Myrtle Charlotte Mason

February 21, 1930 (Boone, North Carolina) – October 17, 2025 (Wildomar, California)

Myrtle was born in 1930 and grew up just outside Boone, North Carolina, in the rural Appalachian Mountains. Her immediate family began with her parents, Harvey and Molly (Burkett) Combs, who built a home on a 40-acre tobacco farm that supported the family of 10. All of the kids worked on the farm. Myrtle had 5 brothers: Delmar, Olen, Earl, James, Marion, and two sisters, Mary and Hazel. Myrtle was the last of her generation. She attended two local churches, as her mother faithfully attended Union Baptist and her father faithfully attended Mabel Methodist. Her parents took great delight in cancelling each other’s vote each election as one was a staunch Republican (Molly), the other a staunch Democrat (Harvey). Her family home is now owned by her nephew, Martie, and her beloved upright piano remains in the living room.

Myrtle attended Mabel Elementary School and Cove Creek High School. She moved from Boone to Baltimore, Maryland, in 1947 where she joined older siblings. There she met Clyde Chancellor Mason, and they married in 1948. With Clyde she had 3 children, Mary Martha Wulfsberg (husband David) of Murrieta, California, Clyde Randolph (Randy) Mason (deceased), and David Chancellor Mason (wife Lori) of Winston, Oregon. She adored her 2 grandsons, Travis Chancellor Mason Couch of Carlsbad, New Mexico and Tyler David Mason of Laguna Niguel, California.

Myrtle and Clyde lived in Towson, Maryland, until 1958 when they moved to Tucson, Arizona, then Orange, California. In 1962 Myrtle graduated from cosmetology school and worked as a hairdresser in Orange. She loved to play golf, most often at Green River Golf Course. She and Clyde divorced in 1973. In 1980 Myrtle moved to Anza, California to a 6-acre property. Her son, Randy, joined her the following year in his own home on the property. She opened Myrtle’s Beauty Shop, which she operated until 1995. Myrtle loved the lifestyle in Anza. She and Randy owned Appaloosa horses and rode with the High Country Riders. They also bowled on a team together. They belonged to the local VFW. She had a wonderful group of friends with whom she played Bunco, belonged to a gardening club, enjoyed fun lunches, and played golf with a group named the Third Thursday Thieves.

Her lovely home was filled with treasured furniture and objects she had carried from North Carolina and Maryland. Pictures of generations of family filled walls and furniture tops. Her happiest times were when family visited and called her. She had 19 nieces and nephews. Through the years she remained especially connected to quite a few by phone and visits including, Matt Combs, Martie Combs, Linda Taylor, Tim Hartford, Phyllis Weaver and Terry Manes.

Myrtle passed peacefully in the early morning of Friday, October 17, 2025. She was residing at Wildomar Senior Assisted Living, just a few minutes away from her daughter Mary Martha and son-in-law David who visited her daily.