Ray C. Allbee Jr.'s long battle with COPD/emphysema ended when the Lord took him home on Saturday, December 24, 2022.

Ray was born December 12, 1947, to Ray C. and Mary Marie (Johnson) Allbee in Grinnell, Iowa. 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 August 18, 1968, at the Methodist Church in Malcom, Iowa. Together they raised two sons, Rick and Jason.

After their marriage, they lived in Kirksville, Missouri, where Ray was a route salesman for Guy's Foods for 4 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 3 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 son's and grandchildren'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; 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) Alertsen; 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.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, December 29, 2022, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., with the family present from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., at the Sully Community Church in Sully, Iowa.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, December 30, 2022, at the Sully Community Church in Sully.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be designated to the Sully Fire and Ambulance or the Friends of the Lynnville Library in c/o Smith Funeral Home, PO Box 368, Grinnell, IA 50112.