was looking forward to finding a job using his degree in the finance industry and moving to Nashville, TN to live near his sisters.
He was a member of Mayfair Church of Christ, having been moved to put on his Lord in baptism at age 10. He was very active in the children’s and youth groups. He participated in many youth retreats, service projects, and mission trips to Belize, Baja California, Honduras. These were some of his happiest times.
Franklin had many friends throughout his life. He was always with his friends, and especially loved having them over to the house. He loved his friends, and you could hardly come home without him being with at least a friend or two. They would come over whether he knew they were coming or not. He was a brother to so many of his friends. He was tender hearted and had a unique sense of humor.
He enjoyed playing sports from an early age – baseball, football, soccer, and basketball. He was a starter on his high school football team. Franklin was very health conscious and worked out on a near daily basis. Also, as a youngster, he really enjoyed being in school plays. He was a fan on several music genres including rock, country, pop, gospel.
Franklin was also an avid outdoorsman, thoroughly enjoying hunting and fishing with his father and friends from an early age. This summer, he and his father went fly fishing in Ireland. They had already made plans to go pheasant hunting in South Dakota this fall.
He enjoyed cooking. One summer, while in college, he was a cook at the Tuscaloosa restaurant Rama Jama. He loved trying his hand at a variety of cooking methods. On one occasion, he made chocolate starting with the whole cocoa pods.
He was preceded in death by his grandfather, Lon F. Raby Sr., and numerous great-grandparents who he was blessed to have known including a beloved great-grandfather, Raymond C. Doggett, who told him fascinating World War II stories, shared his whittlings, carvings, and love of gardening. The other beloved great grandparents who preceded him in death and who doted on him included Ruby and Paul Womack, and Grace Taylor Doggett.
He is survived by his parents who loved him unconditionally, Lon and Rebecca Raby; 2 loving older sisters, Caitlin Elizabeth Raby and Samantha Grace Raby; grandparents who thought he hung the moon, Paternal Grandmother Ruby Nell Irwin Raby, Maternal Grandparents, Melvyn Anton Barham and Betty Gene Doan Barham. He is also survived by a special friend of Samantha and the family, Joshua Ryan Nolen, and numerous maternal and paternal aunts, uncles, cousins, and dear, dear friends. He had several friends that were as close to him as brothers and sisters and also grieve his loss. The family has great appreciation for them loving Franklin as we do. Franklin is loved dearly by all who know him and we know he loves us.
Visitation will be held October 8, 2023, from 1:00 to 3:00 PM at Mayfair Church of Christ (1095 Carl T Jones Dr SE, Huntsville, AL 35802), with a service to follow at 3 pm with words by Aubrey Wood, his former youth minister, and officiated by Gary Bradley, along with congregational singing of some of Franklin’s favorite hymns. Burial will take place at Maple Hill Cemetery (202 Maple Hill St SE, Huntsville, AL 35801) after the service.
If desired, donations can be made in his memory to Mayfair Missions where he spent so many happy hours in service to others.
