Texas GLBT Activist Buck Massey Passes Away

From the Stonewall Democrats:

We learned last night of the passing of Buck Massey, the Political Director for the Dallas Stonewall Democrats. Buck served as a much-loved member of the National Stonewall Democrats Board of Directors, and of the Texas Democratic Party Central Committee and Affirmative Action Committee.

Buck recently helped raise the funds needed to sponsor the travel of a group of Texas LGBT students to our Western National Training in Las Vegas. We will provide additional information on the life and work of our friend Buck Massey, and reports from the students that he helped to sponsor, in the coming weeks.

TDP Chairman Boyd Richie released this statement earlier.

Texas Democrats truly lost a great friend in Buck Massey . As a dedicated member of the State Democratic Executive Committee and former precinct chair, Buck was a true leader in the Democratic Party and will be deeply missed. It was his mission in life to improve his community and the Texas Democratic Party is a better organization because of his input and involvement.

Buck always put the interests of others before his own and honorably served his country during the Vietnam War. He was also a dedicated leader in Stonewall Democrats and set an example as a staunch advocate for the GLBT community in Texas.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends as we mourn the loss of our good friend, Buck.

Kirk McPike from the Dallas County Young Democrats has this:

Democratic activist Buck Massey passed away in his sleep this Tuesday night. The longtime precinct chair, a board member of the local and national Stonewall Democrats and friend of the Dallas County Young Democrats was 58 years old. Arrangements for a memorial have not yet been made.

Buck was a native of Mississippi who served his community throughout his life: as an Air Force soldier in Vietnam, as a postal worker in Dallas and as an early and strong advocate for the rights of GLBT Texans. Buck retired from the post office in late 2005, and worked tirelessly to help bring about last November's Democratic sweep. In June 2006, Buck was elected to the Texas State Democratic Executive Committee from the 23rd Senatorial District.

Never one to turn from a fight, Buck's tenacious progressivism stands as an example for all Democratic activists. We live in a Democratic Dallas County today because of the decades-long effort of activists like Buck Massey. The DCYDs lost a friend this week, but so long as we claim his banner and fight on for the ideals Buck proudly professed, we will never lose our way.