Tuscaloosa Council Names McWright's Ferry Road Bridge For Leroy & Ruth McAbee
TUSCALOOSA, AL — The Tuscaloosa City Council voted Tuesday to name the newly constructed bridge on McWright’s Ferry Road, which spans North River, in honor of longtime Tuscaloosa business and civic leaders Leroy and Ruth McAbee.Click here to subscribe to our free daily newsletter and breaking news alerts.Leroy McAbee, originally from Henagar, Alabama, is the founder of McAbee Construction, Inc. — one of the largest heavy industrial contractors in the Southeast. His wife and lifelong business partner, Ruth, was born in Tuscaloosa, helped co-found the company with her husband, and passed away in July 2014 at the age of 81. "When Ruth and I started out, we weren't trying to have a bridge named after us, we were just trying to make it," Leroy McAbee told Patch. "It's an honor that the community would consider naming such an important piece of infrastructure for us. We always looked out for the best we could do for our family, our people that worked for us all these years, and the community." After serving in the U.S. Army Combat Engineers during the Korean War, Leroy McAbee attended the University of Alabama and launched McAbee Construction, Inc., eventually earning a mechanical engineering degree in 1962 and seeing the company incorporated in 1972. What began as a modest mechanical contracting firm grew into a powerhouse of industrial construction and fabrication, with the company serving clients all over the country and globe in power generation, automotive, chemical processing and other major manufacturing sectors. The company’s Tuscaloosa-based fabrication division has shipped materials to 35 states and 17 countries.“Mr. and Mrs. McAbee truly exemplify how our community members make Tuscaloosa such a special place to call home," Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox told Patch. "Naming this bridge in their honor is not just a tribute, it’s a testament to their decades of service and generosity.” ALSO READ: Tuscaloosa Mayor Gives Updates As McWright's Ferry Road Extension Nears CompletionAmong the company’s most notable projects was a Cold War-era joint U.S.-Soviet venture in 1966 that required the design, fabrication and international shipment of modular chemical processing units to Siberia — a project that challenged McAbee’s team to engineer units capable of passing through narrow Russian railway tunnels.McAbee’s legacy also includes innovations in turbine oil flushing systems, helping streamline power plant installations, and his advocacy for labor-management collaboration. He served as president of the Tuscaloosa Joint Apprentice Committee and was a strong proponent of workforce training in the pipefitting and HVAC trades.Leroy McAbee's accolades are as numerous as his business accomplishments: Tuscaloosa Citizen of the Year in 1986, Distinguished Engineering Fellow at UA in 1988, and induction into both the Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame and the Alabama Business Hall of Fame in 2003. His service also earned him the Boy Scouts of America’s Silver Beaver award and the naming of the Leroy McAbee Scout Service Center.In addition to business achievements, McAbee has remained committed to Tuscaloosa’s progress through service on dozens of boards, including the University of Alabama’s President’s Cabinet, the United Way of Tuscaloosa County, and the DCH Foundation. He also established the McAbee Foundation to provide scholarships to UA engineering students.Behind McAbee’s success was his wife, who served as secretary/treasurer of the company and was his devoted partner in life and business. The couple has three children and eight grandchildren from their 58-year marriage. Ruth, a 1950 graduate of Tuscaloosa High School, was a member of First Baptist Church for 71 years and proudly worked all her life — from humble beginnings working at a ticket booth at the Bama Theatre in downtown Tuscaloosa to working with her husband for over five decades building one of the most influential companies in her hometown's history. District 3 Councilor Norman Crow, whose district includes the McWright's Ferry Road Extension Project and the new bridge, spearheaded the effort to honor the McAbee family and said it will serve as a lasting symbol of the couple’s dedication to building a stronger Tuscaloosa.“For decades, Mr. Leroy and Mrs. Ruth McAbee have had a lasting impact on our community," Crow told Patch. "The naming of this new bridge is an opportune way for us to honor this deserving family for all that they’ve done for Tuscaloosa.” Have a news tip or suggestion on how I can improve Tuscaloosa Patch? Maybe you're interested in having your business become one of the latest sponsors for Tuscaloosa Patch? Email all inquiries to me at [email protected] article Tuscaloosa Council Names McWright's Ferry Road Bridge For Leroy & Ruth McAbee appeared first on Tuscaloosa, AL Patch.
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