Willie Edward "Dukie" Massenburg, Sr. of Petersburg, Virginia, departed this life on July 26, 2026. He was born on June 21, 1946, to Ella Mae Massenburg. Willie is survived by his children, Willie Massenburg, Jr. (Carol), Joy Massenburg and Jewel Massenburg, and twin grandchildren, William Massenburg and Lincoln Massenburg. He leaves behind a devoted sister, Denise Turner, his loving and devoted partner of more than 30 years, Colleen Washington, and Adrienne Washington, who was much like a daughter to him. Other remaining loved ones include his Aunt Catherine Jones, Sandra Chandler, Wanda Wesson, Cynthia Branch, a host of relatives from his Massenburg and Jones family, and the dedicated teams at Brighter Living Assisted Living and At Home Care Hospice.

Willie cherished his lifelong friendships with Emmanuel Batts, Benjamin Perry (Bettie), Abram Venable (Joyce) and the departed Nathaniel Hines, Sr. (Sarah), Harold Claiborne, James Macklin, Jr. and Robert Thompson (Gwendolyn). He is godfather to Nkanta Hines (Sherri), Anthony Roy, Teresa Anderson (Adrian) and the departed Shawn Claiborne.

Willie was raised in the Delectable Heights neighborhood of Petersburg and matriculated through Petersburg Public Schools, graduating from Peabody High School in 1964. Post-high school, he began studies at Saint Leo College in Fort Lee, Virginia, and worked toward an associate's degree. Willie was a gifted natural with his hands and spent more than a decade as a mechanic with Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation before leaving in 1985 when the manufacturing plant moved operations to Macon, Georgia. He briefly worked at Southside Regional Medical Center and joined Virginia Power in 1987. Willie went on to work with electrical meters for 23 years and retired from the company, now Dominion Energy, in April 2010.

He was a member of Tabernacle Baptist Church in Petersburg, VA, where he served on the Men's Ministry and with the Breakfast Committee on Sunday mornings. Willie was a drag racing enthusiast and enjoyed soul music—so much so that his nickname, "Dukie", was derived from his time as radio personality, "Duke of Earl". His legacy of goodwill, kindness and embrace will be cherished by all that he was blessed to cross paths.

Services will be held 2:00 P.M., Saturday, August 8, 2026, at Tabernacle Baptist Church, 418 Halifax Street, Petersburg, VA, the Rev. Dr. Robert A. Diggs, Sr., Pastor and eulogist. The interment to follow at Wilkerson Memorial Cemetery.

J. M. Wilkerson Funeral Establishment, Inc., 102 South Avenue, Petersburg, VA, (804) 732-8911, www.jmwilkersonsince1874.com. Watch the funeral services live online on our J. M. Wilkerson Funeral Establishment, Inc. Facebook page or click here to view: https://vimeo.com/event/6103045?fl=so&fe=fs