Earl Conrad Massey 1924-2016

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7.

Earl C. Massey, born November 30, 1924 in Beaumont, Texas now a resident of Conroe, Texas fought the good fight for 92 years and went to receive the jewels in his crown on December 29, 2016.

He served in the Army in WWII. He received 2 Bronze Stars and multiple citations for his time in the Asian-Pacific theatre and in Burma with the 209th Engineers, Company B. He was honored to be able to go on the first Lonestar Honor Flight to the WWII Memorial from Montgomery to Washington, DC.

Earl was an IBEW 479 Beaumont Texas member for over 65 years. He was respected in his field and served as an Electrical Code Consultant with other cities in the United States. He retired as the Chief Electrical Inspector for Beaumont, Texas in 1986 and moved to the Massey Farm in Conroe, Texas. With his wife, Betty Keneson Massey they built a home and a life in Conroe and were blessed to be able to travel all over the US and made many trips to Alaska. If asked what they farmed, he would gleefully tell you, Poison Ivy. Anyone who knew him, would say he loved things with 2 wheels or more. But in his retirement years – he loved his tractors.

Those who have left to greet him in Heaven are his parents, Edward Larls Massey and Lila Mae Thomas Massey Overman, his step-dad Harry Overman, his son Jerry Keneson, and brother Raymond Leveritt Massey.

We, who are here to miss the man called, Husband, Daddy, Dad-e-o, Bawana, & PawPaw are: His beloved wife, Betty Massey, Daughter Linda Carter & Husband Arthur Carter, Daughter Leta Massey, Son Ray Massey and Wife Marie Massey, Son Michael Denton and Wife Dorothy Denton, Daughter Martha Keneson Gay & Husband Richard Gay, Daughter Mary Jo Baldwin, and Daughter Janet Keneson. Grandchildren: Beverly Harrison, Kristen McKowen, Anna Mooneyham and Lila Foux, Jennifer O’Shea, Charlie and Scottie Keneson, Trevor and Josh Baldwin, Eddy Holley, Amanda Birdsong, Jaime and JD Posey. He was blessed with a legacy of many Grandchildren, Great Grandchildren and Great Great Grandchildren. Special Family includes those who helped without questions and loved without boundaries – Conan and Debra Massey and Mary Grimes.

The family wants to thank everyone who has helped with food, friendship and love during this time. 

Visitation is Sunday, January 1 from 5-8 pm at Metcalf Funeral Directors, 1801 E White Oak Terrace, Conroe, TX 77304. Celebration & Memorial, Monday, January 2 11:00 am Caney Creek Cowboy Church, 17703 Nonesuch Road, Conroe, Texas 77306.Military Honor & Graveside Service will be Monday, January 2 at 3:00pm at Forest Lawn, 4955 Pine St, Beaumont, TX 77703.

Thomas Massey - 1680s

The Massey family of North Carolina is descended from Thomas Massey who immigrated from Cheshire, England to Philadelphia, PA in 1683 on the Endeavor sloop.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massey_family

Kevin Lynn Massey - Age 47

Per BigCountryHomepage.com, the Texas Department of Public Safety announces with sorrow the death of Kevin Lynn Massey, 47 years of age and an agent in the criminal investigations division, Abilene, Texas. Kevin passed away Wednesday, August 04, 2010.

Kevin was born in Boise, Idaho. His father served as senior master sergeant in the United States Air Force. They moved to Delaware and then to Del Rio, Texas, where kevin went to elementary school. The family moved to Abilene in 1973 and Kevin started school at Wylie. He graduated from Wylie high school in 1981.

Kevin leaves behind his very loving wife, Connie and three children, Cody, age 20, Kortney, age 16 and Katie, age 14. Kevin has a brother, Don Massey and brother-in-law, Mark Mcniel, both of whom work with the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Funeral services were on Saturday 08-07-10, at 2:00 p.m. at the Wylie Baptist Church on Buffalo Gap Road.

Our family connection is UNKNOWN.
More details are at http://bigcountryhomepage.com/fulltext/?nxd_id=279075

William De La Ferte De Mace

William the Conqueror was the first of the Norman kings of England 1066-1087), but he was born in Falaise, Normand and was the son of Robert I, Duke of Normandy. Per Wikipedia.com, "the Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They descended from Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of mostly Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock."

NO PROOF

William De La Ferte De Mace (Massey) served under William the Conquer in the Battle of Hastings and may have been his half-brother (no proof). I have been told (genealogy rumor) that he is our ancestor, so we could be English/French/Viking. On a side note, La Ferté-Macé is a commune in the Orne department in north-western France.

------------------------

NO PROOF OF FAMILY CONNECTION.

http://www.ffish.com/family_tree/Descendants_William_de_la_Ferte_Mace/D1.htm

Massey - Climate Bill Protest

Massey Climate Bill Protest Draws Verizon, Ted Nugent (Update2)

By Christopher Martin

Sept. 2 (Bloomberg) -- Massey Energy Co.’s planned protest of climate legislation won support from Verizon Wireless for a free Labor Day event that will feature singers Ted Nugent and Hank Williams Jr.

The “sold out” Sept. 7 rally at one of Massey’s former coal mines in Holden, West Virginia, will highlight job losses caused by restrictions on carbon-dioxide emissions that scientists blame for accelerating global warming, said Massey Chief Executive Officer Donald Blankenship.


The rest of the story is at
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601072&sid=aUeyv2vA4zAI

James Massey

Dear Mr.. Massey,
 
Lena Maude Massey Mounger (my mother in law)  was born in 1903 in Altoga Collin, Texas to Louis Edward Massey b. 10 Apr 1871 Neosho, Bushy Knobb, Newton, Missouri d. 22 Apr 1948 Farmersville, Collin, Texas and Minnie Augusta Watkins, b. 01 Mar 1875, Cleveland, Bradley, TN, and d. 07 Feb 1906 , Altoga,  Collin, Texas.
 
Minnie Augusta and Louis Edward Massey are buried in the Altoga cem., Collin, Texas, as are Louis's mother and most of his siblings.   They were the children of James W. Massey b. ca 1828 TN, and d. ca. Bet. 07 Jul 1870 - Jun 1880, possibly in Okmulgee Co., or Muskogee, Oklahoma, as he died on the trail somewhere up in OK.  The family tried to find his body but had no luck in doing so.
 
James Massey married Sarah M. "Sally" Adams, in 1857 Clinton, Illinois.  They later mig to Newton, MO and than came to Texas.   They were in Illinois for the 1860 cen. and in Newton, MO for the 1870 cen.   According to the birth places of the children, their could have been some travel to Texas well before they came the last time, but you cannot always depend on the memories of children later in life as to where they were really born.  They were allied to a Richardson family from Illinois and they seemed to travel to Texas with that family a number of times. 
 
Despite my best research I cannot find out anything on the Massey names past James Massey.  I never found where he might have came from in TN.   I have had much better luck with the Adams family than the surname of Massey. 
 
And it could have been spelled a number of ways, and so you cannot go by just one spelling of the name.    The Massey surname is very much known in McKinney, Collin, Texas from the beginning of Collin county.  I have not been able to connect any of the other families to this family. 
 
Sorry to say I think that we are talking about two different Massey families that happened to be in Collin, Texas.  One in West Collin, from McKinney and the other in East Collin, out of McKinney. 
 
My mother in law only had one sib. and she is buried in Blue Ridge, Collin, Texas.  Her mother died from complications of child birth, so the two little ones never knew their mother.  They were strapped with a few bad step mothers during their lives, and most of them in their very young years were not very nice to them.  If it had not been for Louis's sisters I don't know what would have happened to them.    My mother in law was quite sad about their loss of their mother.  She was a very good person and did not like to see any child miss treated because of her treatment in her life time.
 
I hope this helps in some way.  Just sorry I could not give you a connection to your family line. 
 
Sincerely,
Glenda Mounger

Shawn Massey - 2009

21-year-old man dies in Fort Worth motorcycle accident

12:24 PM CDT on Tuesday, July 21, 2009
By EMILY TSAO / The Dallas Morning News
etsao@dallasnews.com

A 21-year-old man died this morning after his motorcycle hit a curb and crashed into a street light, Fort Worth police said.

The accident happened about 2:20 a.m. in the 2900 block of West Normandale Street. The man was not wearing a helmet and died at the scene, police said.

The Tarrant County medical examiner's office identified the man as Shawn Massey of Fort Worth.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/072209dnmetmotorcycle.60834d1a.html

Funeral in Houston, Texas

Google Timeline

A great feature for genealogy research is Google's Timeline.

When searching for a family name on Google, click on the options link and select timeline.

Pickens District - CSA

These details are transcribed from the
Old Pendleton District Newsletter
Volume 19, No. 2, February 2005
Pages 16 -18

Benjamin G. Massey was born about 1844, a son of Thomas Massey (b. ca 1825) and Susan Massey (b. ca 1825). He served as a private in Co. C, 4th S. C. Infantry (Sloan's Regt.), and survived the U.S. Civil War.

Ezekiel Massey was born about 1840 in Greenville District, S. C. He was a son of James Massey, Sr. (1807-1880) and Sarah Hamby Massey (1800-1883). Ezekiel Massey served as a private in Co. G (Bonham's Rifles), 12th S. C. Infantry. This soldier was a brother of Stephen Massey, James Massey, Samuel Vardry Massey, and John Massey, all of whom also served in the Confederate States Army. Ezekiel Massey enlisted in the C.S.A. in 1862, and on August 13, 1862, he was detailed as a teamster by the Medical Examining Board. He remained in that position until December 31, 1864. He married Margaret Carolyn Maldin (Mauldin?), and the couple had at least three children. After the war, this Civil War veteran and his family moved to the Fork section of Hall County, Georgia.

James Massey, Jr. (1838-1928) and his father, James Massey, Sr., both served in the C.S.A., and they were members of Co. E, 1st S. C. Rifles (Orr's Reg.). They were residents of the western division of Pickens District. S. C. (now Oconee County). The younger Massey married Mary Fricks. After the war, this Civil War veteran moved to Georgia. In August 1916, he attended the *4th reunion of Orr's Reqiment at Seneca, S. C., and was then a resident of Tocoa,
Georgia. He died in 1928 and was buried at Tugaloo Baptist Church in Stephens Coung', Georgia.

James Massey, Sr. (1807 1880) enlisted with his son, James N,lassey', Jr., in Co. E, 1st S. C. rifles (Orr's Regr). He was fifty-five years of age at the time of enlistrnent and was discharged from t}te C. S. A. during the Civil War. Several of his sons also served in the C. S. A. James Massey, Sr. married Sarah Hamby (1800 1883),
and the couple had the fbilowing children: Hannah (b. ca 1824), who married J. Newt Hyde; Stephen (b. 1830); .James, Jr. (183I-1928), who married Mary Fricks; ]ohn William (b. ca 1832), who married Mahalda Duncan; David Massey (b. ca 1837); Warren Massey (b. ca 1838); Ezekiel Massey (b. ca 1840); Robert Massey; and Samuel Vardry Massey (30 Jun 1844 - Jul 1894). who married Jane (Duncan) Todd, widow of William Carlyle Todd, who died during the Civil War.

John Massey (1828 - d. ca 1864) died during the Civil War. He enlisted as a private January 13, 1862, and served in Co. H, 2nd S. C. Rifles (Moore's Regt.). He was a son of James Massey, Sr. (see above) who also served in the C. S. A. This soldier's wife was Mahulda Caroline (Duncan) Massey. John Massey was admitted to Episcopal Church Hospltal in Williamsburg, Virginia, with "contusion of cheek" September 8, 1863, and furloughed on the following September 22nd. He returned to Pickens District, S. C., and died there sometime before February 8, 1864, when his last pay ciaim was filed by his widow. John Massey was survlved by his widow and two children, James M. Massey (b. July 1857) and John William Massey (b. 5 Oct 1865). His widow moved to Franklin County, Georgia, after the Civil War.

Samuel Vardry M. Massey (1844-1894) was born June 30, 1844, a son of James Massey, Sr. (see above). He served in Co. l, 2nd S.C. Infantry and was paroled at Greensboro, N.C. on May 2, 1865. He married Jane (Duncan) Todd (17 Feb 1841-4 Mar 1906), widow of William Carlyle Todd who died during the Civil War. The wedding ceremony took place near Walhalia, S. C., October 25. 1866. The bride was a daughter of David Duncan (1809-1887) and Nancy (Trotter) Duncan (b. ca 1813 This Confederate soldier and his wif'e had eight children, including a son from the wife's first marriage. Samuel Vardry M. Massey died in 1894 and was buried at Bethel Presbyterian Church in northern Oconee County, S.C.

Silas N. Massey was born about 1827 and he served in Co. K, 1st S. C. Rifles (Orr's Regt.). In 1901 he resided in Central township of Pickens County, S.C. and was a recipient of a _________ pension. His age was recorded in _______ records as seventy-four years at that time.

Stephen Massey (b. ca 1834-d. 1864) was killed May 12, 1864, at Spotsylvania, Virginia during the Civil War. He enlistcd in Co. I, 1st S.C. Rifles (Orr's Regt.) on March 19, 1864. He was a son of James Massey, Sr. (see above). Stephen Massey's last pay claim was filed by Sarah (Mauldin) Massey, his widow on August 16, 1864. Five of his brothers also serve in the Confederate States Army.

Warren Massey (b. ca 1832) served as a private in Co. E, 1st S.C. Rifles (Orr's Regt.). He resided in the western division of Pickens District S.C. (now Oconee County). He married Elizabeth Pilgrim (b. 1824 in Alabama), and the couple had the following offspring: Sarah A. (b. ca 1859), James S. (b. ca 1862), Mary and Martha (twins) (b. 1867), John S. (b. ca 1862) George W. S. (b. ca 1872), and William H. (b. ca 1877). Sometime between 1870 and 1880, this Confederate soldier moved to Hall County, Georga. He was a son of James Massey, Sr. (see above).

< Difficult to read from this point down. >

Major H. Massey was a son of Silas Massey (1776- 1876) and Nancy (Burris) Massey (1784-_____), and a brother of Thomas Massey who also served in the Confederate States Army. D.
Major H. Massey was a member of Co. C, 4th S. cavalry. In 1864 he was transferred to Fort _______r in Charleston harbor. This soldier Annie Luciada Hunt (b. 13 Nov 1844). Daughter of Jeremiah Jackson Hunt and Fran_______. < Can't be read. >
The couple never had children.

John Wilson Massey - TN

These details are from http://www.tncenturyfarms.org/lincoln_county/

In 1905, John Wilson Massey and his wife Etta Lavonia Stiles Massey purchased 217 acres of land near Fayetteville, Tenn., to found Massey Farm. John and Etta had 10 children and their home was a log dogtrot house built in 1830. The family raised hogs, goats, beef cattle and milk cows, as well as corn, wheat, and tobacco.

According to the CHP’s records, the family recalls that “Mother Etta” said she didn’t know how she reared the children without water in the house. In 1940, Con S. Massey, one of their 10 children, and his brother-in-law, Charles Bledsoe, along with farmhands and mules built a “1,500 foot gravity flow water line from a spring with a catch tank.” This system is still in use today and is the only water source for the house.

In 1947 electricity became available in Massey hollow. An electric washing machine, stove, refrigerator and iron, as well as lights, were some of the wonders brought to the Massey Farm and their neighbors with the Rural Electrification Act. Around this same time, when the farm was benefiting from this new technology, Con. S Massey came home to the farm to help with its operation. Having acquired a degree in agriculture from the University of Tennessee Con farmed as well as taught World War II veterans vocational agriculture in the Flintville area and taught agriculture at the Flintville High School.

In January 1952, Con S. Massey and his wife Dorothy M. Massey bought the farm. They had three children and continued to raise some of the same livestock and crops with the addition of sheep and hay. Con also continued to teach agriculture at Flintville High School until his retirement in 1973.

Con and Dorothy’s son, John Porter Massey, and his wife Rebecca Price Massey bought the property on Jan. 23, 1980. Massey advises that the and his wife continue to live on the farm “managing a cow-calf program, bailing hay, fixing fences, bush hogging pasture and spoiling grandchildren, two dogs, and a cat!”

Photo: A barn on the John Massey Farm.

Cravey - McCravey

These details tie into Edward Larls Massey's wife Lila Mae Thomas.
Lila was the daughter of William Marion Thomas and Lena Cravey.

---------------------------------

From: Elizabeth Cravey Hughes
Date: 06 May 2000

Hi to all Cravey/McCravey researchers (and also those by any other name variant),

I checked the messages traffic at http://genforum.genealogy.com/cravey/ for names of those doing research on the Crave/McCravey family. That's how I came up with your address.

I wanted to let you know of the CRAVEY mailing list now operating on Rootsweb. We welcome queries on any of the variants of this surname, thinking that we all probably have a common ancestor.

If you are interested, please send an e-mail to Cravey-L-Request@Rootsweb.com with a single word, Subscribe, in both the subject line and the body of the post. This will get you signed up for the :List" format of the mailing list, which simply sends you a message anytime one is posted.

If you prefer the "Digest" format of the mailing list, in which a number of messages are compiled as attachments to on e-mail, send you request to Cravey-D-Request@Rootsweb.com, again with the single word, Subscribe, in both the subject line and body of the message.

I hope no one is offended by my "harvesting" your names from the GenForum site. My only intent was to let you know of the existance of the Cravey family mailing list on Rootsweb. I assure you, you are not on any sort of "spam" list. If you aren't interested, just don't reply, and I promise to not bother you again.

If you are interested, please let your family correspondents know about the CRAVEY mailing list and how to sign up. If you have any problems, please contact me personally.

Elizabeth Cravey Hughes

Leveritt

Raymond Leveritt Massey (1922-2001) said that his middle name was the name of a school teacher that his parents knew.

Leveritt's father was born in Collin County, Texas and there are several "Leverett" family members in the county records deed index (Jan 1, 1846 to Dec 31, 1911). Could this be the connection?

George W Massey

There is a small section on George W Massey at http://www.vsg.cape.com/~dougshow/fourth-site/mitchusson2.html and a George W Massey is listed as a head-right owner in Collin County, Texas. Does anyone have any details on this branch of the family and are these the same George?

Elizabeth Ann Mitchusson [b: 13 Jan 1821] --m [1]: George S. Massey on 28 July 1842 in Caldwell Co., KY and m [2]: Col. James Chiles on 7 Oct 1874. The 1860 Grayson County, Texas census lists George and Eliza with their six children. According to An Illustrated History of Grayson County, Texas by Graham Landrum and Allan Smith [published 1967], George S. Massey was one of the wealthiest landowners near Preston Bend on the Red River--an area of Grayson County known for its large plantations before the Civil War. George Massey died sometime after the Civil War. The children of George and Elizabeth are said to have been:
---------------------Henry W. Massey [b: KY]
---------------------Mary E. Massey [b: KY]
---------------------George W. Massey [b: KY]
---------------------James W. Massey [b: TX]
---------------------Robert C. Massey [b: TX]
---------------------Margaret M. Massey [b: TX]

Gary Massey

ALICE -- Gary R. Massey, a storage facility manager, died May 13, 2007. He was 59.

Survivors include his wife, Beverly; a son, Gary Massey Jr. of Houston; five daughters, Joycelyn Rodriguez of Alice, Debbie Fullerton of Mission, Amelia Galves of Austin, Gretchen Callaghan of Houston and Nicole Coronado of Pasadena; his mother, Melba Massey of Conroe; a sister, Debbie Nichols of Aransas Pass; 12 grandchildren and a great-grandchild.

Prayer services will be at 7 p.m. May 15 at Mauro P. Garcia Funeral Home. Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. May 16 at Stonegate Baptist Church.

---------------------
Family connection unknown

Edna Della Massey Hazelwood 1922-2008

Funeral services for Edna Della Hazelwood, 85, of Conroe, will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, June 30, 2008, at the Metcalf Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Bill Posey officiating. Visitation will be from 1-5 p.m. Sunday, June 29, 2008, at Metcalf Funeral Home.

Interment will follow at Dry Creek Cemetery on FM 3083. Edna was born September 16, 1922, in Conroe, Texas and passed away June 26, 2008, in Conroe, Texas. Mrs. Hazelwood is preceded in death by son, Daniel J. Hazelwood, and his father, Daniel H. Hazelwood; her parents, John and Minnie Massey; siblings, Nora Hyatt, Robert Massey, A.E. “Coon” Massey, Jimmie Massey, Johnny Massey and Samuel Massey. She is survived by daughters, Edna Diana Laxson and husband, Patrick of Huffman, Texas, Mary Jane Oatis and husband, Homer Stanley of Conroe, Texas, Minnie Sue Kaatz and husband, Norman of Conroe, Texas; son, Thomas Hazelwood and wife, Jo Ann Hyman of Conroe, Texas; sister, Esther Norman of Santa Fe, Texas; numerous special grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren and special nieces. Pallbearers are John Stobb, Pete Laxson, Devin Kaatz, Matt Laxson, Daniel Laxson, Adam Little and David Stobb. A special thanks to Aseracare Hospice for being with the family.

©Houston Community Newspapers Online 2008

http://www.hcnonline.com

Leveritt Massey - Advice

This is transcribed from a 1989 birthday card given by Leveritt Massey to his grandson, Larls.


Son,
In spite of all the high tech, I trust that you’ll have no trouble finding your niche. Possibly in the high tech. There will always have to be those that mow the grass, drive the nails, and do the little mundane task. Satisfaction in a job well done is most rewarding. Be a man of your word. It seems every one from the President on down likes to cover his tracks with half truths (a lie). If you say I will be there @ eight o’clock, you did not tell the truth if you ger there at 8:05.
To be your best will take effort, and only you can make the effort. Advise is really worthless. Observation of a truth in action is priceless.

Pa Pa

Leveritt Massey - Bougainville

    The island of Bougainville was a stepping stone on the way to Rubaul, the main Pacific military base of the Japanese navy.  The United States Marine Corp was assigned the job of taking just enough of the island from the Japanese to create an air-base south of Torokina at the Empress Augusta Bay.
    The invasion began with an air raid of Corsair F4U fighter aircraft lad by Gregory “Pappy” Boyington, future leader of the "Black Sheep" squadron.
    Three steel mat air strips were established at the beach near the Piva River.  One was long and used by the bombers and supply planes while the other two were used by the fighter aircraft.  The Japanese military on the island was so close that planes would have to turn hard upon take off to avoid flying into the enemy anti-aircraft gun positions.
    Effete was often the last stop before Bougainville.
   Although many men died from combat, Leveritt Massey said that more soldiers in his unit actually died from weather and accidents.  On several occasions storms would hit the island causing trees to fall on their tents.  This would often crush the soldiers to death as they slept.
    Aircraft would often come back with damage and on one occasion an aircraft had a loose bomb which accidentally dropped as the plane was landing.   Falling next to the mess tent, it killed the men waiting in line to eat.
   Leveritt came close to death on a few occasions.  During a small attack Leveritt left his bed for the safety of a fox hole.  Another soldier stayed in his bed and was going to sleep though the battle.  Leveritt returned to find that one enemy shell hit the tree next to their tent and exploded into hundreds of fragments.   His bed and the others were full of fragment holes and the other soldier was killed.
    With the American forces focused on Rabaul, they did not take time to clear the remaining portion of the island of Japanese forces.   Leveritt told stories of occasional snipers and other hazards but said that this ended when an Admiral threatened the base commander that if they could not remove the enemy, his ships would blast everyone off the island.  Not wanting to get shelled by his own side, the base commander ordered all anti-aircraft guns lowered and fired for over 24 hours.  When the firing stopped the enemy was dead and the jungle around the base was reduced to smoking tree stumps.
    Being far from home meant that fresh fruits and vegetables were not often received.  On one supply shipment, the base received onions.  With this being the best that they had received in some time, Leveritt said that they ate them like apples and did not care about the taste or bad breath.
    The men's health was important to the military and the soldiers often faced medical examinations and preventative treatments.  Leveritt said that the medical tent was small and on a wooden platform.  The men would form a line to enter the tent, receive their shot, and leave by the back door.  More than one man was so nervous about needles that they would hit the ground because of fainting or missing the step leaving the tent.
    "There were two air strips there, Piva north and Piva south, were with the scout bombers, Piva north, the fighters were on Piva south. While we're going in, they were going out. That's the saddest bunch of Marines I ever saw in my life. I don't know how long they'd been there, enough to build an airstrip and secure the perimeter, their expressions, nobody was grinning or anything like that." Barney Cummings has said that was the only time during the war that his eyes welled up with tears.

Leveritt Massey - School Days

Elementary school was at J H Giles Elementary just seven blocks from the house on 4075 Congress Ave.
W L Straughn, Charles Taylor, Pat Gowling, Walter Freeman, James Fulgrum were part of that 1st grade class that also finished the 11th grade with me.
In the second grade I was a part in a school play. Never again did I stand forth in school. But was the shy - timid kid. Ms Love was I believe my 2nd grade teacher.
Mr. Brown the janitor lived in a house on the back corner of the school ground. (about 2 city blocks). He built ___ stroke skiffs in his spare time that was real interesting to me. we had a cut down model A Ford lawn tractor with steel rear wheels (Made by the shop at High School) that pulled a gang of three 48” reel type mowers. High school boys were employed to keep all the crabgrass and other weeds out of the school lawn. The lawns were always clean and beautiful.
In high school (1 mile from home) with no plans to go to college I guess I specialized in shop. 1st year (8th grade) we had three months of wood shop, machine shop, auto shop and the the 2nd year we chose one for me it was auto shop, the senior year we were allowed to take 3 hours of shop for which we received 2 credits (no study hall). With a chance to go to Lamar Jr. College (which was integrated with the high school some classrooms and teachers were shared and buildings). I had to take Physic and Chemistry during the summer to get in. I graduated with 18 1/2 credits instead of the 16 required. Was guilty of taking a 5 gallon bucket with a charcoal fire up into the one cold football night drew a crowd when word got out, finally took it down to the track out of the stands.

Leveritt Massey - WWII

The picture is of the 99th Platoon of the United States Marine Corp Reserves in San Diego, California. Leveritt Massey is third from left in the second row from the bottom. The story below was transcribed from a note written by Leveritt.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

School closed during the end of May 1941. I don’t remember any details concerning jobs, but did put an application in at the Magnolia Refinery where dad worked. Form me the school door had closed. Short courses – training sessions were it from this time on. Graduated from South Park High in Beaumont in May 1940. Lamar College was a part of the High School. Some buildings were shared, some teachers, the college was underwritten by the South Park School District which at that time had a little money.
The refinery, the oil fields, and the tank forms south of town were in our school district. The refinery paid a compromise tax. I think my tuition at Lamar college (year 1940-1941) was about $35.00 plus books, but when it cam time to sign up for 41-42 there was no money for college. Ray Hilton, the son of a painting contractor (oil field tanks), was in the same boat no money to resume school. I had thought about joining the navy, but Ray wanted to join the Marines, so with no hassles we joined the Marines. July 29, 1941 we entrained in Beaumont for Houston. In Houston we passed all the exams and put on the train for San Diego.
As I look back the entire passenger car must have been filled with recruits from Mississippi westward. It took two days for our car to reach San Diego. We were picked up and bussed to the Recruit Depot by those nice Sergeants, the likes of whom no one wanted to meet the second time. “FALL OUT” is the first command learned. We were billeted in a nice brick barracks till we were issued G.I. clothes, had a medical, and was given the standard haircut. Just about the time settled in Sgt. Klatt instructed us to put everything in the seabag were moving to the tent city. the balances of the seven weeks of boot camp was in tent city.
Times were tough lots of fellows were joining up many were coming to the Marines to skip the draft into the Army. At this time the draft only meant on year of service (I never signed up until I was discharged. Too young at the beginning and too many service points when I got out.
Sgt. Klatt was our DI [Drill Instructor] and platoon command (he had a Corp for an assistant, too dumb to make the grade). Klatt was sore at the world. He was recalled from 12 years in China where he lived like a king. He had an entire Chinese family hired to care for his home. They pulled him back to train recruits which really made him happy. Klatt was hard. He made good Marines out of boys. Hard but not overbearing. Some of the fellows complained one in their tend didn’t bathe. Sgt. told them each have a wash bucket, a scrub brush, laundry soap, there’s water at the end of the tent row and lots of sand out back... and I intended to be out of the area when we came in this afternoon till late tonight. Some orders are never voiced. That night the sun went down on a Red man. Duly scrubbed. Never again did anyone in the platoon miss a shower.
The hardest day in boot camp was a four hour march with full pack on the soft sand outback. (Bottom dredging from the Naval anchorage in the bay.)

Annie Mae Massey 1918-2006

Annie Mae Massey passed away on December 24, 2006 in Willis, Texas at the age of 88. She was born on June 21, 1918 in Houston, Texas.

Visitation for Annie will be Wednesday, December 27, 2006 between the hours of 5 and 9 p.m. in Cashner Funeral Home.
Funeral services will be 10 a.m. on Thursday, December 28, 2006 in Cashner Colonial Chapel with Mr. Edward Hahn officiating. Interment will follow in Conroe Memorial Park Cemetery on Porter Road.

Annie was preceded in death by A. E. (Coon) Massey, her husband of 58 years; son, Douglas Massey; two sons-in-law, Dalton Hyde and Danny Foley; granddaughter, Harriett Milliff; and two great granddaughters.
She is survived by son and daughter-in-law, Wahren and Betty Massey of Riverside; daughters and husbands, Inez and Leonard McGee of Conroe, Louise and Clinton McGee of Conroe and Wynette Foley of Carthage.
She is also survived by eleven grandchildren, twenty-six great grandchildren and ten great-great grandchildren. Grandsons, Dennis Hyde, Terry McGee, Eddy McGee, Robert Walker, Kip Foley and Kie Foley will serve as pallbearers.
Honorary pallbearers will be Jim Anderson and Roy Harris.

The family would like to thank the Lighthouse Hospice and the Willis Convalescent Home for all the loving care they have given.

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Services Information 

Visitation 

Wed., Dec 27, 2006

5:00 pm-9:00 pm

Cashner Funeral Home

801 Teas Nursery Road

Conroe, TX 77303

Funeral Service 

Thu., Dec 28, 2006

10:00 am

Cashner Colonial Chapel

801 Teas Nursery Road

Conroe, TX 77303

Burial 

Thu., Dec 28, 2006

Following Service

Conroe Memorial Park Cemetery

1600 FM 1314

Conroe, TX 77301