John Boyd Massey

Dr. John Boyd Massey, 75, of Decatur, GA, was born in Memphis, TN, on Feb. 22, 1950, and passed away Jan. 23, 2026 after a quick and devastating illness. He was preceded in death by his father, James E. Massey Sr.; his mother, Irene Boyd Massey, both of Memphis; and his brother, James E. Massey Jr. of Baton Rouge, LA.

John graduated from Millington Central High School in Millington, TN, in 1968 and earned a BA degree (1972) and a Ph.D. (1977) from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, majoring in chemistry. He remained an avid fan of the Tennessee Vols and their various sports teams all his life and frequently wore orange shirts to show his partiality.

In 1977 he moved to Houston, TX, where he worked until 2009 in medical research in the Department of Medicine at Baylor School of Medicine. In his words, “I studied the role of cholesterol and high density lipoproteins (‘good’ cholesterol) in the development of cardiovascular disease.” He was the author or co-author of a large number of research papers.

In 2009 he enrolled in nursing school at the University of Texas, Galveston, graduating in 2012. He then moved to Decatur, GA, where he spent his last 14 years.

He led an active life, enjoyed being outdoors and spending holidays and Sundays with his sister Alice and her family in McDonough. He closely followed politics and Vols’ sports and took up fishing which became his primary hobby. He frequently drove to lakes in North Georgia where he enjoyed fishing and just being outside in nature. Another hobby was genealogy, and he did a great deal of research on the Massey and Boyd family trees. Earlier in his life he enjoyed sailing and camping.

He was stoic and uncomplaining in nature and an independent person but he was also a good, decent, kind and honorable man. His death leaves a huge void in his family and he will be greatly missed.

John leaves his sister Alice Smith and brother-in-law Walt; one nephew, Stephen Smith; two nieces, Alison (Stephane) Smith Joly of Paris, France, and Kelly Jo (Troy) Robertson of Baton Rouge, LA. He also leaves three great-nephews and a great-niece: Hadrien and Cameron Joly and Helena and Brennan Robertson.