Larry L. Massey, age 69, of Limestone, passed away at his residence on May 10, 2019. Born in Athens, GA on June 7, 1949, Larry moved with his family to Tennessee and spent most of his life in Greene and Washington counties. After graduating from Washington College Academy in 1967, he was drafted into the United States Army in 1969 and served as an RTO (Radio-Telephone Operator) in Vietnam. He also served in the First Gulf War as a Tennessee National Guardsman with the 176th Maintenance Battalion.
After working for United Telephone Systems (now Century Link) in Johnson City for several years, he began his career at East Tennessee State University (ETSU) in 1983. He retired from ETSU with 23 years as a telephone/technical engineer in the Office of Information Technology then worked as an additional 4 years at VA Mountain Home as a Food Services technician; however, he was always more of a farmer at heart. Often sporting a stylish farmer’s tan, he could usually be found “working the back forty” of the family’s acreage.
Larry was a long-time member of Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church. A disciplined, man of few words, he was a history buff and an avid reader with a teasing sense of humor and a major soft spot for animals, especially dogs.
He was proceeded in death by his father Freeman Massey and his mother Virginia “Mama Dean” LaVerda Massey.
Those left to cherish Larry’s memory are his wife of 47 years Patricia “Pat” Watts Massey and his daughter April Massey of the home; his son Jonathan “Joey” Massey and daughter-in-law Amy Andrews Massey, his grandson Nathaniel “Chad” Massey and his granddaughter Rhyan Massey; two brothers, Gary Massey (Linda) and Rex Massey (Lori), and one sister Phyllis Massey; several in-laws; several nephews and nieces; and his furry friends Jack and Lucy.
The family will receive friends from 6:00-8:00 pm Monday, May 13, 2019 at Dillow-Taylor Funeral Home.
Graveside services will be conducted 10:45 am Tuesday, May 14, 2019 at Mountain Home National Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be John Jones, Mike Ward, Buck Watts, Dave Watts, Charles Corby and Michael Willis. Honorary pallbearers will be Roger Shelton, Michael Corby, Richard Corby, Gary Kear, Bruce Jones and Fred Gillespie.