NORWICH – Dr. John Owen Mason, V.M.D., 86, died peacefully on April 30, 2013 at his home in Boone, NC surrounded by loving family.
He was born on June 21, 1926 in East St. Louis, IL, the son of Dan Owen Mason and Elizabeth Louise Rusch. In early life, the family moved to New Jersey where he went to the local schools. In 1944, he enlisted in the Army and served in Germany until 1946. He was a sergeant in Troop C, 92nd Calvary Reconnaissance Squadron, Mechanized, 12th Armored Division. He was present at the liberation of a train of prisoners from Dachau, Germany. After the war, he attended Rutgers University and graduated from the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
In 1952, he married June Carol Wardell, his wife of 61 years. After graduation he did his Internship and Residency in large animal surgery at Cornell University, School of Veterinary Medicine in Ithaca, NY. In 1955, he opened a practice in large and small veterinary medicine in Norwich, NY, retiring in 1988. After retirement, they spent their summers in Norwich and winters in Bradenton, FL, where he enjoyed sailing before settling in Boone, NC in 2011.
John was an accomplished wood worker, wooden sailboat builder and stained glass artisan. He was a voracious reader, devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He is preceded in death by his parents and his sister Maude. He is survived by his wife, June Mason of Boone, NC; his brother, Dan Mason of Budd Lake, NJ; as well as his sons, Christopher and his wife Christie of Blossvale, NY; David of Freehold, NJ; Andrew and his wife Lynne of Boone, NC; and Phillip and his wife Sharon of Norwich, NY. Surviving also are six grandchildren, Carolyn and her husband Richard Ward of Boone, NC; John Paul and his wife Elizabeth of Minneapolis MN; Alexandria of Freehold, NJ; Mairi and Morag of Blossvale, NY; and Bonnie of Norwich, NY, and two great-grandchildren, Drew and Bennett Ward of Boone, NC.
The family would like to thank all the caregivers from Medi Home Hospice, especially Daniel and Alice for their loving care of John. The family will receive friends at the home of Andrew and Lynne Mason from 5 to 7 p.m. on May 2 at 692 Market Hills Drive, Boone, NC. A memorial service will be held at a later date in N