West Des Moines
Ray Donnelly, 91, passed away Thursday, January 29, 2015 at Mercy Hospice in Johnston. A funeral mass will be held 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church with burial at Resthaven Cemetery in West Des Moines, Iowa.
Ray was born in Burlington, Iowa to Raymond and Bernice (Pease) Donnelly. He grew up in Sioux City before moving to Des Moines and graduating from Dowling High School in 1942. He served 3 ½ years in the U.S. Navy during World War II as a Signalman Second Class and was off-shore on D-Day. Ray worked for the Rock Island Railroad for 35 years before retiring in 1983. He was a longtime West Des Moines resident and was a member of St. Francis of Assisi Church, the Dowling Club and V.F.W.
He is survived by his wife, MaryLee; daughter, Patricia (Fred) Trapp; step-children, Suzanne (Bright) Miller, Roberta (Ron) Tropp, Michael Davis, Renee (John) Lee; four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; his first two wives, Jean Mulchy and Joan Bright; and two brothers, Richard and Bernard.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday at McLaren’s Chapel with a rosary service at 7 p.m. Memorial contributions may be given to the American Cancer Society.
