John Alexander Massa

Sibley, IA John Massa, age 94 of Sibley, IA died Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at the Osceola Community Hospital in Sibley. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, March 22, 2010 at St. Andrews Catholic Church, with Father John Vakulskas as celebrant. Burial will be at a later date in the St. Andrews Catholic Cemetery of Sibley. Visitation will be Sunday, March 21st from 1-6 p.m. with the family present from 4-6 p.m. at the Jurrens Funeral Home of Sibley. There will be a rosary at 3:00 p.m. and vigil service at 3:30 p.m. John Alexander Massa was born on April 5, 1915, the son of Joseph P. and Letizia (Pizzarno) Massa in Sibley, Iowa. He grew up in Sibley and graduated from Sibley High School. After graduation he received his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Iowa State University. On June 30, 1939, John was united in marriage to Orlene Steck. The couple lived in Omaha, NE and New Orleans for three years, where John worked for Westinghouse as an electrical engineer. Then they moved back to Sibley, and in July of 1940, John and his wife purchased Joes Place (a pool hall), later known as Massa Recreation. John enlisted in the U.S. Army in September of 1941and was in the Signal Corp. John reached the rank of Captain and served in France and Belgium. After forty-eight years of marriage Orlene passed away on January 16, 1987. On May 8, 1993, John married Maye Denham in Sibley. John was the Mayor of Sibley for a time, and served on the Hospital board. He was a member of St. Andrews Catholic Church, KCs, Sibley American Legion and the Rotary, where he was a Paul Harris Fellow. John was a people person and loved to visit with his family and friends. John is survived by his wife of sixteen years, Maye Massa of Sibley, IA; six children, Linda (husband, Max) Schnepf of Pleasant Hill, IA, Dan (wife, Marcia) Massa of Sibley, IA, Beth (husband, Chuck) Weaver of Arden Hills, MN, John J. (wife, Naomi) Massa of Sioux Falls, SD, Lawrence (wife, Paulette) Massa of Shoreview, MN and Melanie (husband, Lee) Seivert of Sibley, IA; two step-children, Betty Perkins of Stone Mountain, GA and Robert (wife, Dottie) Denham of Stone Mountain, GA; fifteen grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, three step-grandchildren and eight step-great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Orlene; parents, Joe and Letizia; one brother, Lawrence Massa; and one sister, Mary Lastrico.