Donald Lee Mason

Oorah! On the morning of August 17, 2024 Donald Lee Mason passed away blessed near his home in Portland Oregon. An only child born to Lee and Maude Cropp on July 19, 1929 in Whittier California, Don spent his 95 years building and fostering a large immediate and extended family, supporting his friends and community and encouraging and honoring his fellow Marines and brothers-in-arms.

Don's California childhood found him frequently outdoors and at the beach. He was Cub Scout, a Boy Scout and worked in his parent's grocery store after school and in a shoe store on weekends. When Maude became a single mom running a business, Don spent several years in a nearby military school. When his mother married Rod Mason, Don took his new father's last name and became Don Mason.

Don graduated from Whittier Union High School where he was a four-year letterman in both swimming and water polo. He attended Fullerton Junior College where he was a member of the downhill ski team.

In 1948 he joined Whittier's newly-formed United State Marine Corps reserve unit which later moved to Pico, California and became Charlie Battery 2nd Howitzer Battalion. After basic training at Camp Pendleton and 29 Palms his unit was activated in the summer of 1950 for the Korean War. Don was a USMC Gunnery Sergeant (E7), Fox Battery - 2nd Battalion 11th Marines, 1st Marine Corp Division.

Don was part of the daring 1st Marine Corp Division amphibious landing at Inchon September 15/16 and part of the liberation of Seoul on September 17, 1950. Don's unit moved north and engaged in the Chosin Reservoir Campaign ("The Chosin Few") beginning October 26 to December 14, 1950. After the frigid Chosin encirclement, break out and withdrawl by the US Navy from the port of Hungnam, Don saw additional action in South and Central Korea until November 1951 returning to San Francisco, by way of Kobe, Japan on November 25, 1951. He then transferred back to Camp Pendleton and was released in December of 1951.

Don re-enlisted serving in the Reserve Unit in Pico, California and then in the 2nd 155 mm gun battalion in Eugene, Oregon before being honorably discharged in 1960.

Don returned from Korea in 1951 to his wife and high school sweetheart, Loretta Florence Mason (78, 1932 - 2011) and over the ensuing 32 years they raised to adulthood five children. Don led and grew a family that embraced his passions for the outdoors, gardening, raising animals, hunting and fishing, sailing, cooking, hiking, camping and skiing. Don and his family were active members of the Eugene Yacht Club in the summers and skied nearly every winter weekend.

Don's professional career started in California with the Borden Cheese Company and the HJ Heinz Company. In 1959 he moved his young family to Eugene, Oregon to help his parents operate the New Oregon and Mason Motels in downtown Eugene. It was here that Don got involved with the local volunteer Junior Chamber of Commerce, the Eugene JCs.

When the manager role for the Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce opened, Don applied and got the job. Don was then hired to lead the Chehalis Washington Chamber of Commerce and then the Longview Washington Chamber of Commerce before returning to Eugene to become the Executive Vice President and Manager of the Eugene Chamber of Commerce. During his successful 14 years there ending in 1984 he led the founding and development of the first Eugene Area Visitors and Convention Bureau and was instrumental in growing and developing Eugene's business culture and community.

Don met the second love of his life and married Shary Kay Laker in 1986. Over the next 38 years of their marriage they continued chasing Don's love of the outdoors; camping, taking long walks on the beach near their home in Cape Mears/Tillamook Oregon and a shared passion for the University of Oregon Ducks. ScoDucks! Don also held roles during this time as the Port of Tillamook manager and was the City Manager and Municipal Judge for the town of Rockaway Beach, Oregon.

Don and Shary also continued to build a family, raising Shary's son from a previous marriage and adopting two infant children in the late 1990's when Don was nearly 70 years old. He dedicated the next 25 years to being their father and the grandfather and great grandfather to 11 other children too.

Over Don and Shary's adventurous life together they traveled to Great Britain, France, Italy, Austria, Greece, Turkey, Canada and Mexico as well as extensively throughout the US. Their union served as an inspiration to many as they constantly planned the next great adventure; recently returning from 2 weeks in Greece and Turkey and actively planning to celebrate in Atlanta in January of 2025 when the Oregon Ducks win the College Football national championship!

For his service in the Marines, Don was awarded the Korean Ribbon with 3 stars, the P.U.C with 1 star, The UN Ribbon and the Korean War Medal by the Korean Government. In September of 2019 Don returned to Korea in celebration of the 69th Anniversary of the Chosin campaign. During this visit he and two other veterans appeared on the front page of the Wall Street Journal.

Don is survived by his wife, Shary, his daughters Eileen Mason and Brianna Zhu, his son's Steve, Scott, Eric and Random Mason, his grandchildren Taylor, Hayley, Adelaide, Mason, Lyndsey, Lucas, Isabel, Emory and Aemon, and his great grandchildren Giovani and Marianna. Don suffered the loss of one precious daughter, Laura Mason Caldwell, in May of 2014.

Don was a long-time member and leader of the local Korean War veterans and Chosin Few groups. Throughout his life he served his family and community with the same faithfulness he also gave his country and his Corp. Semper Fidelis.