Jack R. Mason
Jack Mason was born November 26,1930 in Linwood, MS to Barney C. Mason of Linwood and Carmen Peden Mason, originally from Noxapater, MS. He graduated from Linwood High School in 1949. He married Jeanette Killen of Union, MS on Valentine’s Day of 1952. He lived and worked in several Mississippi towns including Jackson and Meridian. He became a master level skilled sheet metal engineer and worked at Redstone Arsenalin, Huntsville, AL doing the sheet metal layout and shaping on the first US space rocket, Explorer 1. Soon afterwards, he and Jeanette bought property in Neshoba County near Union, MS. There they cleared untamed land and stubborn red clay hills into a small farm and comfortable homestead. They served together faithfully in the nearby Enon Baptist Church and later at Neshoba Baptist Church. Jack continued to practice his skill as a sheet metal engineer working many years in Meridian with Abe Taylor at Air Comfort Engineering. The last twenty years, Jack practiced his trade closer to his home with Paul Killen at Philadelphia Sheet Metal. He retired in1992. His work ethic was Colossians 3:23; “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”
God called Jeanette home on New Year’s Day of 1988. In July of 1997, Jack married Barbara Bain of Bessemer, Ala. She was a faithful and loving partner in his life and continued as his help mate during his end-of-life struggles with Congestive Heart Failure and Alzheimer’s disease.
Jack was an avid outdoorsman and hunter. He enjoyed coon, squirrel, dove and deer hunting along with a good camp fire, a cup of camp fire coffee and recounting adventures and near escapes while hunting. He especially loved sharing in these activities with Charles, his brother of 90 years. He had tales of his favorite black and tan hunting dogs and his hunting companions. He loved to laugh, even if it was a laugh on him. He was a conservationist and a lover of wild life. He traded in his rifle in his last years for cameras. He planted food plots for family and friends and wildlife. He was recognized by the Soil and Water Conservation District for his work as an Outstanding Wildlife Conservationist.
Jack was happiest when giving his labors away; whether that was sharing his many chords of fire wood with neighbors, or his famous peanut brittle made from his homegrown peanuts, or molasses tea cakes he baked using his mother’s recipe. Maybe a neighbor’s garden needed disking or a stranger’s car needed a tow or flat changed, Jack Mason was quick to lend a hand. Perhaps it was pulling up to church on Wednesday night prayer meeting with a truck bed of pumpkins or water melons to give away.
However, the thing Jack Mason was most passionate about was sharing Jesus with others. He had a lifelong commitment to studying God’s word. He was a gifted teacher of scripture, and this he did for seventy years. He served as deacon, Sunday school director, training union director and even fill-in song leader as needed in his small churches. He was a mentor to many, but especially so in the lives of ‘his boys’ as he referred to those he taught in their teenage years. He loved helping them grow in their faith and preparing them to be Godly men and fathers in their own families and communities. He took time to camp, hunt, fish, but mostly listen to them and pray for them.
Jack was preceded in death by his mother and father and siblings: Virginia Rivers, Lois Williams, Marian Isbell, and Chloe Neil Luke. He is survived by his wife, Barbara Mason; daughter, Jackie M. Franco (David); granddaughters, Cheree Franco, Karla Peppas (Costas); great grandchildren, Eliana Peppas, Alexander Peppas; step-son, Cole Alcorn (Tresa); brother, Charles Mason (Sara); nephew, Aaron Waddell (Kay) whom he loved as a son, and numerous other nephews and nieces. He was a humble man, loved and respected by many and will be greatly missed.
The family will host a Celebration of Life service 10:30 am, Saturday, October 12 at Neshoba Baptist Church sanctuary. The public is invited to attend.
Jack Mason’s favorite charities were Jews for Jesus (60 Haight Street, San Francisco, CA 94102-5895), Neshoba Baptist Church (10040 Road 339, Union, MS 39365) and The Gideon’s International (Neshoba County Gideons, PO Box 244, Philadelphia, MS 39350). In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift to one of these to honor him.
Milling Funeral Home of Union is in charge of the arrangements.