|
Travis was born October 17, 1938, in Porterville, California, to William Washington Massey and May Belle Whitaker Massey. He was promoted to his Heavenly home on April 27, 2010 in Idabel, Oklahoma at the age of 71 years, 6 months and 10 days.
He lived in California until August, 1948 when the Massey family move to Oklahoma. Travis, except for about three years in the Forest Grove Community, was raised in and attended Idabel Schools.
He knew the call of God was upon him to preach at the age of thirteen, but did not answer the call until five years later in August, 1956, and preached his first sermon in the Idabel Church of God. He served as pastor in Broken Bow, Mt. Zion, Wright City, Millerton, Bois d’Arc Grove and Idabel.
He also filled in for many churches, in the absence of the pastor. Travis worked for Piggly-Wiggly twenty years and also Tyson Foods, retiring on April 27, 2001. After one year of retirement, he returned to work at Norwood Funeral Home as a prearrangement counselor and funeral assistant.
He currently was working as a prearrangement counselor for Norwood-Nation Funeral Home. Travis served many families while working in the funeral business. Travis and Rosetta Phillips met at the Mt. Zion Church of God, where his dad was founding pastor. On October 19, 1956, they were united in marriage in the Idabel Church of God, by Rev. W.W. Massey. To this union were born three beautiful daughters.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Rev. and Mrs. W.W. Massey, a sister, Dovie Nelson, and a brother in-law, Jim Mooney.
Celebrating his home going on_Friday April 30, 2010 are his wife Rosetta, of the home, three daughters and husbands, Deloris (Dee) Crowe, Downsville, LA; Audrey and Bill Jackson, Manteca, CA; and Patricia (Trish) and Edwin Smith of Broken Bow, OK; granddaughters, Jillian (Jill) Ebahotubbi, Patrice (Trice) Ward, Natalya (Talya) Ward and spouse Alan Neel, Jacquelyn (Jacqui) Jackson, and Emilee Crowe, one great-grandson; Caleb Neel, and one great-granddaughter; Kyleigh Rose Jackson, one sister, Christine Mooney of Idabel, OK, a brother-in-law and sister-in-law, William and Clara Mae Phillips of Ringold, OK; several nieces, nephews, his entire church family at the Idabel Church of God and many other friends and neighbors.
The family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m.until 8:00 p.m., Thursday April 29, 2010, at Norwood-Nation Funeral Home.
Services will be 2:00 p.m., Friday April 30, 2010 at Norwood-Nation Chapel with Reverend Randy Watkins and Reverend Jimmy Birdsong. Interment will follow in Forest Hill Cemetery.