Raymond Mabry

PRINCETON — Raymond E. Mabry of Princeton passed away peacefully Monday morning, May 25, 2015, at Colonial HealthCare and Rehabilitation Centre in Princeton. He passed away one month short of his 90th birthday. He was born June 25, 1925, in Waterloo, Iowa, to Charles and Gladys (Ford) Mabry.

He attended grade school and high school in Princeton, and enlisted in the U.S. Navy on his 18th birthday, June 25, 1943. He served on the USS Straub during World War II. He was honorably discharged in January 1946. On Aug. 23, 1946, he married Marjorie Piper and they had five children. Ray loved sales and worked for Kittlers Car Dealership and Henry Monroe Car Dealership, later known as Monroe/Hade Chevrolet. He started his own agency, Ray Mabry Auto Sales, and had a Mazda and Subaru dealership for many years.

He ended his used car sales career at age 85 when his "kids" made him retire. He used to sit at his office desk on Peru Street and wave to his friends as they drove by. He was known by his friends as "Honest Ray, the working man's friend". He was a lifetime member of both the Elks Lodge and the Moose Lodge in Princeton.  He was also a member of the Evangelical Covenant Church.

He is survived by two daughters, Sharon Kay (Craig) Locey of Bayfield, Wis., and Diane Ray (Tom) Keeley of Chesapeake, Va.; one son, Raymond Michael Mabry of Princeton; his former wife, Marjorie Mabry of Chesapeake, Va.; five grandchildren, Renee Ann (Steven) Sanderson, Joshua (Courtney) Mabry, Jonathan (Juli) Mabry, Krystal (Kyle) Dobler and Austin Keeley; three great-grandchildren, twins Olivia and Owen Mabry, and Lilly Mabry; and his caregiver, Connie Green.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Richard Warren Mabry in 1999; and a daughter, Linda June Mabry in 1992.

A private family celebration of Ray's life will be held in June.

Memorials may be directed to the Evangelical Covenant Church, Happy Hands Preschool (his grandchildren and great-grandchildren attended there) or to Gateway Services (the family was instrumental in starting Gateway Services back in 1970).

One of Ray's favorite sayings was "Don't forget me."  We won't.

The Norberg Memorial Home in Princeton is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be left at www.norbergfh.com.