Terry Dean Massey

Terry Dean Massey, age 83, went home to be with his wife of almost 61 years, Mary Massey, who passed away February 6, 2018, and join her by The Lord’s Side on Wednesday, July 29, 2020. He was born in Trion, GA, to the late Rebecca and Burton Massey, and lived in LaFayette, GA, after retiring from the USAF as a Chief Master Sergeant in 1985. Terry met Mary while in high school at a track meet (he ran track for Trion High, she was a cheerleader for LaFayette High), and they married on May 26, 1957, at First Presbyterian Church in Covington, GA, before he shipped off for Basic Training in the USAF. Their first assignment took them to the Mojave Desert, and their last assignment to Colorado Springs, Colorado, where Terry worked in “The Mountain” at NORAD, alongside of General Patterson, often accompanying him and briefing The Pentagon on radar-related activities. He will be missed for his warm and welcoming smile (at Second Baptist Church of LaFayette), his love of sharing stories over lunch (at Wanda’s and The Tavern), fishing with his buddy Don Crane as well as his children and grandchildren, frog gigging, gardening, cooking/grilling, and singing old fashioned gospel hymns (in particular, he loved listening to J.D. Sumner, whom he had the pleasure of meeting). Not only is Terry preceded in death by his wife, Mary, and his parents, but is also by his brothers (Edward and David/Gene). He is survived by Jennifer, his daughter (San Francisco, CA); Christopher, his son, along with his wife Melissa, and their children Taylor and Addyson (Garland, TX); Donna Margio (his sister-in-law, wife of Joe Margio) (West Jefferson, NC); first cousin via marriage Celia Brock (wife of Tebo Brock) (Rome, Ga); and many! loving cousins. Jennifer and Christopher would like to extend a special thank you to two of Terry’s friends, who took care of Terry and his house these last two years: Margaret Stephenson and Rosie Hagwood. They are forever grateful and thankful for the love and care Margaret and Rosie showed their father, Terry. Due to wanting to keep everyone safe as they mourn Terry during this time of Covid-19, the family will keep the funeral and graveside burial private, but they invite Terry’s friends to either go online and sign his memory book at https://wilsonfuneralhome.com or honor CDC recommended social distancing protocols (such as wearing masks) and attend the public viewing on Tuesday, August 4, 2020, from 6 pm to 8 pm (at which the family will not be present due to risks associated with Covid-19). In addition, the 11:30 am funeral on Wednesday, August 5, 2020, while remaining private, will be live-streamed by Second Baptist Church of LaFayette. Please visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/2ndBCLaFayette/ as early as 10:45 am, the link will take you to YouTube (the service will begin at 11:30 am, but a photo memory presentation will start showing at 11 am). Should you wish to send flowers, the family is asking that in lieu thereof, remembrances may be made to Restore 634 (a group home being restored for women recently in jail, as managed by Second Baptist Church of LaFayette). Arrangements by Wilson Funeral Homes, LaFayette Chapel, LaFayette, Georgia.

Terry Dean Massey

December 29, 1936 - July 29, 2020