ALEXANDRIA — Lawrence J. “Lorry” Massa, who was chief executive of Rice Memorial Hospital for 14 years, died early Friday morning at his lake home near Alexandria, surrounded by his family, according to a post from his family on his Caring Bridge page.
Massa had entered hospice care in early November and had been treated for cancer since spring 2016, according to the Caring Bridge site.
Massa came to Rice in early 1994 and left to lead the Minnesota Hospital Association in 2008. He retired from the Hospital Association in September.
During his time in Willmar, Massa was active in Willmar organizations and was a popular figure in the community.
Massa oversaw a $52 million expansion and renovation, completed in 2006.
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Under his leadership, the hospital launched joint ventures to build the Lakeland Health Center medical office building and to provide a variety of new services. The hospital also purchased Rice Care Center in those years and partnered with the University of Minnesota to open a dental training site and low-income dental clinic.
