Fred Mabuce

Freddie Delwin "Fred" Mabuce, 79, of Jackson passed away Monday, Dec. 11, 2023, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis.

He was born May 6, 1944, in Sikeston, Missouri, to Delwin and Juanita Parsons Mabuce. He and Cheryl Martin were married April 9, 1966, at the Methodist church in Millersville, also the church of his lifelong membership.

Fred was a 1962 graduate of Jackson High School, where he earned multiple letters in baseball and basketball.

While honorably serving six years in the Missouri National Guard with the 1140th Engineer Battalion in Jackson, Fred earned his certification as a barber from Moler Barber School in St. Louis. Thereafter, he worked 54 years as a barber, twice owning and operating Varsity Barber Shop in Cape Girardeau.

While growing up, Fred would go duck hunting with his father and became quite accomplished at making duck calls. He never enjoyed the sport of hunting, but he did have a great love for being outdoors — shooting mistletoe out of trees, riding horses with trail riders, traditional archery and playing tennis with the Broadway Boys at the Southeast Missouri State University courts. In recent years, he learned to fly fish and taught himself how to make flies.

Fred was a member of Ducks Unlimited and Callmakers and Collectors Association of America.

To cherish his memory, he leaves his wife of 57 years, Cheryl Mabuce; children, Kyle (Misty) Mabuce and Nicole (Craig) Rhodes; grandson, Jack Mabuce; brother-in-law, Ron (Linda) Martin; nephew, Landon Martin; and niece, Amanda Martin, all of Jackson; and two stepbrothers and their families.

Fred was preceded in death by his parents; stepfather, Roy Robins; and Cheryl's parents, Glenn "Spud" and Grace Wilson Martin.

Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16, at McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson.

The Rev. Sam Roethemeyer will conduct the funeral at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16, at the funeral home. Military honors and interment will follow at Russell Heights Cemetery in Jackson.

If considering a memorial contribution, the family suggests Jackson R-2 School Foundation or Millersville Methodist Church.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by clicking on the tribute wall tab above Fred's obituary article at www.mccombsfuneralhome.com.