Edward Massey
April 8, 1947 –January 31, 2023
On Tuesday, Jan. 31, Edward John Benjamin Massey, beloved by family and friends, passed away at the age of 75. Born to Edward and Beverly Massey on April 8, 1947 in Springfield, Vermont, he was the eldest brother to five sisters: Kathy, Cyndie, Karen, Sharon and Julie. The Massey family moved to several locations before settling down in Moses Lake, Washington, where Ed graduated from Moses Lake High School in 1965.
After high school, Edward worked at Basic American Foods and attended college at Big Bend Community College. He was then drafted into the Army in February of 1968. In Vietnam, he was appointed and served as an air traffic controller. During his service he graduated second in his class from the U.S. Army Aviation School and was honored with medals of accommodation including National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Army Commendation Medal and Purple Heart.
After his stint in the Vietnam war, Ed returned to his job at Basic American Foods where he worked for 47 years until his retirement. It was then that he was introduced to and quickly smitten by his wife of 52 years, Charlotte A. Sharp. They were married on July 3, 1970. Their family grew to include three children Carri (husband Gary), Channa and Aaron (wife Donna) and seven grandchildren James (wife Elizabeth), Dillon (wife Hannah), Reese, Sammantha, Sarah, Heather and Isaiah.
Edward was an avid outdoors enthusiast whose hobbies included 4-wheeling in his Toyota Landcruiser with the Columbia Basin Sand Commandos, hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, motorcycle riding, boating and rock hounding. He enjoyed raising his yellow Labrador retrievers, being a Boy Scout leader and volunteering for search and rescue, and was “Elder” of the local haunted house (better known as “Freddie”). Ed loved his Seahawks football, Mariners baseball and Kraken hockey, and watched endless Westerns and Harry Potter movies.
Please join us on Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 11 a.m. at Kayser’s Chapel of Memories for his funeral service. Viewing will be on Monday, Feb. 6 from 2 to 4 p.m. and Tuesday, Feb. 7 from 9 to 11 a.m.
The family would like to extend their deepest gratitude to the staff at Samaritan Hospital and especially Pastor Floyd Wilks for the love and care they extended to him and his family during his last days.
Please express your thoughts and memories for the family at www.kayserschapel.com. Arrangements are under the care of Kayser's Chapel of Memories.
