1937
Lt.
2009
Lt. Col. Ret. Marvin Howard Massey, Jr.
August 11, 1937 — July 28, 2009
Lt. Col. Ret. Marvin Howard Massey, 71, died unexpectedly on Tuesday, July 28, 2009, at his residence.
Funeral services for Lt. Col Massey will be conducted Saturday at 11:00 A.M. at Pleasant Heights Baptist Church with Rev. Bob Adair and Rev. Rick Elsey officiating. Burial will follow in Polk Memorial Gardens. Military honors will be provided by the U.S. Army and the Tennessee State Guard.
The family will visit with friends on Friday from 4:00 – 8:00 P.M. at Williams Funeral Home in Columbia and on Saturday one hour prior to the service at the church.
Born in Columbia on August 11, 1937 to the late Marvin Howard Massey, Sr., and Mary Elizabeth Roebuck Massey, he spent most of his youth in Winchester but graduated from Columbia Central High School in 1955. He was the husband of Audrey Derryberry Massey, whom he married on August 28, 1959, after receiving his B.A. Degree from Ouachita College.
Lt. Col. Massey served 25 years in the U.S. Army, retiring in 1984 at Redstone Arsenal, AL. His last assignment was U.S. Army Advisor to the Alabama Army National Guard. During his career as a Signal Officer, he served in U.S. Army Pacific, U.S. Army Hawaii, Army Pictorial Facility Long Island, NY; Ft. Monmouth, NJ; Ft. Lee, VA; Darmstadt, Germany; Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD; Ft. Bragg, NC; and 5th and 6th Special Forces Groups, with two combat tours in Vietnam.
Among his many military decorations is the Soldier's Medal, the Army's highest decoration for heroism not under direct fire, for rescuing a downed pilot in Vietnam. His name and medal are honored in the Madison County, AL Hall of Heroes.
After retiring from the U.S. Army, he served honorably as Major General for the Tennessee State Guard. His service was recognized with an Award of Merit, State of Tennessee House of Representatives Resolution and the adjutant General's Distinguished Patriot Award. Lt. Col. Massey spent the last five years of his life speaking on patriotism to school children and organizations throughout Middle Tennessee.
He was knighted in the Sovereign Military Order of the Knights of Jerusalem, Knights Templar, was Mid-South Commissioner Emeritus of Clan Donald, USA, and co-founder of the Tennessee Valley Scottish Society.
He was a widely-known artist of wildlife and Civil War subjects and was chosen Ducks Unlimited Artist-of-the-Year 1988. His paintings hang in many private collections, including the Mutual of Omaha Museum in Omaha, NE.
Survivors besides his wife include three daughters: Melanie Robert Sherrow, Athens, AL, Mikala "Mikki" Steve Howard, Columbia; Merri Beth Massey, Huntsville, AL; one son: Michael Howard Massey of Huntsville; ten grandchildren: Bobby and Bonnie Sherrow of Huntsville; Jay and Will Howard of Columbia; Bryan Gregory of Huntsville; Kala Massey of Huntsville; Caity, Michael and Matthew Massey of Healdton, OK and Christopher Jones of Huntsville; two sisters: Pamela Hardison and Joan Ronald Edward Lovell, both of Columbia; and a brother, Tom Lynda Massey of Manning, SC; several nieces, nephews and cousins.
Pallbearers will be soldiers of the U.S. Army. Honorary pallbearers are CHS Class of 1955, Ouachita University Class of 1959, staff and members of the Tennessee State Guard, military comrades, Dr. John Maloof, staff of Maury Regional Medical Center, golfing buddies and special friends.
Memorials may be made to Wounded Warriors, 7020 A.C. Skinner Parkway, Suite 100, Jacksonville, FL 32256.
Funeral services for Lt. Col Massey will be conducted Saturday at 11:00 A.M. at Pleasant Heights Baptist Church with Rev. Bob Adair and Rev. Rick Elsey officiating. Burial will follow in Polk Memorial Gardens. Military honors will be provided by the U.S. Army and the Tennessee State Guard.
The family will visit with friends on Friday from 4:00 – 8:00 P.M. at Williams Funeral Home in Columbia and on Saturday one hour prior to the service at the church.
Born in Columbia on August 11, 1937 to the late Marvin Howard Massey, Sr., and Mary Elizabeth Roebuck Massey, he spent most of his youth in Winchester but graduated from Columbia Central High School in 1955. He was the husband of Audrey Derryberry Massey, whom he married on August 28, 1959, after receiving his B.A. Degree from Ouachita College.
Lt. Col. Massey served 25 years in the U.S. Army, retiring in 1984 at Redstone Arsenal, AL. His last assignment was U.S. Army Advisor to the Alabama Army National Guard. During his career as a Signal Officer, he served in U.S. Army Pacific, U.S. Army Hawaii, Army Pictorial Facility Long Island, NY; Ft. Monmouth, NJ; Ft. Lee, VA; Darmstadt, Germany; Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD; Ft. Bragg, NC; and 5th and 6th Special Forces Groups, with two combat tours in Vietnam.
Among his many military decorations is the Soldier's Medal, the Army's highest decoration for heroism not under direct fire, for rescuing a downed pilot in Vietnam. His name and medal are honored in the Madison County, AL Hall of Heroes.
After retiring from the U.S. Army, he served honorably as Major General for the Tennessee State Guard. His service was recognized with an Award of Merit, State of Tennessee House of Representatives Resolution and the adjutant General's Distinguished Patriot Award. Lt. Col. Massey spent the last five years of his life speaking on patriotism to school children and organizations throughout Middle Tennessee.
He was knighted in the Sovereign Military Order of the Knights of Jerusalem, Knights Templar, was Mid-South Commissioner Emeritus of Clan Donald, USA, and co-founder of the Tennessee Valley Scottish Society.
He was a widely-known artist of wildlife and Civil War subjects and was chosen Ducks Unlimited Artist-of-the-Year 1988. His paintings hang in many private collections, including the Mutual of Omaha Museum in Omaha, NE.
Survivors besides his wife include three daughters: Melanie Robert Sherrow, Athens, AL, Mikala "Mikki" Steve Howard, Columbia; Merri Beth Massey, Huntsville, AL; one son: Michael Howard Massey of Huntsville; ten grandchildren: Bobby and Bonnie Sherrow of Huntsville; Jay and Will Howard of Columbia; Bryan Gregory of Huntsville; Kala Massey of Huntsville; Caity, Michael and Matthew Massey of Healdton, OK and Christopher Jones of Huntsville; two sisters: Pamela Hardison and Joan Ronald Edward Lovell, both of Columbia; and a brother, Tom Lynda Massey of Manning, SC; several nieces, nephews and cousins.
Pallbearers will be soldiers of the U.S. Army. Honorary pallbearers are CHS Class of 1955, Ouachita University Class of 1959, staff and members of the Tennessee State Guard, military comrades, Dr. John Maloof, staff of Maury Regional Medical Center, golfing buddies and special friends.
Memorials may be made to Wounded Warriors, 7020 A.C. Skinner Parkway, Suite 100, Jacksonville, FL 32256.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Lt. Col. Ret. Marvin Howard Massey, Jr., please visit our flower store.
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