Johnnye Mabery

Johnnye Lee Mabery, Jr. joined his Lord and Savior in Heaven on the evening of Thursday, August 26, 2021. He was born December 13, 1945 in Pearsall,Texas to Johnny Lee Mabery, Sr. and Illene Bell (Childress) Mabery. Quickly to follow were his sisters Paula Sue and Linda Gale. These three kids stuck together like glue and have been there for each other throughout the years. Raised early on in San Antonio, they later moved to Devine,Tx, where on the family farm, he and his sisters helped “Grandma Hazel” raise vegetables and animals for food and cut flowers for sale to the local and San Antonio florists.

After graduating high school, Johnnye served in the U.S. Navy from 1965-1967 as PNSN, leaving with an Honorable Discharge. He was an exceptionally smart fellow and finished a four year trade school in less than two years, then began his career in the construction industry. He worked for Vector Corporation as a supervisor for several years in South Texas and then later began his own company, JLM Construction, in Corpus Christi.

Johnnye and his first wife, Margie, raised their children Kellye and Matthew in the Annaville area of Corpus Christi. He loved his family and worked hard to provide the best for them. Johnnye was passionate about the outdoors and passed that love on to his children. Much family time was spent on a boat fishing and waterskiing, or at a deer lease somewhere.  Family was very important to Johnnye and holidays were always big, fun get-togethers with his mom, sisters, and all the kids.

Many times life’s challenges lead to unexpected blessings. In the next chapter of Johnnye’s life, he met and married his soul mate, Regina. She danced into his world and stayed right by his side through thick and thin. He loved her daughters, Lori, Danelle, and Andrea as his own. Johnnye and Regina started JRM Construction and worked all over the Midwest and North-Eastern states. They bought a beautiful cattle ranch in Quitman, Texas, named it Beulahland, and enjoyed several years there before retiring to Sandia, Texas. Here, he spent the rest of his days tinkering and going to his baby sister’s house on Sundays for dinner and Dallas Cowboys games. Johnnye also found a new best buddy in Max, his mini Australian Shepherd pup, who shadowed him everywhere filling his heart with hope and love.

Grandma Hazel used to tell Johnnye that he would either be a Baptist preacher or a comedian when he grew up. Well, he never became a preacher but after downsizing to a simpler way of life, Johnnye found his true calling as “Frosty” selling Italian ice and giving away silly jokes for free. He loved to make people laugh and did so every time he got the chance.

He was one of a kind, a true character, and will be dearly missed!!

Johnnye was preceded in death by his precious son, ”Trey'' Johnnye Lee Mabery III, his  father, Johnny Mabery Sr, his bonus dad, Murray Stanwood, and his mother, Illene Stanwood.  Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 26 years, Regina Gayle (Crawford) Mabery of Sandia, Texas, sister Paula Williams (Larry) of Kemp, Texas, sister Linda Rackowitz (Tommy) of Sandia, Tx., daughter Kellye Ann Yount (Aaron) and son John Matthew Mabery (Melissa) both of Fredericksburg, Texas, and bonus daughters Lori Breland, Danell Hargraves (Zach), and Andrea Hartung (Jeff). He was “Candy PawPaw” to 13 grandchildren: Trevor Mabery (Lauren), Ahren Ahrlett, Nathan Mabery (Abby), Noah Mabery, Nicolas Breland, Grace Mabery, Gavin Mabery, Maddie Kate Mabery, Abigail Hargraves, Sonja Hartung, Emma Hargraves, Liliana Breland, and one great granddaughter, Millie Pate Mabery.