Dean Massey

MADISON - Col. Dean T. Massey, age 84, passed away peacefully at Oakwood Village University Woods on Thursday June 9, 2016. He was born Sept. 13, 1931 in Fish Creek, WI to the late Oswald and Vernetta (Jones) Massey. He moved to Madison in 1944 and graduated from East High School in 1949 and the University of Wisconsin with a BS in Economics in 1954. He earned a Juris Doctor in Law from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1958 and a Masters Degree in Economics from the UW in 1959.
He married Patricia Lee Rowe on June 30, 1956 at the Fort Riley Chapel in Manhattan, Kansas. Dean served his country in the United States Army as a Military Police Officer from 1954 to 1956 and then the Army Reserves until 1984, retiring as a Colonel in the Judge Advocate General Corp. He was a member of American Legion Post 151.
He taught law at both the University of Iowa College of Law and at the University of Wisconsin Law School and was an attorney with the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. Since he retired in 1986, he worked as a consultant to the federal, state and local governments, foreign governments, the American Society of Civil Engineers and International Water Resource Association and to private business. His travels took him to Mauritania, Morocco, The Sudan, Albania, Bulgaria, The Czech Republic, Russia, Germany, China and Vietnam.
Dean served as Chairman of the Board and President of Terra Institute, Ltd., an international consulting firm in Mount Horeb, WI and also served on the Board of Directors of Three Pillars Senior Living Communities in Dousman, WI. He authored over 150 books, published articles, and foreign reports.
He is a past Grand Master of the Fraternal Order of Freemasons, 1990-1991, and as so, traveled extensively throughout Wisconsin and the country with his wife Patricia. He was a member of the Scottish Rite, Sovereign Prince of the Council of Princes of Jerusalem, and made an honorary member of the Supreme Council 33â?'?' in Cleveland in 1994.
He was raised a master mason at Hiram lodge, No. 50, Madison. He was a member of the Madison Chapter No. 4 Royal Arch Masons, Madison Council No. 3 Royal and select masters, and Robert Macoy Commandery, No. 3 Knights Templar and was a presiding officer of each Madison York Right Body. He was also a member of the Wisconsin York Right College No. 21, Western Wisconsin York Right College No. 85, Winnebago Conclave, the Red Cross of Constantine Great Lakes Council 273, Allied Mason Degrees; Crown n' Cork Council No. 44, Knight Masons; Order of Scotland; De Molay Legion of Honor, Milwaukee Chapter No. 27, National Sojourners; and Zor Shrine Temple.
Dean is survived by his 3 children, Thomas (Dawn), Barbara (John), and Linda (Michael); 8 grandchildren, Caitlyn, Mary, Helen, Dakota, Anna, Maggie, Priscilla and Hannah Marie (deceased); and three great-grandchildren Patricia, Jesse and Wyatt. His sister, Joan Evens, of Surprise, AZ, also survives him.
He is preceded in death by his parents, his wife of 56 years, Patricia, his younger brother, Richard, and his younger sister, Janet.
A funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday June 17, 2016 at BETHANY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 3910 Mineral Point Rd. Madison, with Rev. Brad Mather presiding. Burial will follow in Middlebury Chapel Cemetery in Barneveld. Visitation will be from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM on Thursday June 16, 2016 at Cress Funeral Home, 3610 Speedway Road, Madison, a Masonic service will take place at 7:00 PM, another visitation will be on Friday from 10:00 AM until the time of the service at the church.
Dean's adventure through life was like none other. He fearlessly stepped in to help others, even saving a number of stranger's lives along the way. He was interested in every person he met, always approached life with charm, wit and esprit de corps and with a wink and a grin was the undisputed master of the shaggy dog story.
Memorials may be made to Middlebury Chapel in Barneveld.

Cress
Funeral and Cremation Service
3610 Speedway Road Madison
608-238-3434