Barber County Kansas

The Barber County Index, August 16, 1956.

Joseph Raymond "Ray" Massey

Commissioner Ray Massey Dies Sunday

Joseph Raymond Massey, 64, Sun City, died 2 a.m., Sunday at the St. Francis hospital in Wichita.

He first became ill about 8:30 p.m. Saturday at Pratt, while there with Mrs. Massey and little daughter, Edith. His leg became swollen and he felt ill, as a result of blood clots in the right leg. He left in an ambulance at 11 p.m. for the Wichita hospital, and was on the operating table at 12:15 a.m. Sunday.

The doctors operated, to remove the blood clots in the leg, and at 2 a.m., Mr. Massey died. The doctors did not know whether another blood clot had reached a vital part of the body, or the shock of the operation on his weak heart had caused death.

Funeral services were held 9 a.m., Wednesday in the Baptist church at Sun City, with the Rev. George Baker in charge. Burial was in the Sun City Cemetery.

Mr. Massey had been active in community and county affairs, holding the office of county commissioner, at the time of his death, and previously having been a school board member for about 20 years for the Sun City schools.

He was also an outstanding farmer and rancher, having been one of the three Barber county farmers receiving the Soil Conservation award for accomplishments in taking care of and improving the land.

He had lived on the farm, by Sun City most of his life, having been away for only five years, which were spent in New Mexico. He had been on the home place for 31 years since his time in New Mexico.

He was born July 18, 1892 at Ray, Kansas.

He was also a member of the Baptist church, and the Masonic Lodge.

County courthouse officials and other county commissioners paid tribute to Mr. Massey this week for his sense of responsibility to his commissioner’s office. Although in ill health, Mr. Massey still made it a point to attend the regular meetings of the board.

Out of respect to the commissioner, the county courthouse offices were closed Wednesday morning.

He suffered a stroke and has been in ill health since then. He had been in good health until that time, having not been in a hospital until he was 55 years old.

Surviving him are: his wife, Mary Jane; four daughters, Mrs. Richard Moss, Coats; Mrs. Bill Howard, Raton, N. Mex; Mrs. Robert Ives, Kansas City; and Edith Louise, of the home; two sons, Joseph Massey, Jr., Arlington, Calif., and Kent Meadors Massey, Sun City. Two sisters, Mrs. Ruth McLain and Mrs. T.J. Murphy, both of Sun City.


Ray Massey, 1919.

Photo from the collection of Lee (Massey) Ives.
Joseph Raymond "Ray" Massey, 1919.
Photo from the collection of Lee (Massey) Ives.



Photo from the collection of Lee (Massey) Ives.
Ray Massey, Gail Massey (wife), Joe Massey, Mim Massey, Hope Massey - Taken 1919.

"The car and camping pictures are of the trip to Las Vegas, N. Mex in 1919. Dad (Ray Massey), Clyde Gillmore (married to Josephine Meadors), and Ben Martin (married to Lotta Meadors) all got jobs with the Santa Fe RR. Ray's first wife was Gail Meadors. I was the only child of our family born in N. Mex." Photo and comments courtesy of Lee (Massey) Ives.

From left: Joe Massey, Mim Massey, Hope Massey & Lee Massey - Taken 1928.  Kent Massey was not yet born.

Photo from the collection of Lee (Massey) Ives.
From left: Joe Massey, Mim Massey, Hope Massey & Lee Massey - Taken 1928. Kent Massey was not yet born.
Photo from the collection of Lee (Massey) Ives.

Left to right, top row: Ralph Massey, Bruce Adams.

Middle row: Ray Massey, Harold Urton.

Bottom row: Lyle Bullock, Van Lott.

Center front: Wesley Urton. 

Photo courtesy of Kim Fowles.
Top row, Left to right: Ralph Massey, Bruce Adams. Middle row: Ray Massey, Harold Urton.
Bottom row: Lyle Bullock, Van Lott. Center front: Wesley Urton.

Photo courtesy of Kim Fowles.

WWI Draft Registration card for Joseph Raymond Massey of Sun City, Barber County, Kansas.
Draft Registration card: Joseph Raymond Massey of Sun City, Barber County, Kansas.

United States, Selective Service System. World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. M1509, 4,582 rolls.


Also see:

Hylon Hope (Massey) Howard, daughter of Joseph Raymond "Ray" Massey.

Joseph Pierce Massey, father of Joseph Raymond "Ray" Massey.

Artha Lee (Van Horn) Massey Surber, mother of Joseph Raymond "Ray" Massey.

Ralph Nathan Massey, brother of Joseph Raymond "Ray" Massey.

Joe Massey, son of Joseph Raymond "Ray" Massey.

Kent Meadors Massey, son of Joseph Raymond "Ray" Massey.

Ruth (Massey) McLain, sister of Joseph Raymond "Ray" Massey.

Massey Farm Machinery on the Massey Ranch near Sun City, Kansas. The page features photos of Ray and Ralph Massey.


Thanks to Lee (Massey) Ives for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news article to this web site and to Kim Fowles for arranging the contribution!




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