René (Ray) B Albina, age 93, passed away at home on January 24th surrounded by his family in Amherst, New Hampshire after a short illness.

He was born November 20, 1932, in Jerusalem, Palestine, son of the late J.P. and Katy Albina and brother of the late Suzie. Ray lived a full and meaningful life marked by dedication to his family. He was a devout Catholic, a US Army veteran, a civil servant and lawyer.

Ray spent his childhood in the Levant attending first a French then a British prep school. After graduation, he attended university both in Paris, France and at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts before joining the US Army in 1954, serving in Ft Dix in New Jersey, Ft Bliss in Texas, and SHAPE Headquarters in Paris, France. After his discharge in 1956 he attended Embry Riddle flight school in Miami. At that time, he met his future wife, Melvis Ann, who was working at the same company in downtown Miami. He graduated in 1958 with a pilot license and an aircraft and powerplant technician license.

There were limited pilot positions because they were being taken by military pilots returning from the end of the Korean war. As a result he never worked as one. Ever adaptable, he quickly changed his focus from piloting to law enforcement and became a Miami Florida police officer and married his wife, Melvis Ann. His career trajectory took him into the federal government where he worked until he retired at age 50. In retirement he went back to school and ultimately graduated with a juris doctorate from the University of Baltimore Law School, practicing law as his second career.

He had many passions; languages, travel and sailing being big ones. He grew up speaking French, English, and Arabic and learned Spanish and Italian on his own. He and Melvis Ann traveled extensively throughout their lives together visiting more than seventy countries. Each of his children vividly remembers their 12th grade Europe trip with him. He enjoyed years of sailing and sharing that experience with family and friends and we all have fond memories of various sailing trips throughout the years.

He is survived by Melvis Ann his loving wife of 67 years, his children and their spouses, Troy and Dianne, Toffee and Keith, Adam and Mary, and Julie and Chris, his grandchildren, Nick, Kelsey, Tony, Joe, Claire, and Ross, and his great grandchildren Lanie and Luke.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research or Catholic Charities. A memorial service will be held in the spring.