Anabel Massey

Anabel Lee Massey, 92, born on December 10, 1931, passed away November 29, 2024. Arrangements are under the care of Forest Lawn, Covina Hills, CA.

December 10, 1931, Phoenix, Az – November 29, 2025, San Dimas, Ca

Loving Wife and Mother

Anabel is remembered as a sweet, kind soul who devoted her life to her family and friends. She always looked for ways to help others. Born Anabel Lee Appleby, she grew up in Topeka, Kansas with older sisters Faithe, Lorna and brother Sheldon. She sang in the church choir and liked to play on her aunt and uncle’s farm. By high school her family moved to Los Angeles. In 1948, as a junior at John Marshall High School, she was voted queen of the Fiesta De California centennial celebrations. As a senior, she was elected student body vice president of her class and was selected to attend Girls State. In 1964, on September 12, she married Ray Massey at Pasadena Presbyterian Church. They were married for 52 years and lived in Via Verde for 50 years. Her son Brian was born in 1967 and she devoted herself to raising him. Anabel and Ray travelled across the US and abroad, usually by motorhome, and had many adventures together. Anabel particularly liked to fish with her family in Alaska at Ketchikan, and the Kenai and Russian Rivers. In the mid 1970’s she built an arts and crafts business selling her art on weekends at Griswold’s Park in Claremont and at mall shows during the 70’s and 80’s, then Covina Park in Covina through the late 80’s and 90’s. She created family trees from driftwood, butterflies and seagulls on driftwood, redwood clocks, and toll painted cute farm animals on wood. People from all over the world bought her art. Anabel loved gardening, enjoyed the mountains, was a good water skier, loved Chopin’s music, and liked formal dance (Ray and Anabel were spotlight dance winners at a Lawrence Welk show). She liked to decorate the house, especially for holidays and family events, and was a good cook. Anabel lived her life with an angelic spirit – a loving and supportive wife and mother, a genuine, kind soul who always looked for ways she could be “a good helper”. She is eternally loved and greatly missed, now together with her husband, parents, sisters and brothers, as one of God’s precious angels watching over us.