Wow, how sad to learn of John Mason's passing. I knew him at Y-12 in 9103 , He was a delightful friendly intelligent man.  His office across from the coffee pot where I went often and would speak to him.  He would give me candy bars. Hee! Hee! Loved to talk about the latest in NC machine tools and what they were capable of doing.  He was always working and focused on projects. A delight to know. He even came to my home as a DJ for a gathering I had once. He was a giving man. 


I met John in the fall of 1970 when he heard me playing the piano in the student center at UT.  He was a wonderful man with a great wit, love of family,  friends and music and will be missed by all of us.

John was a very close friend to me while we served in the Air Force together and later. He was also an engineering mentor and guide. My world feels diminished with his passing. Anne, my condolences on your loss of a brother, friend and uncle to your children. 

When I was 4 and my sister Lauren was 2 1/2,  on a summer visit to Knoxville, 12 yr old John offered us each a dime if I could stop giggling and she could stop wiggling  for 10 min. After many false starts we got the prize. I labelled mine "John dime" and kept it in my coin collection for decades.
John was the DJ for our wedding and really helped make the Reception special, while his niece Emily was our flower girl.
4-5 Christmases ago, John and wife Kathy thrilled our son Matt with electronic gaming interest/experience. John so wished he had been able to have children and expressed that several years prior.  He brought out the fun loving inner child in all of us.

I met John at the Y-12 plant over 30years ago.  I was the secretary for the PP&C Department.  He was so smart, his brain was always working.  He would come into my office to get his mail and he would be talking to himself when he came in and I would think that he was talking to me but when I would say something he wouldn't answer.  Then I was told if John is looking right at you he is talking to you but if he is just talking and not looking just ignore him.  He is probably solving a problem.  I remember he was in Mensa with a very high IQ but he was the sweetest person.  I was married and had two sons.  He would always come in and ask me how my "boy toys" were.  He would always DJ the department's  christmas parties that we had in Gatlinburg, TN, and had his old black car that he kept because his speakers fit perfectly in the car.  I don't know if he still had the car but I always remember him.  I had found him on facebook a few years ago and had spoke to him on facebook a couple of times, but hadn't seen him in years.  He will be missed.  I never forgot him after I got laid off and was glad to hear from him in later years. 

I first met John many years ago at Y-12, he was a good engineer and a great friend. He was also funny and entertaining with his whistling. He was a kind man and I will truly miss him. God bless you John


I have lost a great friend and retired co-worker; John Mason was a mentor and exacting engineer that I always regarded as a great source of information and always had time to share his wisdom. John's love of music and the joy he saw in others when he provided music for events was evidence of his caring a fun loving nature. Our condolences and prayers for his wife Kathryn, family and friends. 

John was my friend for over 50 years.  We had engineering classes together and were housemates on campus.  We stayed in touch during his years in the Air Force and on into his civilian career. John later volunteered to edit three of my novels.  I could write several pages of memories I have about John but suffice it to say that he was an intelligent and honest man with a good heart. 

I will miss him.   


OBITUARY

John Powers Mason

December 6, 1948 – August 24, 2018

Berry Highland Memorial

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