Bonnie Lucille Williams Massey

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Bonnie Lucille Williams Massey, who left us peacefully on October 14, 2026, in Leesville, Louisiana, at the age of 98. Born in Liberal, Kansas, on August 7, 1928, Bonnie was a beloved wife, mother and grandmother.

In addition to being a beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, Bonnie was also active in her community wherever she was. She worked in several jobs over her lifetime starting as a teen at Sears & Roebuck in Kansas City. Over the years she also worked with a geophysical company drawing the maps for various oil companies showing seismograph results. She also worked as a draftsman at Fort Polk, and later as a medical records librarian at Beauregard Memorial Hospital.

She was the chairman of the fundraising committee for construction of the current modern Beauregard Memorial Hospital.

Perhaps the job she was most proud of was as a role player at JRTC at Ft. Polk. Having lost a son to a Cobra helicopter crash in an NTC training rotation, she felt that her contribution to training our military men and women before deployment might prevent another mother from experiencing the same loss.

Bonnie was probably best known as a marvelously talented artist. She was a member of the prestigious Women's Association of Western Artists. Wherever she lived, she was an active member of local art guilds, displaying in their galleries and leading workshops to teach art techniques.

For several years she was a member of Real Art DeRidder, and several of her paintings are still on display in that gallery.

Bonnie's spirit will be cherished and remembered by her family and friends. She is survived by her sons, Paul Massey, and his wife, Debby of DeRidder, LA, Mike Massey and his wife, Leslie of Franklin, LA; her daughter, Linda Dessommes, and her husband, Charles, from St. Francisville, Louisiana. She also leaves behind her brother, Roger Williams, of Raleigh, North Carolina. Bonnie was also a proud grandmother to seven grandchildren, a great-grandmother to 17 great-grandchildren, and seven great-great-grandchildren.

Bonnie is preceded in death by her loving husband, Edwin Massey; her son, Larry Massey; and two of her beloved grandchildren, Joshua Massey and Dominique Massey.

A memorial service to celebrate Bonnie's life will be held at Diamond Baptist Church, located at 151 Diamond Church Rd, DeRidder, Louisiana, at 11:00 AM on Saturday, October 24, 2026. For those who are unable to attend in person, the service will be live-streamed on YouTube via the church's channel, @DiamondBaptistChurch.

Bonnie will be deeply missed but forever remembered by all who had the privilege to know her.