David Otis Crabb

He was born in Chicago, Illinois on June 2, 1931, to the late Warren and Genieve Crabb. David is also preceded in death by two brothers, Warren Crabb and Bob Crabb. He was a 1949 graduate of Leo High School. An Air Force veteran who served in the South Pacific during the Korean War, David has worked as a radio announcer, volunteer fireman, basketball coach, chamber of commerce president, and zoning adjuster. He spent more than two decades with Delta Airlines in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Fort Worth, retiring in 1983 as the airline’s district marketing manager for North Alabama. David kept busy volunteering at various organizations such as the McWane Center, Vulcan Park, and Barbers Motor Sports Park. He served on the Birmingham and Leeds Board of Zoning, was President of the Leeds Chamber of Commerce, a board member of the Leeds Arts Council, and President of the Birmingham Sales and Marketing Club. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus.

David appeared in more than 40 community and professional theater productions, including How to Succeed in Business, Cabaret, My Fair Lady, South Pacific, A Streetcar Named Desire, and Hello, Dolly. He appeared in a host of independent and major films, including Talladega Nights, the baseball biopic, Cobb, The River, Alice’s Misadventures in Wonderland, Big Fish, Valley of Lost Souls, and Stay Hungry. David also had numerous national, regional, and local commercials, and was cast in ad spots for products and organizations such as Baby Ruth, Icy Hot, Tempur-Pedic Mattresses, United Health Care, Just for Feet, General Motors, and Alabama Power. In addition to acting, he enjoyed running and hiking.

Left to cherish his memory are his five children, Susan (Sam) Douglas; Kevin (Paulette) Crabb; Jeffrey (Debbie) Crabb; Gregory (Donna) Crabb; and Darin Crabb; his nine grandchildren, Matthew (Brooke) Roberts; Linley (Matt) Donaldson; Anne (Tim) Borne; Shannon Sykes; Whitney (Nick) McDevitt; Katherine (Aaron) Wolff; Anna (Zack) Lankford; Alex (Mary Del) Crabb; and Taylor Crabb. He is also survived by 17 great-grandchildren; his sister, Judy Kovac; and his brother, Dan Crabb.

A visitation will be held at Ridout’s Southern Heritage Funeral Home on Friday, July 22, 2022, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. A funeral service with military honors will begin at 1:00 pm. A private burial will follow at Southern Heritage Cemetery.