The University of Texas at Austin lost a visionary business leader, trusted adviser, and generous benefactor with the May 5 death of John H. Massey.
John Massey was deeply passionate about education and its transformative impact, with a lifetime of support for both the University and the College of Education,
says COE Dean Charles R. Martinez Jr. He recognized education as the starting point for success—both for individuals and society.
Massey’s commitment to UT included support for students, faculty members, and programs in the COE, McCombs School of Business, and School of Law, where Massey earned his bachelor’s degree in 1966. In 2011, he was awarded UT’s Presidential Citation, the highest honor given by the University to any living graduate.
At the COE, Massey is remembered for his generosity, deep belief in education, and unwavering support, matched by his wife, Elizabeth “Libba” Shatto Massey (B.S. ’61). In 2003, Massey created the Elizabeth Shatto Massey Award to honor his wife’s lifelong dedication to public education. In 2009, the couple established the Elizabeth Shatto Massey Endowed Chair in Education. In 2016, Massey surprised his wife by naming a COE community space for her: Elizabeth Shatto Massey Honor Hall.
We believe that education is the key to everything,
Massey said in a 2012 video. Education drives innovation. Innovation drives the economy. Thinking people keep our society democratic. And that’s why we think it is so critical to have a very strong educational system, and we’re happy to be part of that.
Massey’s professional career was in the banking, insurance, and asset management industry. While the Masseys were longtime Dallas residents, their early years were spent in Columbus, Texas. They created scholarships for students from Columbus and nearby Weimar, including the Elizabeth Shatto Massey Scholarship in Education, which supports aspiring teachers from Colorado County, Texas, to attend UT.
In 2014, Massey received the Distinguished Alumnus Award, the Texas Exes’ highest award. Massey served as a trustee of the University of Texas Foundation; president of The University of Texas Law School Foundation; and president of the Texas Exes—reflecting a lifetime of leadership and service to the Longhorn community.
A version of this story originally appeared on the McCombs School of Business news page.
