Kelly Ray Allen

Kelly Allen, 67, passed away peacefully on August 24, 2026, at his home in Birmingham, Alabama, surrounded by the family he loved so deeply.

Kelly was born on September 13, 1958, in Lubbock, Texas to Ronnie and Faye Allen. His family moved to Oxford, Mississippi when he was young, and Oxford became the backdrop for many of the friendships, adventures and memories he would treasure.

It was also in Oxford that Kelly met the great love of his life, Mary Martha. They began dating at age 17 while students at Oxford High School, where they were named Mr. and Miss OHS. What began as a high school romance became a lifelong love story. Kelly and Mary Martha remained devoted partners and best friends, building a family and a lifetime of memories together.

Kelly was a proud graduate of the University of Mississippi, where he was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity and a devoted Rebel fan. Friendship came naturally to Kelly. He had a gift for connecting with people, and throughout every chapter of his life, he collected not simply acquaintances, but true and lasting friends.

Kelly began his career in the corporate world in Dallas before he and Mary Martha returned to Oxford. There, his entrepreneurial spirit took hold. He served his community as an alderman while pursuing a number of business ventures, including owning and operating a lamp manufacturing company. After selling the business, Kelly and his family moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he built a career in commercial real estate development. His work brought him not only professional success but also relationships he deeply valued, including the bond with his long-time business partner.

Kelly approached life with an adventurous, determined spirit that was difficult to contain. While in college, he worked as a park ranger, lifeguard and camp counselor, and during his life he enjoyed snow skiing, scuba diving and hunting. He loved to travel with his family and believed life was meant to be experienced fully.

And then there was golf. Kelly had a lifelong love affair with the game. The golf course brought him joy, camaraderie and a healthy dose of competition.

Kelly was an eternal optimist, a risk-taker and a problem-solver who believed there was almost always a way forward. He loved beauty, art, good clothes and fast cars, and firmly believed that if you looked good, you felt good. He rarely missed an opportunity to be just a little overdressed.

Kelly loved generously and openly, and his family always knew exactly how much they meant to him. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend, and he showed his love through his loyalty, generosity, encouragement and presence.

At the center of Kelly’s life was his faith in God. It shaped the way he loved his family, treated others, and faced both joys and trials. He lived his faith and believed in prayer, in God’s goodness, and in the promise of eternal life. That faith sustained him throughout his illness and now gives those who love him the comfort of knowing that his death was not the end of his story because his faith has carried him home.

In 2016, Kelly was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. He faced the disease with extraordinary courage, optimism and remarkably little complaint. In 2020, Kelly and Mary Martha moved to Birmingham to be closer to family and the multiple myeloma team at UAB. His physician, Dr. Kelly Godby, became a trusted partner and true blessing throughout his battle, and the Allen family will be forever grateful to her and to the many nurses and caregivers who treated Kelly with such skill, compassion and kindness.

Kelly is survived by his wife, Mary Martha; his son, Carson Allen and his wife Mandy, and their sons Graham and Oliver; his daughter, Polly Manuel and her husband Wilson, and their children, Emmaline, Andrew and Ford; his siblings Patrick Allen and Ronda Rehmani; his in-laws Parham and Polly Williams; and his beloved brothers and sisters-in-law, nephews and nieces.

A service celebrating Kelly’s life will be held Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at 11 a.m. at Canterbury United Methodist Church in Mountain Brook, Alabama. Visitation will be held at 10 a.m. in the church parlor. Lunch will be served in the parlor for family and out-of-town friends following the service.

Those who wish to honor Kelly’s life may donate to Canterbury United Methodist Church, 350 Overbrook Road, Mountain Brook, AL 35213, online at canterburyumc.org/giving/, or to the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB for multiple myeloma research, WTI 210, 1720 Second Ave. S., Birmingham, AL 35294, online at go.uab.edu/MultipleMyeloma.