DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about this place — so settle in, because this one's got some miles on it. Some stories start with a river crossing, and this one's no different. Mary Lee Payne was born in Weimar in 1867, one of four children who came up under the full weight of pioneer life.
She wanted an education — wanted it badly enough to teach while she was still learning herself, working as a teacher, a postmaster, and a sales lady in various towns across the region. But somewhere along the way, fording a river, she lost her wardrobe to the current. Now, most folks might've taken that as a sign to stay put.
Mary Lee Payne was not most folks. She later attended Buffalo Gap College and kept right on going. In 1899 she married Robert Massie, a man who'd been born in Scotland and come to this country as a youth.
He started out as a sheep herder — which is about as ground-floor as it gets — and from that starting point he advanced to a leading place in the sheep and wool industry, making a fortune in that and other varied businesses. Scotland to sheep herder to industry leader: the man covered some ground. Together, Mary and Robert reared an adopted daughter, three of their young nephews, and a niece.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Massie never did let go of that calling she'd carried since her pioneer days. She resumed public and Sunday school teaching, taking a special interest in the junior department of the Methodist Church here in this city.
A dedicated church member, a gifted teacher, and by every account a genuine humanitarian — that's how the marker remembers her. Both Mary and Robert Massie died in 1931. And here's where the story takes a turn that still echoes today.
Mrs. Massie's will directed a large portion of the estate to the benefit of youth. The Massie Memorial Foundation got to work in 1932, and since then it has provided over two thousand student scholarships.
Two thousand young people, helped across their own rivers by a woman who once lost everything fording one. The home itself stood at this very site until 1960. The house is gone now, but the marker stands, and somewhere out there, the count keeps climbing.
What the marker says
A dedicated member of the Methodist Church and a gifted teacher, Mrs. Massie was a humanitarian who worked to further education throughout her life. The former Mary Lee Payne, Mrs. Massie was born in Weimar, one of four children she grew up under the stress of pioneer life and worked, in various towns, as a teacher, post master and sales lady. Although her education was interrupted when her wardrobe was lost in fording a river, she later attended Buffalo Gap College. In 1899 she married Robert Massie. Massie, born in Scotland, came to this country as a youth. From a sheep herder's job, he advanced to a leading place in the sheep and wool Industry, making a fortune in this and other varied businesses. Mary and Robert Massie reared an adopted daughter, 3 of their young nephews, and a niece. Mrs. Massie resumed public and Sunday school teaching, taking a special interest in the junior department of the Methodist church in this city. Following their deaths in 1931, Mrs. Massie's will gave a large portion of the estate to the benefit of youth. The Massie Memorial Foundation has, since 1932, provided over 2,000 student scholarships. Until 1960 the Massie home stood at this site. (1968)