Hoyt Dewayne Cabaniss, II

Hoyt Dewayne Cabaniss II was born on December 23, 1966, in Sylacauga, Alabama. As a little boy, Dewayne always liked to take things apart and put them back together again. He would hide his father's tools in his sandbox. He was a graduate of Sylacauga High School. Dewayne played football at SHS at 5'5", that is, until he grew an entire foot his junior year.

Dewayne received a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from Faulkner University and an Associate Degree in Applied Science from Central Alabama Community College in the Biomedical Equipment Technician Program. He also received a certification from the Biomedical Equipment Technician Program at University of Alabama at Birmingham, serving as the Biomed Class President. Those degrees and certification led him to his life's work in hospital facilities management with a specialization in biomedical equipment.

Dewayne loved his family. He and his wife, Amanda, had 23 beautiful years together. They found each other later than most. It would have been 25 years, but it took her two years to say yes to their first date! She said that on that date, she found out the three most important things to him and knew they definitely had those three things in common: the Lord, family, and Alabama football. In 2002, their beautiful daughter, Jeanie Lynne was born - she was the light of his life. Oh, how he loved his Baby Girl and would tell anyone who would listen about his family. He was known as the "baby whisperer" for his own precious Jeanie Lynne and for his many nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews. He poured himself into his family and helping others.

Dewayne was known for his quick wit and for his wonderful belly laugh. It was just part of his nature to tell a joke when you least expected it, so much so that he wanted to make sure you weren't eating or drinking when he told it. Some people thought he had a gruff exterior, especially with his 6'5" frame. He was a big man, intimidating on the outside, but just a big teddy bear on the inside. Dewayne always wanted to help others and made it his mission to jumpstart the careers of young adults by providing odd jobs for them to earn some money.

Dewayne truly enjoyed his work, and he was a hard worker. In October 2022, Dewayne fell and broke his hip. Because of other health issues, his hip never truly healed, and he suffered recurring infections for the rest of his life. At the end of his life, Dewayne was in need of a liver transplant. Due to his health conditions and the shortage of organ donors, he was not deemed to be a candidate for a liver transplant. The doctors exhausted all measures to sustain his life. The family will be forever grateful to the doctors, nurses and staff of Shelby Baptist Medical Center, 4th floor IMC and the GISU at UAB Medical Center.

Dewayne was a member of Crossbridge Church of Christ. He was also a Freemason and a member of Huffman Lodge #633.

Dewayne is survived by his loving wife, Amanda Tucker Cabaniss, his daughter, Jeanie Lynne Cabaniss, his sister, Melinda Cabaniss Harrison (Daniel), Athens, Alabama, twelve nieces and nephews, nine great nieces and nephews, as well as a host of other loving family members. He is preceded in death by his mother, Lagatha (Gay) McCaleb Cabaniss and his father, Hoyt D. Cabaniss.

Services will be held at Crossbridge Church of Christ in Hoover, Alabama on Wednesday July 24, 2024 at 2:00 pm with Dr. Garry Brantley and Mike Henderson officiating. It would not be a service to honor Dewayne without humor and those stories will be shared by his cousin Brent McCaleb. Visitation will be 12:00 - 2:00 and graveside service will be conducted at Williams Southside Cemetery in Gadsden, Alabama. Pallbearers will be Daniel Harrison, Chase Harrison, Chandler Harrison, Dr. Bennett D. Tucker, Jr., Charles Dewar, William Pierce, Christian Tucker, Carey Tucker, Philip Waldon, and Mike McCaleb. Honorary pallbearers will be Fred (Rusty) Berry, Patrick and Alex Schell, and members of the Alabama Society of Hospital Engineers (ALASHE).

In Dewayne's honor and his memory, his family will be champions for organ donation for the rest of their lives. In Dewayne's memory, please make organ donation a priority in your own lives. You can also show your love for Dewayne by wearing the colors for his Alabama Crimson Tide.