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Fred William “Bill” Mason

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Fred William “Bill” Mason

Birth
Death
10 Apr 2021 (aged 95)
Burial
Monticello, Wayne County, Kentucky, USA GPS-Latitude: 36.8449202, Longitude: -84.8331213
Memorial ID
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Fred William (Bill) Mason passed away in his home April 10, 2021 with family by his side. He was the 6th of 10 children born to Richard Givens Mason and Mary Frances Selby Mason in Lexington, Kentucky on January 16th, 1926. He married Anna Margaret Coffey on September 16, 1950 and they celebrated 65 years together before her death in 2016.

He grew up on a tobacco farm and enlisted in the Marines in 1944. He fought on Iwo Jima island, watched the raising of the flag, and then served in Japan for occupation duty before his honorable discharge in 1946.

Fred and Margaret moved to Utah in 1989. They were faithful members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and he loved the brothers in his High Priest/Elders Quorum.

He is survived by his 3 children, Debra Rowe, Steven Mason (Patti), Richard Mason (Kris), brother, Les Mason (Billie) and sister, Loraine Wilson, sisters-in-law, Juanita Wampler and Barbara Phelan, 9 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Anna Margaret Mason, granddaughter, Allison Mason, son-in-law, Jeffery Rowe, 3 sisters and 4 brothers.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, April 17th, 2021 at 11:00 am, at the Aspen 5th Ward, 828 West 1600 North, with a viewing prior to the funeral at 9:30-10:30 am. Services will be Military Honors will be rendered by the Marines.

Interment will be at the Elk Spring Cemetery, Monticello, KY on Saturday, April 24th with a viewing prior at Hicks Vaughn Funeral Home from 11:00 am to 12:00 noon.



Obituary for Fred William Mason
Please click on the following link to view the Funeral Service via live stream https://my.gather.app/remember/fred-mason

Fred William Mason, age 95, passed away in his home on April 10, 2021 with family by his side. He was the 6th of 10 children born to Richard Givens Mason and Mary Frances Selby Mason in Lexington, Kentucky on January 16th, 1926. He married Anna Margaret Coffey and they celebrated 65 years together before her death in 2016. He was called Bill or Billie by friends and family in Indiana and Kentucky and was never known as Fred until he settled in Utah.

His life began before the Great Depression, but it had an impact on his family's life throughout his childhood. He understood what the depression meant and often went to bed hungry. He remembered that Welfare Services came to his home and offered assistance to the family by removing the children and putting them in foster care where they would receive food and clothing. Grandma said "If that's the best you can do to help us...is to take my kids, then we'll stay here and starve, but we'll starve together." At 18, he joined the Marines and fought at Iwo Jima and watched the raising of the American Flag. After the island was secured, he was shipped to Japan for Occupation Duty. He returned home safely along with his 3 brothers who also served. After the war, Fred worked in Lexington where he met Anna Margaret Coffey at a theater. She was an usher and he returned to see the same film several times so she would seat him...until she caught on and told him to find his own seat! They were married on September 16, 1950 and moved to Indianapolis, Indiana in 1952 with a baby daughter, Debra, in tow. There they had 2 sons, Steve and Rick, to make their family complete. He worked for Indiana Gear Works as a Magnaflux Inspector for helicopter parts for the next 37 years and retired in 1989. He usually had more than one job, especially at Christmas. He worked at gas stations, hardware stores, the church and landscaping companies. Our childhood was spent with family, yearly vacations to Kentucky, drive-in movies complete with A&W Coney Dogs and frosted root beers, ice skating, state and county fairs every year, the boys' baseball games, fishing, school activities, plays and family gatherings for holidays or any chance to get together.

Their next move was to Utah for a visit that lasted 32 years. They started out in a campground by Utah Lake where he could fish whenever he wanted and where they made lifelong friends. They all vacationed together at Lake Powell and Disneyland and celebrated birthdays and holidays. In 2004, they moved into an apartment in their daughter's home in Orem and lived out the rest of their lives there.

Until we stopped them for their own safety, they made yearly drives back to Indiana and Kentucky to stay the summer with Rick and Steve and all the family there. Dad loved sitting outside at his sons' homes in Indiana and watching the birds and the kids and the activities in the neighborhood. He did the same at his home in Utah, keeping track of his friends and all the yard work.

Fred was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Margaret was baptized in 1960 and the family drove to Logan, Utah to be sealed on July 20th, 1961. He was faithful in his callings and baptized several members of Margaret's family. Since moving to Utah, he was able to attend the temple often and loved his friends in the High Priest/Elder's Quorum.

He worked at several elementary schools in Orem as a custodian and in the kitchen at Heritage. He loved associating with the students and they loved him. Everyone knew who he was and he even received the "Employee of the Year" at Suncrest Elementary because of his willingness to work, to serve others and have a friendly, positive outlook. He was often asked to speak about his experiences in the war and took that opportunity to teach the students how to respect those who have served their country.

His last several years were a test of endurance. He had spine trauma and 2 types of cancer - Multiple Myeloma and Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia, both causing bone pain. He would never give in to it. He struggled to get out of bed every day until the end.

His lasting legacy is love for all his family, for Jesus Christ and for this country, a never quit work ethic and the ability to laugh and enjoy life. He is a one-of-a-kind guy, who taught us well by the way he lived.

He is survived by his 3 children, Debra Rowe, Steven Mason (Patti), Richard Mason (Kris), brother, Les Mason (Billie) and sister, Loraine Wilson, sisters-in-law, Jaunita Coffey Wampler and Barbara Coffey Phelan, grandchildren, Chelsea Rowe Jolley (Greg), Reed Rowe, Mandy Rowe Fife (Michael), Matthew Rowe (Brooke),Travis Mason, Adrienne Rowe Rush (Ryan), Gordon Mason, Malory Mason Masters (Beau), Steven Rowe (Ginelle), 19 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews who loved him like a Dad.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Anna Margaret Coffey Mason, granddaughter, Allison Mason, son-in-law, Jeffery Rowe and 3 sisters and 4 brothers.

Thank you to those Hospice friends who cared for him so well this past year, especially Sarah, Marlayna, Mattea, McKenna, Jay and Leslie. We love you.

Funeral Services will be held Saturday, April 17th, at 11:00 am, at the Aspen 5th Ward, 828 West 1600 North, Orem Utah, where a viewing will be held prior to the funeral from 9:30 to 10:30 am. Military Honors will be rendered by the Marines.

Interment will be at the Elk Spring Cemetery, Monticello, Ky on Saturday, April 24th with a viewing prior at Hicks Vaughn Funeral Home from 11:00 am to 12:00 noon.
Fred William (Bill) Mason passed away in his home April 10, 2021 with family by his side. He was the 6th of 10 children born to Richard Givens Mason and Mary Frances Selby Mason in Lexington, Kentucky on January 16th, 1926. He married Anna Margaret Coffey on September 16, 1950 and they celebrated 65 years together before her death in 2016.

He grew up on a tobacco farm and enlisted in the Marines in 1944. He fought on Iwo Jima island, watched the raising of the flag, and then served in Japan for occupation duty before his honorable discharge in 1946.

Fred and Margaret moved to Utah in 1989. They were faithful members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and he loved the brothers in his High Priest/Elders Quorum.

He is survived by his 3 children, Debra Rowe, Steven Mason (Patti), Richard Mason (Kris), brother, Les Mason (Billie) and sister, Loraine Wilson, sisters-in-law, Juanita Wampler and Barbara Phelan, 9 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Anna Margaret Mason, granddaughter, Allison Mason, son-in-law, Jeffery Rowe, 3 sisters and 4 brothers.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, April 17th, 2021 at 11:00 am, at the Aspen 5th Ward, 828 West 1600 North, with a viewing prior to the funeral at 9:30-10:30 am. Services will be Military Honors will be rendered by the Marines.

Interment will be at the Elk Spring Cemetery, Monticello, KY on Saturday, April 24th with a viewing prior at Hicks Vaughn Funeral Home from 11:00 am to 12:00 noon.



Obituary for Fred William Mason
Please click on the following link to view the Funeral Service via live stream https://my.gather.app/remember/fred-mason

Fred William Mason, age 95, passed away in his home on April 10, 2021 with family by his side. He was the 6th of 10 children born to Richard Givens Mason and Mary Frances Selby Mason in Lexington, Kentucky on January 16th, 1926. He married Anna Margaret Coffey and they celebrated 65 years together before her death in 2016. He was called Bill or Billie by friends and family in Indiana and Kentucky and was never known as Fred until he settled in Utah.

His life began before the Great Depression, but it had an impact on his family's life throughout his childhood. He understood what the depression meant and often went to bed hungry. He remembered that Welfare Services came to his home and offered assistance to the family by removing the children and putting them in foster care where they would receive food and clothing. Grandma said "If that's the best you can do to help us...is to take my kids, then we'll stay here and starve, but we'll starve together." At 18, he joined the Marines and fought at Iwo Jima and watched the raising of the American Flag. After the island was secured, he was shipped to Japan for Occupation Duty. He returned home safely along with his 3 brothers who also served. After the war, Fred worked in Lexington where he met Anna Margaret Coffey at a theater. She was an usher and he returned to see the same film several times so she would seat him...until she caught on and told him to find his own seat! They were married on September 16, 1950 and moved to Indianapolis, Indiana in 1952 with a baby daughter, Debra, in tow. There they had 2 sons, Steve and Rick, to make their family complete. He worked for Indiana Gear Works as a Magnaflux Inspector for helicopter parts for the next 37 years and retired in 1989. He usually had more than one job, especially at Christmas. He worked at gas stations, hardware stores, the church and landscaping companies. Our childhood was spent with family, yearly vacations to Kentucky, drive-in movies complete with A&W Coney Dogs and frosted root beers, ice skating, state and county fairs every year, the boys' baseball games, fishing, school activities, plays and family gatherings for holidays or any chance to get together.

Their next move was to Utah for a visit that lasted 32 years. They started out in a campground by Utah Lake where he could fish whenever he wanted and where they made lifelong friends. They all vacationed together at Lake Powell and Disneyland and celebrated birthdays and holidays. In 2004, they moved into an apartment in their daughter's home in Orem and lived out the rest of their lives there.

Until we stopped them for their own safety, they made yearly drives back to Indiana and Kentucky to stay the summer with Rick and Steve and all the family there. Dad loved sitting outside at his sons' homes in Indiana and watching the birds and the kids and the activities in the neighborhood. He did the same at his home in Utah, keeping track of his friends and all the yard work.

Fred was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Margaret was baptized in 1960 and the family drove to Logan, Utah to be sealed on July 20th, 1961. He was faithful in his callings and baptized several members of Margaret's family. Since moving to Utah, he was able to attend the temple often and loved his friends in the High Priest/Elder's Quorum.

He worked at several elementary schools in Orem as a custodian and in the kitchen at Heritage. He loved associating with the students and they loved him. Everyone knew who he was and he even received the "Employee of the Year" at Suncrest Elementary because of his willingness to work, to serve others and have a friendly, positive outlook. He was often asked to speak about his experiences in the war and took that opportunity to teach the students how to respect those who have served their country.

His last several years were a test of endurance. He had spine trauma and 2 types of cancer - Multiple Myeloma and Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia, both causing bone pain. He would never give in to it. He struggled to get out of bed every day until the end.

His lasting legacy is love for all his family, for Jesus Christ and for this country, a never quit work ethic and the ability to laugh and enjoy life. He is a one-of-a-kind guy, who taught us well by the way he lived.

He is survived by his 3 children, Debra Rowe, Steven Mason (Patti), Richard Mason (Kris), brother, Les Mason (Billie) and sister, Loraine Wilson, sisters-in-law, Jaunita Coffey Wampler and Barbara Coffey Phelan, grandchildren, Chelsea Rowe Jolley (Greg), Reed Rowe, Mandy Rowe Fife (Michael), Matthew Rowe (Brooke),Travis Mason, Adrienne Rowe Rush (Ryan), Gordon Mason, Malory Mason Masters (Beau), Steven Rowe (Ginelle), 19 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews who loved him like a Dad.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Anna Margaret Coffey Mason, granddaughter, Allison Mason, son-in-law, Jeffery Rowe and 3 sisters and 4 brothers.

Thank you to those Hospice friends who cared for him so well this past year, especially Sarah, Marlayna, Mattea, McKenna, Jay and Leslie. We love you.

Funeral Services will be held Saturday, April 17th, at 11:00 am, at the Aspen 5th Ward, 828 West 1600 North, Orem Utah, where a viewing will be held prior to the funeral from 9:30 to 10:30 am. Military Honors will be rendered by the Marines.

Interment will be at the Elk Spring Cemetery, Monticello, Ky on Saturday, April 24th with a viewing prior at Hicks Vaughn Funeral Home from 11:00 am to 12:00 noon.


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