Donald Grant Massey

Donald Massey passed away suddenly on June 28th in Glendale, Arizona. He was born on July 14th, 1946 at Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie, Indiana. His parents were William James Massey jr., and Ruth Edna (Readnour) Massey. At the time the family was living in the countryside near Muncie and the village of Selma on a 14-acre wooded property on state road 32 east, also known as East Jackson Pike, allowing Donald to be reared in a farm country environment. In the same county lived Readnour cousins with whom Donald grew up and maintained life long contact.

Donald’s education began early. At age 4 he attended Mrs. Connet’s Nursery School in Muncie, and, as Selma had no kindergarten, he attended kindergarten in Muncie at Eugene Field Elementary on the east side of Muncie. First grade was at Selma School. The following summer the family moved into Muncie at 8 Hampshire Lane, two blocks from what was then Ball State Teachers College. There Donald attended Burris School from the 2nd through the half of the 6th grade. William’s work with Chevrolet of General Motors took him to the Cleveland area and the family lived for a short time on Tonawanda Road in Rocky River, Donald attending school for one half year there. But William was again transferred, this time to the Detroit area. So the family settled at a house at 1317 Chesterfield in Birmingham. Donald attended Baldwin Junior High School in Birmingham for the next 3 years.

At the 9th grade Don entered the most important part of his education, St John’s Military Academy in Delafield WI. The experience made him the fine man he was.During on or the summer breaks he worked at the Wyoming ranch of the family of one of his SJ classmates, Mat Reno. A great experience. At the college level he attended Bradley U and Oakland U but lacked a field “dig” to receive a degree in archeology.

All during his High School and College years he was an avid ice hockey player and used to boast, likely quite correctly that he was the best hockey player to come out of Indiana!

For the next 3 years he worked in the Detroit area in various jobs, mainly at General Motors. This was in the Viet Nam era. Don briefly attended OCS but found it was not to his liking, so he dropped that, having entered the US Army on March 20, 1967. He was then posted at Camp Kaiser near the DMZ in Korea, and was there until his honorable discharge in 1969.

Following his Army time he returned to the Detroit area and began a work career at the Warren MI General Motors Transmission plant. There he worked in various areas – production, labor relations, quality control, wherever he was needed. He formed there many lifelong friends with whom he maintained relationships right up to his death.

He retired from GM in about 2006. Following his retirement he worked part time in the firm of his friend Norm Wise.

For several years Donald was married to Ann Minnick and they resided in Rochester MI and Walled Lake MI and vacationed in Hilton Head SC. The marriage ended in the early 2000’s and there were no children born to them.

During all of the Detroit years he was an active golfer and fly fisherman. He was also an outstanding snow skier who knew the Colorado spots. With fishing buddies and at times on his own, he fished all over from New Zealand to Alaska and elsewhere. He was cognizant of the fact that his grandfather William Massey was also an avid fisherman who had fished in Florida with Ted Williams.

Sadly in 2015 Donald suffered a severe medical crisis that left him impaired below the waist. This necessitated his living in assisted living facilities right up to the time of his passing. During all that time he never tired of conversations with his old friends and family. Conversations always turned to the “good old days” and of the sports action, teams and individuals of the golden days. He was especially fond of the Detroit Red Wings and was extremely saddened at the death of Gordie Howe. In conversations with his brother he was able to pull up facts from the old days that exhibited his full retention of long past times.

Donald was preceded in death by his parents, nephew Matthew Fisher, cousin Charles Huber, aunts and uncles John Massey, Dorthey (Grace) Massey; Helen (Massey) Huber, Charles Huber; Hudson Readnour, Garnet (Vores) Readnour; Garrel Readnour, Rhea (Lamotte) Readnour; Dorthey (Readnour) Davis, Darrell Davis. Donald is survived by sister Barbara (Massey) Townsend of Sun City AZ, brother William James Massey III of Savannah GA, nieces and nephews Kim (Fisher) Holmes of University Park MD, Karen (Fisher) Kean of Blaine WA, Patrick Fisher of Glendale AZ, William James Massey IV of Mennomeni MI, Thomas Allen Massey of Naples FL,and Sara (Massey) Rocha of West Chester PA, cousins Patricia Davis, Jerry Mike Readnour, Jack Readnour, Jon Readnour, Debbie Massey, Peter Massey, and John Massey, and Anne (Huber) Mauer. “

Donald was liked by everyone who knew him socially or professionally. To edit the words a bit of Will Rogers, “He never met a person who did not like him.” Evidence is that in the years he spent in assisted living he was often of the phone with his old friends. Some even came to see him in Arizona. He was generous as well and often gave his own possessions to others.

As noted above he was an avid fly fisherman, who in his generosity not only taught his brother how to fly fish but gave to him his first rod and reel.

Don will be missed by all who knew him: friends, care persons, those with whom, during his life, he came into contact, and most of all family. As one of his friends noted upon learning of his passing, “He was such a vibrant young man, with such a good sense of humor and always ready for an adventure. He was just so fun to know.”