Judge Ron Massingill will forever tip his hat to Granbury

Hood County Judge Ron Massingill didn’t grow up locally, but it didn’t take long for him to find his niche and sense of place within the Granbury community.

Massingill, 78, grew up in El Campo, and was named “most likely to need a lawyer” in high school, according to his bio on bnmdallas.com. Imagine the surprise of his classmates when he pulled a complete 180, becoming the first in his family to go to college — and choosing to pursue a law degree.

He attended the University of Dallas in Irving and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in history and political science before earning his doctorate of jurisprudence from SMU Dedman School of Law in Dallas.

Massingill began his legal career in Dallas with a law firm called Fritz and Binson. He worked there for a year before joining the Army Reserves, 26th JAG out of Fort Worth, where he served for six years.

LAW CAREER

He became a partner with a law firm in Dallas called bn&m for Brousseau, Naftis and Massingill, and practiced law for a total of 49 years.

Ever since he was in third grade, Massingill wanted to be a lawyer. His third-, fourth- and fifth-grade teacher, Mrs. Barnes, told him at his 10-year high school reunion, “You always wanted to be a lawyer and I knew you would be.” He also named his childhood dog — a German Shepherd mix — Lawyer.

As a lawyer, Massingill was always up for a challenge. His favorite cases were those he was told could not be won as he loved to fight for the underdog, according to his bio on bnmdallas.com. Never a wallflower, he made his presence known in every room he entered, whether it was a courtroom or a conference room. After decades of practice, he knew everyone at the courthouse by name.

Massingill was passionate about excelling as an attorney and a community servant, which ultimately led to his election as Hood County judge.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS JUDGE

After 49 years, Massingill is now on the other side of the judge’s bench, deliberating on guardianship, mental illness and juvenile cases.

“You don't have to be an attorney to be a county judge, but it sure does help because I hear probate cases, I hear contested cases. I have a wonderful relationship, I believe, with all the attorneys in and around Hood County and everybody that comes into my courtroom, I treat very respectfully,” he said. “I have practiced in many states around the United States and some judges were not that respectful, and I was never going to make that same mistake."

Massingill, a 33-year resident of Hood County, decided to run for the office he now holds after Darrell Cockerham, the former county judge, encouraged him. Cockerham had chosen not to pursue another term. On Jan. 1, 2019, Massingill took office after winning the primary election in 2018.

“This is my best job that I've ever had in my life,” Massingill said. “It's more satisfactory and it's an honor and privilege for me to represent the people of Hood County. I love my job. There's some acrimony every once in a while, and people say things that are untrue, which makes it a little difficult. But Joshua 1:9 is my favorite biblical verse, which says, ‘Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid nor discouraged for the Lord, your God is with you always,’ — that has got me through some rough times here in the county, and it enables me to go on, get up every morning and approach … whatever is there with a lot of character, leadership and prayerfully that I'm making the right decisions for all the people of Hood County.”

While in office for the past three years, Massingill increased the salaries of first responders and county clerks.

"First responders are really a big part of my heart,” he said. “When I ran for judge the very first time, my platform was to make sure that all first responders have proper equipment and were properly paid, and I made no excuses for that. These people rush and run into danger for us. The least we can do is pay them a normal good salary to say that they're properly equipped. The county employees were making a really low salary and now they're making a livable wage. We did that and we actually lowered the property tax rate, so it can be done.”

One of Massingill’s biggest accomplishments, he said, was hiring Jay Webster as the Hood County emergency management coordinator during the onslaught of COVID-19. By working with the Granbury Chamber of Commerce and Dr. Jeremy Glenn, the superintendent of Granbury ISD, Hood County was able to organize a COVID-19 vaccination hub.

“We had so many people volunteer. It was a very smooth operation, and it was just wonderful to see how we all worked together,” Massingill said. “By working together, we also got grants from American Rescue Plan and with that money, we've built a very efficient communication system for the sheriff, the police department, the volunteer fire department and constables where they all can communicate together. It was a $3.5 million project that did not cost the Hood County taxpayers a penny."

The county also made substantial contributions to Mission Granbury, the Paluxy River Children’s Advocacy Center and the Hood County Senior Center during the pandemic.

Massingill said one of his hardest decisions as county judge was to follow Gov. Greg Abbott’s order in 2020 to shut down businesses.

“I was the last out of Erath, Parker, Johnson and Somerville counties to have the emergency order to follow the governor's orders, but nobody knew what COVID was back in April 2020," he said. "It would've been a hard thing to live with if you would've known because you didn't close businesses that maybe you would have cost somebody their lives, so that was something that I agonized over.”

PARTNER IN CRIME

Massingill has been married to his wife, Brenda, for 33 years. They were set up on a blind date by a mutual friend. Luckily, the blind date went so well that the couple dated for 30 days before Brenda asked Ron to marry her.

“She proposed to me,” he said. “She just said, ‘I really think that you and I should get married.’ We ended up getting married in six months at the polo lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel.”

For the next 30 years, Ron traveled back and forth from Dallas to Granbury between work and seeing Brenda, who lived at Black Diamond H Ranch, which had been in her family for about 100 years.

“If I wanted to see Brenda, I had to come to Hood County because she wouldn’t come to Dallas County,” he said. “I’ve been here full-time since 2018 and I ain’t going back to Dallas.”

Brenda is on the Hood County Senior Center board and the PRCAC board. For more than 10 years, she has also served as captain of the Hood County Sheriff’s Posse. Ron describes Brenda as the “real deal rancher.”

“She and I bought an additional 300 acres with a barbed wire fence that we have built onto our home,” he said. “The Big House has about 22,000 square feet, 10 bedrooms and 16 bathrooms."

GIVING BACK

Ron said that the most important structure on his ranch is his shooting house, which also has a shooting range. He said that all first responders are welcome to come and use the range anytime they like.

For 18 years, the Massingills have also hosted an elk chili cookout at their ranch for first responders.

“It was my way of saying ‘Thank you’ to all first responders — that's how it started 18 years ago and it's just gotten bigger,” he said. “More people should thank first responders when you see them and say, ‘Thank you for your service,’ — not only veterans, but police officers, deputy sheriffs, DPS officers, firemen and EMTs.”

Ron has one son, Ron Jr., and a daughter with Brenda, Carol England, along with a six-year-old granddaughter, Simone England.

Together Ron and Brenda attend Triple Cross Cowboy Church, which is near the Lipan-area ranch where they live now, ‘R Ranch.

PLANS

As for the future, Ron said he looks forward to continuing his term as county judge for the next four years. Following the end of his judgeship, he plans to remain in Hood County and pursue charity work.

If he ever wins the lottery, Ron added, he will use the money to build a foster home in Hood County.

“If I ever hit that big mega million-dollar Powerball lottery deal, that's what I'm gonna do with it — I'm going to establish a foster home here for Hood County, so I'll put that in the paper so I'm committed to it,” Ron said, chuckling. “Hood County's a third-party beneficiary and will make me hold to it.”