Truman Leslie Mabee, of Huntsville, passed away on February 7, 2024, at the age of 88. Always a people person, he was devoted to family and friends and leaves many stories and memories of his life experience for those that knew him.
Born November 7, 1935, in Birmingham, AL, to Crawford Douglas Mabee, Jr. and Marie Kathryn (Hazlewood) Mabee, Truman graduated from West End High School in 1954. He then attended Birmingham Southern and Auburn University and earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in 1961. Truman was a popular football player in high school and a die-hard Auburn fan for the rest of his life. He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves in 1963.
During summers in high school, he worked for ADT installing fire alarm systems in cotton gins. He worked for Teledyne Brown Engineering Company as a Program Manager and Senior Project Engineer, then moved to Electronic Associates, Inc., where he sold hybrid computer systems to universities and the federal government. These systems played a major role in high-profile scientific projects, such as NASA’s development of space probes and satellites, and missile guidance systems for the U.S. Army. In his sales role, Truman made many friends from all over the world, and he was very proud of the work he accomplished in this industry. Many of his closest Huntsville friends met him during this phase of his career. Later, he worked as a marketing consultant at AMTEC Corporation.
Truman loved Huntsville and let everyone know what a special place it is. He entertained family and friends with interesting new facts and statistics about his city and was an informal ambassador for newer residents. He was an avid golfer for much of his life and a founding member of the Valley Hill Country Club, where he was active in tournament and group play and served on the board of directors early on. Truman’s grandchildren will always remember the golf cart rides their Grandaddy would take them on when visiting. He also dabbled in Huntsville real estate, investing in rental and commercial properties when he had the opportunity. He was a life-long member of the United Methodist Church and served as an usher and faithful congregant at several local UMC churches.
Truman was a caring father, grandfather, uncle, and friend. He was predeceased by his younger brother, Crawford Douglas III (Marilyn). He is survived by his son, Scott (Laura); daughter, Suzanne (Kevin); grandsons, Nathan, Kyle, Josh, and Gabe; granddaughters, Juliana and Ally; sisters, Janice Ransom (Pete) and Cynthia Madrid (Chris); nephews, Mike, Mark, Joe, and Jacob; nieces, Pam, Cheryl, Kathy, Kristy, Karen, and Clare; and many cousins.
Visitation with family will be from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Thursday, February 15, 2024, at Laughlin Service Funeral Home. The funeral service will immediately follow in the chapel with Dr. Don Wright officiating. Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Folds of Honor (foldsofhonor.org), an organization that provides scholarships to families of America’s fallen or disabled military and first responders.
