Dates
Thomas Cade Massey went to be with his Lord on January 31, 2018 following a brief illness. Visitation for Tom is from 5pm to 7pm on Friday, February 2, 2018 at the Massey home, 1702 Amhurst, San Angelo. Memorial service is at 3:30pm on Saturday, February 3, 2018 at First United Methodist Church, 37 E. Beauregard Ave., San Angelo, with a reception following. A private family interment will take place on Saturday morning at Fairmont Cemetery.
Tom was born at home on March 5, 1931 in San Angelo to G.M.C. and Nora Villa Massey. G.M.C. was a widower with five children who added four more with Nora Villa, of whom Tom was the baby. He spent his early years in San Angelo, and after graduating from Lake View High School, enrolled at San Angelo College (now Angelo State University) where he was a recipient of one of the first Carr Scholarships. He then served proudly in the U.S. Army in the Korean conflict. Upon being honorably discharged, Tom attended Texas A&M University and then came to his senses and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Texas School of Law. He was licensed to practice law in 1960.
Tom began his practice of law in Graham, Texas, and later continued practicing in Edinburg and McAllen, Texas. He moved his family and law practice to San Angelo in 1964. Tom was elected by his Tom Green County constituents to the Texas State House of Representatives, where he proudly served from 1973 through 1981. He served as the Chair of the House Education Committee, and Chair of the Calendars Committee. During his time in the legislature he was especially focused on the issue of education, serving as the Chairman of the Education Committee of the National Conference of State Legislatures, a member of the Southern Regional Education Board, a member of the Southern Legislative Conference of State Governments, and a former Commissioner on the Education Commission of the States.
Tom was the Tom Green County Judge and served in that position from 1987-88. He returned to his San Angelo law practice, where he enjoyed a lengthy and fruitful partnership with his good friend Sherri Balentine Tipton for many years. Tom was Board Certified in three areas of real estate: Residential, Commercial, and Farm and Ranch. He was passionate about water law, banking law, and oil and gas law, and he proudly represented the City of San Angelo in water rights matters for almost fifty years. He tried numerous cases in various courts around the state and always said, “Take care of your practice and your practice will take care of you.”
Tom was past president of the Tom Green County Bar Association; a certified mediator; a co-owner of Stroman Title; a civic leader both in the San Angelo area and across the state; a member of the Downtown Rotary Club and served as President; a past director of the West Texas Rehabilitation Center; a vice-chairman of the Fort Concho Museum Board; a member of the Texas Water Conservation Association; and a board member of the Lower Colorado River Authority.
Tom retired in 2012 after fifty years of law practice and spent his time raising cattle and goats at his ranch in Grape Creek with his wife, Pat, traveling the world, sharing stories with his grandkids, and following the ups and downs of his beloved Texas Longhorn football team. He was a talented welder, woodcraftsman, baker, cook, and painter. Tom was a lifelong student and a fanatical reader; a dedicated sharer of stories and tales; a pianist by ear who never heard a song he could not play; and a self-proclaimed “simple country lawyer” who was indeed country, yet anything but simple.
Tom was a devoted husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather, step-father, step-grandfather, uncle, great-uncle, and friend, as well as a devout Christian. He was a long time member of First United Methodist Church San Angelo, Chairman of the Permanent Endowment Committee, and served on the Board of Trustees.
Tom is predeceased by his wife, Mary Anna Byrom Massey of San Angelo, who passed away in 1999. They were married for forty-two years and had four children. Tom is also predeceased by his parents, and by his sister and brother-in-law Marion and Charles E. Williams; sister and brother-in-law Dell and Leonard Buller; sister and brother-in-law Jo and Bill Stasney; sister and brother-in-law Olga and Roy Bond; sister and brother-in-law Cadine and Raworth Williams; brother and sister-in-law Idas and Faye Massey; and brother and sister-in-law Baston and Jo Alice Massey.
Tom is survived by his loving and devoted wife Patricia Needham Massey of San Angelo; daughter and son-in-law Julie and Kevin Halfmann of Wall; daughter and son-in-law Alyson and Paul Stone of Austin; son and daughter-in-law Cade and Cameron Krier Massey of Philadelphia; son Will Massey of Austin; step-daughter Gina Webber of Gibsonton, Florida; father and mother-in-law Elton and Nina Needham of Corpus Christi and brother and sister in-law Donnie and Fotine Needham of Boerne.
Tom was blessed with a passel of grandchildren, whom he loved deeply and whose lives he followed closely: Cade Stone, James Halfmann, Anna Stone, Thomas Halfmann, Elizabeth Halfmann, Desiree Webber, and Jalen Parker. Tom is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
Tom’s family would like to extend its thanks to the staff at Shannon Hospital ICU, Shannon Hospital 4 North, and the Shannon Hospital Palliative Care team, who made his final days peaceful. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to the Massey Family Methodist Assistance Fund at First United Methodist Church San Angelo or to a charity of your choice.
Tom once wrote that he “was not a shiny person,” meaning he did not generally prefer fancy or shiny things. He shone a very bright light in his heart for his family and friends, and we will miss him and his tender heart so very dearly.