Ray E. Speas

Ray E. Speas, 89, of Marshalltown, died Thursday, March 17, at the Marshalltown Medical & Surgical Center. Funeral services for Ray will be held Tuesday, March 22, at 10:30 a.m., at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home. Visitation will be held on Tuesday from 9:30 a.m., until the time of service at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home where his family will be present to greet friends. Memorial contributions may be directed in Rays name to his family. For further information or to send a condolence please visit www.mitchellfh.com or call (641) 844-1234. Ray Eugene Speas was born September 1, 1921, at Ferguson, Iowa, the son of Burleigh and Edna Mae (Zerbe) Speas. He was raised and educated in the Ferguson area and attended the Ferguson school system. Ray honorably served our country during WWII as a member of the United States Army.Following his honorable discharge, he was employed at the Gilman Livestock until 1961. Ray went on to work for the Montgomery Ward Delivery Service and then the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown. In 1986, Ray retired from his position as a security guard at the Iowa Veterans Home. He was a member of the Hope United Methodist Church, the American Legion Frank Lewis Glick Post 46 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Harry C. Harter Post 839.Left to cherish his memory are his wife Betty, his son Earl (Arlene) Speas of Marshalltown, his daughter Donna Goebel of Taos, New Mexico, his step-daughters: Jeanne (William) Vennard of Virginia Beach, Virgina and Joy Reedy (Bob Etringer) of Preston, Iowa, his brother Clyde (Glenna) Speas of Thornton, Colorado, his sister Wanda (Don) Shrader of Marshalltown, his sister-in-law Maxine Speas of Marshalltown, his five grandchildren, seven step-grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.In death, Ray rejoined his parents, his daughter Georgia, his step-son Charles Baker and his brothers Cordis and Paul Speas.