Marion Howard Massee, III, 85, of Fitzgerald, Georgia, died Friday, April 24, 2015, at his residence.
Memorial services will be held 2:30 PM., Sunday, April 26, 2015, at Central United Methodist Church with the Rev. Keith Goodlett, the Rev. B. J. Funk, and the Rev. Don Woeltjen officiating. The family will be receiving friends in the sanctuary from 1:30 P.M. until the service hour.
Mr. Massee was born December 1, 1929 in Ben Hill County to the late Marion H. “Duke”, Jr. and Eulalie Dorminy Massee. He graduated from Fitzgerald High School, attended Vanderbilt University for two years where he played college football, and transferred to the Georgia Institute of Technology for his final two years where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Building Construction. Following graduation, he served his country honorably for three years in the US Navy where he was stationed in Pensacola, FL and Point Mugu, CA. Following discharge from the Navy, he lived and worked in Jesup, GA where he served as President of the Jaycees. He moved back to Fitzgerald in 1960 where he co-founded Mann and Massee, Inc. and then later founded Massee Builders, Inc. where he served as President until his retirement in 1992. Mr. Massee was very active in his church, Central United Methodist, where he served in many capacities including Chairperson of the Administrative Council, Chairperson of the Trustees, Sunday School Teacher, and long time choir member. In addition, he was a longtime Trustee for the Epworth By The Sea Methodist Center, St. Simons Island, GA. He was a founder, director, past chairman and emeritus director of Colony Bankcorp, Fitzgerald. He was also very active in the local community where he served as President of the Fitzgerald-Ben Hill County Chamber of Commerce and was later named the Fitzgerald-Ben Hill County “Citizen of the Year”. He was also a longtime member of the Fitzgerald Rotary Club where he served as President and received their most prestigious “Service Above Self Award”. He served on the Ben Hill-Irwin Tech (Wiregrass Technical College) Foundation Board and was honored with their Humanitarian Award. He led a considerable major fundraising effort to restore the Grand Theater, and personally supervised the construction work. He will be remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather who performed numerous acts of kindness for his family and friends.
He is survived by his sons: Mark H. Massee and wife Sherry, and M. Lee Massee and wife Connie, all of Fitzgerald, J. Cleve Massee and wife Kathy of Dacula and Drew K. Massee and wife Jill of Kathleen; grandchildren: Adam Massee, Jacob Massee, Luke & Courtney Massee, Leah & Daniel Walker, Elizabeth & Chase Brooks, Laura Massee, Sarah & Sam Ball, Ward Massee, Rebecca Massee and Margaret Massee; great grandchildren: Caroline Massee, Kate Massee, Massee Claire Brooks, Mae Walker, Charlie Brooks and Bo Walker; sisters: Francis & Jack Register of Blackshear and Eulalie & Don Woeltjen of Fitzgerald. Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by the love of his life, Joyce Harper Massee, to whom he was married 58 years; a daughter, Robin Ann Massee; a granddaughter, Mallory Massee; and one brother, Jack D. Massee.
The family suggests those desiring to send memorials may send them to Central United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 428, Fitzgerald, GA 31750, Christian Kitchen, P.O. Box 1195, Fitzgerald, GA 31750 or to Blue-Gray Community Hospice, P.O. Box 1447, Fitzgerald, GA 31750.