Ray C. Allbee Jr.’s long battle with COPD/emphysema ended when the Lord took him home on Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022, at age 75. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, Dec. 30, at Sully Community Church. Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 29, at Sully Community Church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be designated to Sully Fire and Ambulance or Friends of the Lynnville Library, c/o of Smith Funeral Home, PO BOX 368, Grinnell, IA 50112.
Ray was born Dec. 12, 1947, to Ray C. and Mary Marie (Johnson) Allbee in Grinnell. Ray was raised in Grinnell and graduated with the Grinnell High School Class of 1966.
He was united in marriage to Rose Mary Alersten on Aug. 18, 1968, at the Methodist Church in Malcom. Together, they raised two sons, Rick and Jason.
After their marriage, they lived in Kirksville, MO, where Ray was a route salesman for Guy’s Foods for four years. They returned to Iowa in 1973, and Ray spent the next 40 years driving for Sully Transport, retiring in 2013. He received awards for driving for 40 years and three million miles without a preventable accident. In 2015, he was inducted into the Iowa Transportation Museum Heroes Center as a Hero by Example for his safe driving.
Ray loved to drive. He also enjoyed hunting, target practice, watching his sons’ and grand-children’s activities, watching sports and races on TV, and watching birds in his backyard.
He is survived by his wife Rose Mary Allbee of Lynnville; his sons Rick Allbee of Ames and Jason (Dawn) Allbee and grandchildren Derik, Logan, and Jenna Allbee, all of Sully, and Ilia Bravard of Ames; his sister Sandra (Robert) Locker; sisters-in-law Phyllis Pirkl and Shirley (Steve) Neofotist; brother-in-law Wesley (Linda); and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brother Larry Allbee; sister Patricia Lowry; and brothers-in-law Charles Lowry and Kenneth Alertsen.
