Marshallville mayor dead at 71

Marshallville Mayor Bill Massee died early Tuesday morning. He was 71.

The death was due to natural causes, according to a statement from City Clerk Ebony Walker.

Marshallville "had a leader that truly cared about them," said state Rep. Patty James Bentley, D-Butler.

Bentley said she and Massee last talked on Monday about a grant that Marshallville officials were looking to win.

Bentley said her district includes several cities, but Massee was the mayor who most often called her "asking me to help him make the city better. He'll be sorely missed."

Massee, a Marshallville native, is survived by his wife, Carrie Massee, and six children.

The city of about 1,500 residents has lost several leaders in the past few years. City Clerk JoAnne White died in 2013. The next year, City Councilwoman Delores Felder passed away, as did Police Chief Jarques Wheeler.

To contact writer Maggie Lee, e-mail mlee@macon.com.

This story was originally published February 9, 2016 at 5:45 PM with the headline "Marshallville mayor dead at 71 ."