ODESSA — Milton James Massey was born in Eden, Texas, on October 26, 1927, and entered into rest in paradise on March 15, 2004. He was the sixth of the eleven children born to William McDuffy Massey and Lizzie Jo Prosise Massey.
Milton always treasured the memory of growing up with very loving parents, two very special brothers and eight wonderful sisters.
Milton’s seventy-six years were spent in service of his family and friends. He was a member of Sherwood Church of Christ, where he was a charter member since 1957 and had the privilege of serving as a deacon for thirty-eight years.
In 1946, Milton graduated from Eola High School, in Eola, Texas. He served in the United States Air Force from 1948 through 1952 with the rank of Staff Sergeant and Special Ratings of Skilled Instrument Technician and Semi-Skilled Supply Technician. He was a graduate of San Angelo College in 1954, earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Petroleum Geology from Sul Ross State University in 1956 and a Master of Education Degree from Sul Ross in 1961.
Milton married his college sweetheart, Donna Rae Neely, on January 21, 1956. They were blessed with two loving daughters, Rebecca Sue and Sharon Marie and later a dear son-in-law, Cary Alan Dwyer, and four precious grandsons, Daniel Massey Dwyer, Nathan James Dwyer, Kristopher Ryan Price and Kevyn Alexander Price.
In addition to serving as a public school teacher in the Ector County Independent School District for twenty-nine years, Milton served in many other capacities during his lifetime.
During his youth he worked on the family farm, as well as the ranches of relatives. Later he worked as a service station attendant, a power press operator, a rough neck, a derrick man, an assistant college dormitory director and assistant to the college book store manager at San Angelo College, an assistant dormitory director and later a dormitory director and superintendent of campus cottages at Sul Ross and a Radiation Well-Logging Engineer for McCullough Tool Company in Odessa. While teaching school, he also worked part-time as a contract carpenter, painter, school bus driver, a salesman at Sears and a night watchman.
Milton’s favorite works were being a servant in the church, as a deacon assigned to assisting widows and shut-ins, helping with building maintenance, serving as a Bible class coordinator, being a loving husband, dad, father-in-law and PaPa, as well as a teacher, a friend and a servant to many people with whom he came in contact. Milton had a penchant for baking and cooking all sorts of dishes for the sick, shut-ins, widows and those with special needs. He delighted in appearing at someone’s door with a special dish or dessert in hand.
Mr. Massey was preceded in death by his parents, William McDuffy Massey and Lizzie Jo Prosise Massey, as well as his sister, Janice Marie Massey Kelley.
He is survived by his wife, Donna Neely Massey of Odessa; his two daughters, Rebecca Sue Massey Price and her two sons, Kristopher Ryan Price and Kevyn Alexander Price, of Port Republic, Maryland, and Sharon Marie Massey Dwyer and husband, Cary Alan Dwyer, and their two sons, Daniel Massey Dwyer and Nathan James Dwyer of Lagos, Nigeria, West Africa; and his ninety-five year old mother-in-law, Johnnie Neely of Alpine, for whom he enjoyed caring for many years. He is also survived by two brothers, Harold Massey and wife, Natalie, of Fredericksburg and Marvin R. Massey and wife, Jean, of Houston; as well as seven sisters, Thelma Ellis of Eden, Judy Buie of Arlington, Wilma Breen and husband, Bob, of San Angelo, Jo Ella McMillan and husband, Bill, of Pecos, Jeann Millsap and husband, Del Gene, of Blackwell, June Strebeck and husband, George, of San Angelo and Doris Taylor and husband, Tommy, of San Angelo; and a host of nieces and nephews and their families.
The memorial service for Milton Massey will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 17, 2004, at Sherwood Church of Christ in Odessa with John Driggers officiating. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens.
Arrangements are under the direction of Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home.
The family requests that memorials be sent to: Odessa Christian School, 2000 Doran, Odessa, TX 79761.