Mike Massey

Mike passed away peacefully on Thursday January 3, 2008 at home, surrounded by his family after a courageous battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease). On April 26, 1936, Mike was born to Maxine Wilson Massey Reid and Bennett Clark Massey, Sr. in Fort Worth, Texas. He was raised by Sue Dixon, his great-aunt. Mike graduated from Paschal High School in 1954 and served in the Naval Reserves from 1954 to 1962. He attended University of Texas at Arlington and the University of Houston where he studied aeronautical and electrical engineering. Mike married the love of his life, Sandra, with whom he celebrated “fifty wonderful revolutions around the sun” on July 20, 2007. Together they raised three daughters Julie Massey, Cindy Adami and Mollie Tribble.

His early career was spent in flight test at General Dynamics in Fort Worth and EG&G in Las Vegas, Nevada. A highlight of his career was working at NASA in the Mission Control Center during the Apollo 11 manned lunar landing on July 20, 1969. He was a Senior Engineering Manager for Digital Equipment Corporation in Colorado Spring, CO and Kaufbeuren, Germany. After retiring in 1992, his strong passion for learning inspired him to continue his education at The University of Colorado where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science in 1995. A licensed pilot, Mike loved flying small aircraft and ultra lights. Recently, he became an amateur radio operator. He also enjoyed studying physics, chemistry, and molecular biology along with developing computer systems.

Mike’s love for his family, his strength and his courage has been an inspiration to his sons-in-law Bill Martin, Brad Adami and Robert Tribble, granddaughters Mandy, Macy, Madeleine, Malerie, Marlena and his nephews and nieces. He was a brother to Jim Farmer of Aledo, TX, George Blake of Monument, CO, Bonnie Venditti of Morro Bay, CA, Stanley Massey of Diamond Bar, CA, Gary Massey of Plano, TX and Lynda Robertson of Reston, VA. The family greatly appreciates the love and support from Walter and Peggy Clement, his brother Jim, and Jack, Tina and Donna Lane. They would also like to express deep gratitude to Emily, Dinah, Sam and all the nurses at Hospice Brazos Valley for their loving care of Mike.

The family will have a private gathering to celebrate Mike’s life at home in College Station, TX on Saturday, January 12, 2008.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mike’s memory to  Hospice Brazos Valley, 502 West 26th Street, Bryan, Texas 77803 or the ALS Association – Greater Houston Chapter, P.O. Box 271561, Houston, Texas 77277-1561.