She died of Alzheimer's disease on September 28, 1982 at the age of 81, in Santa Monica, California. Mabel Albertson's remains were cremated and scattered in the Pacific Ocean.
George Englund, Mabel's son, wrote a book detailing his 48 years of friendship with Marlon Brando. The book is entitled The Way It's Never Been Done Before and it was published in 2004 by Harper Entertainment.