Rayburn Rogers Linville, 80, of Florence, passed away at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, July 26, 2019 surrounded by loved ones in his home in Florence. Family members say that he is now “singing and dancing in heaven with the angels.”
Rayburn was born March 21, 1939 in Iron City, Tennessee, and graduated from Collinwood High School in Collinwood, Tennessee.
Rayburn was a Tool and Die Machinist, working at Ford Motor Company for 23 years before working at Boeing for 22 years, where he worked on flight simulators and helped manufacture the International Space Station.
Rayburn was a well-respected and long-time member of Magnolia Church of Christ in Florence, Alabama. In high school, he was chosen for participation in The American Legion Boys State. He also served in the National Guard as a Ham Radio Operator.
In his free time, Rayburn enjoyed fishing, shooting pool, and most of all, singing karaoke and listening to music. His loved ones remember Hank Williams, AC/DC, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Aerosmith, Rod Stewart, George Jones, Roy Orbison, and Elvis Presley among some of his most beloved artists. He was also a faithful blood donor of the American Red Cross.
He was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s 12 years prior to his passing and has since been cared for by his loving wife of 60 years and treated by Dr. Robert Mann. The family wishes to give special thanks to Kristen Howard and the other loving nurses at Amedisys Hospice.
Rayburn was preceded in death by his parents, Herman Linville and Tina Bradley Linville of Iron City, Tennessee, and his sister Jean Mason of San Diego, California.
Rayburn is survived by his wife Mary Ann Linville of Florence, Alabama, children Phillip Linville of Florence, Malinda Baggett (wife of Mike Baggett) of Florence, and Andrea Gray (wife of Jeff Gray) of Florence; brother Harold Linville of Daphne, Alabama; sisters Deane Butler of Tuscumbia, Alabama, Evelyn Campbell (wife of Ernie Campbell) of Huntsville, Alabama, and Christine Hearn (wife of Reginald Hearn) of Florence; grandchildren Bradley Baggett of Florence, and Mattie Gray of Johnson City, Tennessee.
The visitation will take place at Magnolia Church of Christ in Florence, Alabama on Sunday, July 28, 2019 at 12:30 p.m. Funeral services will be held at the church at 2:30 p.m. with the burial occurring immediately after at Greenview Memorial Park in Florence. Pallbearers will be Bradley Baggett, Mike Baggett, Billy Heupel, Dennis Smith, Jerry Arthur, and Larry Young. The honorary pallbearers include Jeff Gray, Buddy Somers, Birley Phillips, David Thorne, and Eric Behel.
