Larry Keith Mabrey

Larry was born on June 6th, 1948 in Gadsden, AL and grew up in the Mill Village of Alabama City where he had many adventures and made lifelong friends. A rambunctious tot, he quickly acquired the nickname “Possum”, and the moniker stuck. As Larry grew in stature, he gained notoriety among his peers for being a quiet type to those who didn’t know him, hilariously witty to those who did, and a talented football player who packed a mean punch to those who weren’t careful. He graduated from Emma Sansom High School in 1966 and went on to apprenticeship school, becoming a pipefitter, welder, and longtime union member of Local 498, working hard for his family until his retirement in 2010. Known for being handy with nearly anything, Larry built many beautiful structures, maintained the family vehicles, and helped his loved ones in whatever ways he could.

Larry was blessed with a large, tight-knit family who loved him fiercely. He enjoyed hunting and fishing, but valued most the time spent with his brothers, nephews, daughters, grandchildren, friends, and sons-in-law while doing those things. As the “baby” of the family, he was held in high affection by his siblings, Harold “Sonny Boy”, JoAnn, and Jerry Don, the two eldest of these taking on more protective, parental roles following the premature death of their father, Juston, when Larry was only 9 years old. He shared a particularly fervent bond with his mother, Louise, who worked long hours at the cotton mill to support their family. Larry was later blessed with two daughters of his own, Sunny and Hayley, with whom he shared his funniest jokes, hard-earned wisdom, and an abundance of joy. Larry dearly loved his wife, Judy, and they enjoyed their life together on the river even as she became his generous and steadfast caregiver in more recent years. Having been gifted with numerous nieces, nephews, and their kids, Larry’s heart was further expanded when his grandchildren came along, and they loved him well in return. Larry cared for many dogs throughout his life and passed that compassion for animals on to his family.

Larry is preceded in death by his father, Juston Mabrey; mother, Mary Louise Mabrey; brother, Harold “Sonny Boy” Mabrey; sister, JoAnn Waits (and husband Jerry Waits); sister-in-law, Diane “Pug” Mabrey (wife to Jerry Don); and his stepson, Greg Gowens. He is survived by his wife, Judy; daughters, Hayley Burns (husband Chuck) and Sunny Mabrey (husband Ethan Embry); brother, Jerry Don Mabrey; stepdaughter, Cristal Owens; grandchildren, Charley Burns, Bo Burns, Cogeian Embry, Dalton Gowens, Tyler Gowens, and Mitchell Owens.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 15, 2023 at 2pm at Collier-Butler Funeral Home with visitation from 1-2pm. Allen Hudson will be leading the service and singing one of Larry’s favorite hymns as we celebrate his life. There will be a meal at Dwight Baptist Church immediately following the service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Lung Association via https://www.lung.org. The Mabrey family extends their immense gratitude to Dr. Oluwole “Dr. A” Akisanya and staff, Dr. Muhammad Kaleem, Dr. Shahana Masood, Dr. Mwelwa Chizinga, and all the caring nurses and staff at Gadsden Regional Medical Center.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.collier-butler.com for the Mabrey family.