JUNE 13 – Massie C. Stinson, PhD, of Farmville, passed away Tuesday, June 11, 2013 at his home. He was born on October 28, 1935, in Madison Heights to the late Massie C. Stinson Sr. of Buckingham and Eva D. Whitmer of Eagle Rock.

Mr. Stinson attended Bluefield College located in southwest Virginia, where he received an Associate of Arts degree in 1959. In 1961 he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History, and in 1966 he earned a Master of Arts degree in English Literature-both were from the University of Richmond. In 1974 he received his PhD from the University of South Carolina. From 1961 until 1973, he taught at Brookland Junior High, Midlothian Seventh Grade, Phillips Business College in Lynchburg, Virginia Commonwealth University, the University of South Carolina, and Bluefield State College in Bluefield, West Virginia. In the fall of 1973, he moved his family to Farmville, where he joined the faculty at Longwood College (now University). At Longwood he taught English for 27 years, during which time he also served on numerous academic committees and as chairman of the Department of English, Philosophy, and Modern Languages for six years. He retired in the spring of 2000.

Once in later years while stopped in front of the stoplight at the intersection of Griffin Boulevard, Appomattox, and High Streets, Mr. Stinson looked wistfully across at Longwood and said, “You know, I taught there for almost 30 years, and I loved every minute of it.” He devoted himself in total to his family, friends, colleagues, students, church, and community, all of which he truly loved.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Mary Jane; daughters, Kimberly, Gayle, and Susan; sons-in-law, and daughter-in-law (respectively), James Crowl, Robert Webber, and Mary Beth Dunkenberger; grandchildren, Tom Noehren, Jack and Charlotte Crowl; step-grandchildren, Caroline Wachtman (Rick), Diana Webber, Will Dunkenberger, Alex Dunkenberger, and Jack Dunkenberger; sister, Barbara Buckelew (Conrad); niece, Stuart Buckelew; great-niece, Joyce Gilmartin (Jim) and her children, Morrioghain and James; great-nephews, Michael Buckelew and Sean Markowski; and his many and much-beloved cousins, other kinfolk, and friends from “Hogtown” and beyond. He was preceded in death by his parents, his only son, Massie George, and nephews, Douglas and Randy Buckelew.

The family will receive friends on Thursday (tonight), June 13 from 6-8 p.m. at Doyne-Burger-Davis Funeral Home.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, June 14 at Johns Memorial Episcopal Church with interment at Westview Cemetery in Farmville.

Memorial contributions may be made to the following: The Anna Julia Cooper Episcopal School of Richmond, Virginia 804-822-6610; http://annajuliacooperepiscopalschool.org/ Bluefield College of Bluefield, Virginia, 800-872-0176; http://www.bluefield.edu/

The family is being served by Doyne-Burger-Davis Funeral Home, Farmville.