John "Jack" J. Mason

John “Jack” Mason, 81, passed away at home on November 2, 2021, in the arms of his beloved Judy. Born in 1940 in Queens, NY, Jack was the son of an Irish mother, Martha, and British father, John, who proudly became legal citizens of the U.S. Their patriotic love of country set the foundation for Jack’s life where he daily celebrated being an American and always flew the flag. Jack served his country for four years in the U.S. Navy and in 1964, he married his longtime love, the former Judith McCormack. Jack met Judy when he was 17 and she was 13, and for 63 years, he never let her go. As God would have it, they shared the same birthdate, four years apart.

The two raised their three daughters, Christy Cox (William), Tracey Mason (Shirin) and Tara Mulry (Brian) on Long Island where they empowered them in sports. While Jack worked hard as an industrial engineer in NYC, his pursuit of fun was a top priority. His many “toys” included boats, motorcycles, and a bevy of sports equipment – including the golf clubs in which he had a long term, love-hate relationship. He was a fierce defender of the Second Amendment and enjoyed countless hours on the range. His annual “surprise” Christmas gifts to his daughters inspired them in everything from skateboarding to tennis and darts. He crushed the Mercy High School “Father-Daughter Dance” and spent the better part of the 1980s proudly escorting at least one of his girls on his arm(s). His meticulously planned “Mason Family Ski Trips” became the stuff of legend.

Jack had a lifelong love for the ocean. As a schoolboy he skipped class to hang out on the NYC docks, picked the Navy, and later, even with his family in tow, deemed no boat too small or inadequate for ocean voyage. Although that thesis was tested one too many times, Jack always managed to captain his family to safety.

In the early 1990s, Jack and Judy found their dream property on Lake Murray in Leesville, SC. While it wasn’t his cherished ocean, looking outside his kitchen window to see his boat tied to his dock brought decades of true joy – a joy shared with their much-loved grandchildren, William, Reagan, Brendan, Ryan and Kayleen – and their precious pup, Mary Kate.

Only weeks before his passing, even with cancer and organ failure taking their devastating toll, Jack was at the helm of his pontoon, skillfully navigating the lake. Jack represented the best of his generation – Americans made of tough stuff and built to last.

He is preceded in death by his parents and sister, Marilyn.

The family wishes to thank the caring staff at Lexington Medical Center and Amedisys Hospice, Dr. Korrapati for her patience, all our dear friends and neighbors for their selfless support, and Father Joseph and the Corpus Christi community for their love and prayers.

A Catholic Mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, November 12, 2021 at Corpus Christi Catholic Church. The family will receive friends following the service at the church.