John Couchman Mabee

1921 - 2002  (80 years)

• Name	John Couchman Mabee
  Birth	21 Aug 1921	Seymour, Wayne County, Iowa   [1]
  Gender	Male
  Census	1 Jan 1925	Walnut Township, Wayne County, Iowa   [2]
  	J L Mabee, Head, Male, White, 42, Mar, born in Iowa, parents: Wm J Mabee, Ohio, 73, and Hetta Shock, Iowa, 68, married in Iowa Dora B Mabee, Wife, Female, White, 38, Mar, born in Iowa, parents: G W Couchman, Illinois, 67, and Elizabeth Michael, Iowa, 62, married in Iowa Wm Everett Mabee, Son, Male, White, 14, S, born in Iowa, parents: J L Mabee, Iowa, 42, and Dora B Couchman, Iowa, 38, married in Iowa Letha B Mabee, Daughter, Female, White, 12, S, born in Iowa, parents: J L Mabee, Iowa, 42, and Dora B Couchman, Iowa, 38, married in Iowa Ilaf C Mabee, Daughter, Female, White, 7, S, born in Iowa, parents: J L Mabee, Iowa, 42, and Dora B Couchman, Iowa, 38, married in Iowa John C Mabee, Son, Male, White, 3, S, born in Iowa, parents: J L Mabee, Iowa, 42, and Dora B Couchman, Iowa, 38, married in Iowa
  Census	Apr 1930	Walnut, Wayne County, Iowa   [3]
  	John Mabee, Head, M, W, 48, M, age at first marriage 29, Iowa, Ohio, Iowa, farms own farm Dora Mabee, Wife, F, W, 44, M, age at first marriage 24, Iowa, Illinois, Iowa Everett Mabee, Son, M, W, 4, S, Iowa, Iowa, Iowa Letha Mabee, Daughter, F, W, 17, S, Iowa, Iowa, Iowa Ilaf Mabee, Daughter, F, W, 12, S, Iowa, Iowa, Iowa John Mabee, Son, M, W, 18, S, Iowa, Iowa, Iowa
  Census	11 Apr 1940	Walnut Township, Wayne County, Iowa   [4]
  	J L Mabee, owns farm, Head, M, W, 58, M, completed 8 years school, born in Iowa, Farmsd own farm Dora D Mabee, Wife, F, W, 54, M, completed 8 years school, born in Iowa John C Mabee, Son, M, W, 18, S, completed 4 years high school, born in Iowa, Teacher, Public School
  WW2 Draft	15 Feb 1942	2404 F Street, San Diego, San Diego County, California   [5]
  	John Couchman Mabee, 2404 F St, San Diego, San Diego, Calif, born 21 Aug 1921 in Seymour, Iowa, registered for the draft. He was employed by R E Campbell, 45th Street Market, San Diego. The person who would always know his address was his mother, Mrs Dora Mabee, Seymour, Iowa He was White, 5' 10½", 168 pounds, had blue eyes, blonde hair, and a light complexion.
  Vote	1944	1205 S 43rd Street, San Diego, San Diego County, California   [6]
  	He as a grocer
  Census	12 Apr 1950	4804 Jean Drive, San Diego, San Diego County, California   [7]
  	John C Mabee, Head, White, Male, 28, Married, born in Iowa, Manager, Food Store Betty L Mabee, Wife, White, Female, 29, Married, born in Missouri Larry G Mabee, Son, White, Male, 7, never married, born in Nevada Carol J Murphy, Sister-in-law, White, Female, 25, never married, born in Missouri, Stenographer, Aircraft Factory
  Note	Maybee Society Member Number 43
  Obituary	John and Betty Mabee founded Golden Eagle Farm in Ramona, Cal., possibly the most successful and formidable breeding operations in California. John Mabee died on April 24, 2002, at age 80, after complications from a stroke suffered a week earlier. He is survived by Betty, his wife of 60 years, a son, Larry, and three grandchildren. Betty, with Larry's assistance, has carried on the operation of Golden Eagle Farm ... Golden Eagle has scaled back its involvement since John's death, and in 2007, it was announced that they would sell the flagship farm in Ramona and disperse approximately 250 horses over the course of a year. They will retain a handful of broodmares and move to a smaller farm in Rancho Santa Fe by 2009 The Mabees moved to California in 1941 from Iowa and built a corner grocery store in San Diego into the Big Bear supermarket chain. From the profits of Big Bear, which was sold in 1991, Golden Eagle Farm was born. In 1984 Mabee founded the Golden Eagle Insurance, a workers' compensation carrier in California. The company was sold in 1997 after a battle with California insurance regulators.
  Residence	Between 1987 and 2000	San Diego, California
  Death	24 Apr 2002	Ramona, San Diego County, California   [9]
  Obituary	25 Apr 2002  [10]
  	John C. Mabee, a California racing icon whose influence spread nationally thanks to his lifelong blend of hard work and high vision, died Wednesday, April 24 at 11:30 p.m., from the affects of a stroke he suffered Sunday, April 14, at his beloved Golden Eagle Farm in nearby Ramona. He was 80. Mr. Mabee moved to California from his native Iowa for his health and built up from a corner grocery store to own the Big Bear chain of supermarkets. Using the profits from the stores, he and his wife Betty built up Golden Eagle Farm into one of California's most successful breeding and racing outfits. Some of the more notable runners to carry the Golden Eagle silks are Best Pal, General Challenge, Excellent Meeting, Event of the Year, Dramatic Gold, Jeanne Jones, Souvenir Copy, and Worldly Manner.
  Reference Number	43
  Person ID	I43	Maybee Society
  Last Modified	7 Apr 2024

  
  

  Father	John Lynford Mabee,   b. 29 Mar 1882, Wayne County, Iowa d. 22 May 1941 (Age 59 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Mother	Dora Beatrice Couchman,   b. 21 Dec 1885, Wayne County, Iowa d. 31 Jan 1973, Seymour, Wayne County, Iowa (Age 87 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Marriage	23 Jan 1910	Seymour, Wayne County, Iowa   [11, 12]
  Family ID	F3556	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Betty Lee Murphy,   b. 5 Apr 1921, Unionville, Putnam County, Missouri d. 15 Feb 2010, Rancho Santa Fe, San Diego County, California (Age 88 years)
  Marriage	1941	Iowa   [13]
  Children	+ 1. Larry Gene Mabee,   b. 25 Mar 1943, Henderson, Clark County, Nevada d. 16 Dec 2012, Rancho Santa Fe, San Diego County, California (Age 69 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
  Family ID	F3555	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	7 Apr 2024

  
  

• Sources

  [S2] Social SecurityDeath Index; Url: https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/ssdi/, and U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007. [S373] Iowa State Census Collection, 1836-1925; Url: ancestry.com, 1925 Iowa State Census, Walnut , Wayne County. [S302] 1930 United States Census; Url: ancestry.com, Walnut, Wayne, Iowa, Roll: 686, Enumeration District: 21, Image: 1039. [S455] 1940 United States Census; Url: ancestry.com, Seymour, Wayne, Iowa, Roll T627_1211, Page 10B, ED 93-21. [S493] U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947; Url: https://www.fold3.com/. [S372] California Voter Registrations, 1900-1968; Url: ancestry.com. [S526] 1950 United States Census; Url: https://1950census.archives.gov/, San Diego, San Diego, California, ED 72-81, Dwelling 104. [S192] Information taken from the Internet by John MayBee #8, http://www.ntra.com/stats_bios.aspx?id=3355, NTRA.com biography database. [S2] Social SecurityDeath Index; Url: https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/ssdi/. [S192] Information taken from the Internet by John MayBee #8, http://horseracing.about.com/library/weekly/aa042502a.htm, About.com Horse Racing. [S206] Email sent to John MayBee the MayBee Society database coordinator, Barbara Spidle , 10 March 2002. [S1] Ancestry.com online; Url: http://www.ancestry.com/, Iowa, Select Marriages Index, 1758-1996. [S483] Newspapers.com; Url: https://www.newspapers.com/, The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California), 17 Feb 2010, Wed, Page 71, by Valerie J. Nelson.