Ship's Sponsor

Lynne Mabus was born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi, regularly visiting Pascagoula where her mother grew up.  After attending grade school and high school in Jackson, she continued her studies at the University of Mississippi where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English in 1989.  Following graduation from Ole Miss, Lynne’s sense of service and adventure led her to move to Hiroshima, Japan where she taught English for three years.  During her time in Japan, she developed great friendships with families of military service members and learned about the challenges faced by military families and their importance to our nation.

Returning to Mississippi, Lynne decided to pursue a career in the medical field after discovering the shortage of skilled nurses in the state.  In 2005, she graduated first in her class from University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Nursing.  She trained in a Level 1 trauma center at the university hospital where she was involved in the treatment of traumatic brain and body injuries.

Lynne married her husband, Ray, three years after meeting him on a blind date in Mississippi.  She moved to Washington, D.C. in 2009 when her husband became the 75th Secretary of the Navy.  They have three daughters

Taking advantage of her experience as a Trauma Nurse, Lynne has volunteered with Wounded Warriors at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and the American Red Cross.  She currently works in the Washington, D.C. area as a school nurse and traveled extensively with her husband throughout his tenure to meet Navy and Marine Corps families during school summer breaks.  In all, she has visited more than 50 countries and has been honored by the opportunity to meet with and help support military families around the world.