Welch Funeral Home

Brad was born on May 20, 1976 in Jackson to Dr. Boyd Massey and JoAnne (Bradley) Massey.He graduated from Jackson Academy and Mississippi State University, where he was later employed as a law enforcement officer for 19 years, attaining the rank of Lieutenant. On October 22, 2011, he married Lindsey Mixon. Brad and Lindsey loved their four dogs, Bosco, Sara, Emma and Chloie, and spent happy times enjoying each other’s company.Brad was a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan and enjoyed cheering for (and often criticizing) MSU athletics. Brad was preceded in death by his mother, sister Amanda, paternal grandparents, Robert and Nancy Massey, and maternal grandparents, Joe and Elaine Bradley. He is survived by his beloved wife Lindsey; father Dr. Boyd “Doc” Massey; stepmother Jill; brother Matt (Caroline); nephew Brooks; niece Meridith, and stepsister Morgan Sellers (Katie). Visitation will be from noon until 1 p.m. Saturday [March 23] at Welch Funeral Home in Starkville. The Memorial Service will follow immediately in the Welch Funeral Home Chapel. Honorary pallbearers will be the Law Enforcement Officers.In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, 1380 Livingston Lane, Jackson, MS 39213 or the Oktibbeha County Humane Society, P.O. Box 297, Starkville, MS 39760.

Mississippi State University Police Department Lt. Brad Massey died more than two years after being diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer. He served on the MSUPD for 17 years, spending much of his career in investigations. Colleagues and friends remembered him as a skilled detective and a kind, helpful person. He was 42 years old.Mississippi State University Police Chief Vance Rice said he had the opportunity to work with Massey for approximately two-and-a-half years before he became ill. He remembered Massey’s skill as an investigator, recalling a case he was sure was going to be cold.“I just kind of dismissed it and thought, well, this will just be another unsolved crime,” Rice said. “A couple of days later, I was walking down the hallway and Lt. Massey says ‘Chief, I’ve got a suspect.’ How did you ever come up with that? He solved the case.”Rice called Massey a positive person, and said his willingness to help others would be missed on the MSUPD.“Solving people’s crimes and bringing people to justice who have wronged people, Brad helped a lot of people,” Rice said.Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Office Captain Brett Watson also remembered Massey’s willingness to step in, and described Massey as a fixture in the local law enforcement community.“He’s going to be sorely missed by everybody in our local law enforcement community,” Watson said.Watson said Massey would often step up to help before anyone ever reached out to him.“I generally didn’t even have to make a phone call to say I needed some help,” Watson said. “Generally, Brad was he first one to call me, saying ‘how can I help?’ He was always there for anything I needed, and I personally really appreciated that, and I know the sheriff and the Sheriff’s Department really appreciated that.”“People who are willing to jump in and help when it’s not their problem are a rare commodity these days, and Brad Massey was certainly one who wo...