Journal-Courier, Jacksonville, Illinois, Wednesday, December 11, 2002
JACKSONVILLE - Mr. Alfred W. Massey, 85 years old, of Jacksonville, died early Tuesday morning, Dec. 10, 2002, at St. John's Hospital in Springfield. He was born March 30, 1917, in rural Jacksonville, the son of Enos Farnsworth Massey and Elizabeth Willerton Massey. He married Eva Bernice Lonergan on 28 January 1940 at the Literberry Baptist Church, in Literberry, Illinois. Mrs. Massey survives.
Mr. Massey is also survived by his three sons, William Wayne Massey, currently of Carbondale, Illinois, Alfred J. Massey, (wife, Janet) of Huntington Beach, California and Larry Walter Massey, (wife, Vilma) of Camarillo, California. He is also survived by three grandsons; Christopher Dillion Massey, Jason Edward Massey and Justin Andrew Massey. Mr. Massey leaves several cousins, nieces and nephews. Mr. Massey was preceded in death by one grandson, Joel K. Massey (Oct 1999) his three brothers; Walter Willerton, Lloyd Enos, Orval Edgar; and two sisters, Margaret Jeannette Story and Stella May Tendick.
Mr. Massey attended Maple Grove School, which was located in what is now South Jacksonville. He was a member of Laborers Union Local 253 and an active member of the Youngblood Baptist Church in Nortonville. Mr. Massey was employed by Hugh Gibson and several construction companies within the Jacksonville area for approximately 35 years of his adult working life. During this time, Mr. Massey assisted in the construction of many educational, commercial and residential buildings that exist in Jacksonville today. These projects include structures on the MacMurray and Illinois College campuses, and the historic water pipeline that brought water from the Illinois River to Jacksonville during the early 1950s. In conjunction with his work in the construction area, he also managed the Massey Family Farm, which was established by his father, Enos Massey during the late 1800's. Mr. Massey's father relocated a portion of the current residence from it's original site, on the shores of Morgan Lake located within Nichols Park, to the present site of the farm where Mr. Massey was born, lived all but a few years of his life and resided until his death. Mr. Massey was an avid outdoorsman, loving to hunt, trap, and raise livestock and crops on the farm.
Mr. Massey was a direct descendent of Geoffrey Massey who came to this country from Cheshire England in 1630 and Hart Massey who was an early settler of Watertown New York and an officer under the command of General George Washington. Mr. Massey's grandfather, William S. Massey, was the grandson of Silas Massey who came to Jacksonville from the Watertown area in 1829. The present Massey Lane is the site of the original Massey homestead.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at the Gillham-Buchanan Funeral Home in Jacksonville, with internment at Sheppard Cemetery, south of Jacksonville. Friends may call at the funeral home from 1 p.m. Friday until the time of services. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts are suggested to be sent St. John's Hospital and the Youngblood Baptist Church in Nortonville.
Submitted by: Al Massey