Greta N Masson

God looked around His garden and found an empty place. He then looked down upon the earth, and saw your tired face. He put his arms around you and lifted you to rest. God's garden must be beautiful. He always takes the best. He saw the road was getting rough, and the hills were hard to climb, so he closed your weary eyelids and whispered “Peace be thine." It broke our hearts to lose you but you did not go alone for a part of us went with you, the day God called you home.

Greta N. Masson was born August 28, 1933 in Manhattan, New York of the late Fred and Frieda Nilsson. On January 8, 2025 Greta peacefully made her transition to her eternal life.

Greta grew up in the Pocantico Hills/Tarrytown area of New York and attended Lasell College in Boston. After college she worked for a short time as a branch merchandise distributer for Lord and Taylor in NYC but soon met and married a West Point cadet who "went" Air Force. Their first assignment was Laredo Texas, a far cry from the green grass, trees, and hills of Westchester County. She taught swimming there and participated in a water ballet show. Her husband was career military and their life had the normal amount of moves and assignments but perhaps her favorite was the brand new Air Force Academy. Her husband Dick taught political science and was one of the Superintendent's pilots. In Colorado, Greta and a friend started a small bake business and made 1000 homemade silver dollar rolls for the Christmas Wives Club formal and also made herb breads and birthday cakes. Their children learned to ski in Colorado and they bought a condominium in Breckenridge when it first opened in the 60's. Greta's last ski trip was a USMA class trip to Sun Valley, Idaho in 2001 with her daughter Lisa. When Dick was sent to VietNam she worked as an assistant manager at the Colorado Springs branch of Neusteters, a Denver specialty department store. She was offered a promotion to buyer in Denver but Uncle Sam decided they were going to DC instead!

They moved to Northern Virginia where Greta got her real estate license and had a very successful 30-year career. She worked at Fairlington Villages for 12 years, also boutique firms in Old Town and Arlington and is a Lifetime member of the Million Dollar Sales Club.

Along with real estate Greta has always loved the arts and design world and has had many diverse interests. She has staged houses for sale, has a great love of flowers and gardens and has created flower arrangements for designers and businesses. Part of her creativity involved collecting items from nature, birds nests, shells, cattails and other wild clippings from roadside drives creating original themed birdhouses as well as dried flower arrangements. Her fresh flower arrangements were were always stunning.

Her daughter Lisa, a professional photographer, hired her to style her photo shoots for such notable clients as the Inn at Perry Cabin, US Wholesale Florists, Herend China, and the Connecticut Designer Show House. At the Inn at Perry Cabin she made 35 arrangements for its opening and during her daughters photo shoot had the delight of having dinner with Sir Bernard Ashley who gave her tips on making proper English tea.

She was communication chair of her local garden club in Arlington Virginia and also gave demonstrations. One of her most challenging enterprises was the creation of 47 table centerpieces for the 50th reunion of Dick's USMA class (of '55) using Army colors. For over 15 years she had made fresh centerpieces for the Class holiday brunch of about 70 people at the ANCC Club. In 2012 her personally designed garden was nominated for Arlington Garden of the Year.

Her interests also include sewing, stained glass, pottery and oil painting. She was enthusiastic about arts and has created some beautiful oil paintings. She was a patron and member of the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria Virginia.

She had traveled extensively in Western Europe, Alaska, Hawaii, Greece, Canada, Mexico and lots of wonderful places in the US.

Her husband Col. (Ret) Richard W. Masson (Dick) died in 2000. Greta’s son lives in Manassas, Virginia, and her daughter lives in Annapolis, Maryland. She sold her beautiful Arlington home in October 2013 and lived with her daughter Lisa, and her husband Tim, until she moved to assisted living. In Eastport she helped her daughter's volunteer efforts making 50 lunches twice a month for the Lighthouse Shelter.

Greta had a special love of all animals, (except for chipmunks in her garden) especially dogs, and a grey cat named Sailor. Whenever she was out and about she had to stop to meet every dog along the way and have them pose for a photograph. She also had several whimsical collections most notably of frogs and whales. These collections made her a very easy target for gifting.

Greta is survived by her daughter, and son-in-law, Lisa Masson (Tim McAteer), son Richard Masson Jr. (Pam), two Grandchildren Victor Masson (Keri), and Marshall Masson.

With Gretas’ beautiful smile and friendly personality she had many true friends. Greta will be missed by all who were lucky enough to meet her.

I am home in heaven, dear ones; Oh, so happy and so bright! There is perfect joy and beauty in this everlasting light. all the pain and grief is over, every restless tossing passed; I am now at peace forever, safely home in heaven at last . Then you must not grieve so sorely, for I love you dearly still: try to look beyond earth's shadows, pray to trust our Father's will. There is still work waiting for you, so you must not idly stand; do it now, while life remaineth - you shall rest in Jesus' land. When that work is all completed, He will gently call you home; Oh, the rapture of that meeting, Oh, the joy to see you come!

A celebration of life will be announced in the coming months and a future memorial service and burial at Arlington National Cemetery is planned and will be announced when the dates are available.

Memorial Donations may be made in Greta Masson’s name to

Eastport Volunteer Fire Department P.O. Box 3332, Annapolis, MD 21403

or

SPCA of Anne Arundel County P.O.Box 3471 Annapolis, MD 21403