Obit of Massey, Elmer Andrew - Cleveland County, Oklahoma Submitted by: Rita Floyd 16 Dec 2007 Return to Cleveland County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/cleveland/cleveland.html ===================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ===================================================================== ::Memorial Park Cemetery--Ada OK ELMER MASSEY NORMAN - Services for Elmer Andrew Massey, 83, Norman, are 2 p.m. Thursday at Criswell Funeral Home Chapel, Ada, Gary Lower and J.D. Cunningham will officiate. Burial will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery, Ada. Mr. Massey died Thursday, Aug. 16, 2007, at a Norman hospital. He was born July 7, 1924, at Fittstown to James Monroe and Callie Mae Coots Massey. He and his family moved to Colbert and later to Ada. He was attending Ada High School when, on Dec. 7, 1942, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. He left then to join the U.S. Navy. After completing basic training, he was assigned to the USS New Jersey. He helped in building the battleship on which he would serve. After sailing through the Panama Canal, the New Jersey arrived to join the fleet in the South Pacific Jan. 9, 1944. Seaman Second Class and gunners mate Massey served during World War II for three years and two months. Upon discharge, he returned to Ada in January 1946 to graduate with his senior class. He attended Murray State College and played football for two years, and finished his college career at East Central State College, where he played football and also received a bachelor's degree. He married Mary Frances Low April 25, 1947, in Ada. She died May 7, 2007. Mr. Massey joined the faculty of Murray State College in 1953, where he coached football, basketball, and track while teaching Psychology and American History. In 1962, he became the principal at Marietta. In 1969, he moved to the Holdenville school system as principal. When Sulphur decided to adopt the middle school system, Coach Massey was asked to start the program and hire the faculty. He remained in that position until his retirement. Mr. Massey was inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame at Murray State College in 2004. Survivors include two daughters, Karen Acker and husband Mark, Norman, and Karol McGehee and husband Darrel, Corinth, Texas; a son, Andy Massey and wife Lisa, Tulsa; two brothers, Alfred Massey, Fairview, and George Arthur Massey and wife Karen, Bixby; two sisters-in-law, Rexann Massey and Wanda Massey; a brother-in-law, Calvin Laxton, Bethany; and four grandchildren, Andrea McGehee, Dallas, Texas, Brett McGehee, Corinth, Texas, Jacob Andrew Massey and Leigh Taylor Massey, both of Tulsa. Bearers will be Glen Wolfe, Tommy Holt, John McWhieter, Darrel Myrick, Bill Pennington and Dub Raper. Criswell Funeral Home, Ada --------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Cleveland County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/cleveland/cleveland.html