Obituary for Louis M. Massey Jr.
The Ithaca Journal, Feb 6 1987, P. 5, Cols. 1-3
"Louis M. Massey Jr., 63, of 65 Jay St., Geneva [NY], died Monday, Feb. 2, 1987, at Geneva General Hospital.
Mr. Massey was a professor of food science at Cornell University's New York State Agricultural Experiment Station. For several years, he administered and operated the department's 6,000 curie gamma radiation source at the Station Food Research Laboratory. He conducted several experiments on the potential of gamma radiation as a means of extending the shelf life of fruits and vegetables.
Professor Massey received major grants from the Atomic Energy Commission and the U.S. Public Health Service. In 1968, he was awarded the Gourley Award in pomology by the American Society of Horticultural Science for his research program.
At the time of his death, Professor Massey was studying apples stored under controlled atmospheric conditions. He also was studying the means of extending the shelf life grapes that are to be marketed as fresh fruit.
Professor Massey was a graduate research assistant at Cornell in 1947. He was awarded his doctorate degree in biochemistry from Cornell in 1951. From 1951 to 1958, he worked with the plant corps unit of chemical warfare service with the U.S. Army Biological Laboratory at Fort Detrick, Md. He returned to the Geneva Station in 1958 as an assistant professor of biochemistry. In 1963 he was promoted to associate professor and in 1970 was named professor.
In addition to his research program, Professor Massey was a member of the executive committee and group research coordinator for Project NE-103, a Northeast Regional Technical Research Committee, an advisory member of the Perishable Freight Claims Committee, Association of American Railroads and was an invited participant in the Gordon Research Conference on post-harvest physiology in 1982.
He was an active member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Chemical Society, the American Society of Horticultural Sciences, the American Society of Plant Physiologist and Sigma Xi. In the community, Professor Massey was the longtime treasure of the Finger Lakes Torch Club and an active member with the Boy Scouts of America.
He is survived by his wife, Cynthia Massey of Geneva; a daughter, Mrs. Deborah Heimberger of Seattle, Wash.; a son, Nathan Massey of Vestal; a sister, Ann Barrett of Prattville, Ala.; two grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews."