George Cecil Mask MD

Dr. George Mask was born on September 11, 1926 in Washington, North Carolina to James and Flora Mask. He was the youngest of five children. When he was 2-years-old, his parents moved the family to Hamlet, North Carolina. As a youngster, he attended a small elementary school where his mother was the principal, and a high school where his father was the principal.

After graduating from high school at the age of sixteen, George matriculated to St. Augustine’s College in Raleigh, North Carolina where he completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry in 1946. Seeking expanded horizons, he moved to New York City where he studied chemistry at Columbia College and became fluent in French and German. Shortly thereafter George went to Switzerland to pursue medical studies. He attended the University of Fribourg for the two pre-clinical years, and University of Zurich for his two clinical years, graduating with a doctorate degree in medicine in 1959. His dissertation was entitled: Klinischer Beitrag zum Wallenberg-Syndrom (Clinical Contributions to Wallenberg Syndrome).

Upon completion of his medical studies, he began post-graduate training at Kings County Hospital, Harlem Hospital and Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center in Brooklyn. It was at Kingsbrook that he met Barbara Jeffries Wallace. They married in 1963.

Dr. Mask practiced medicine in Brooklyn for over 27 years. During this time, he was medical director for the Oxford Nursing Home, Senior Physician with the Health Insurance Plan of New York (Central Medical Group) and practiced internal medicine privately. In 1991, he retired from the practice of medicine in Brooklyn and moved to Sarasota, Florida with his wife.

Shortly after moving to Sarasota he became involved in medicine again when he joined the staff of the Senior Friendship Center as a volunteer physician and was subsequently employed by the Manatee County and Sarasota County Health Departments as a Senior Physician. He retired from these positions in 2013.

Dr. Mask was married to Barbara Jeffries Wallace for 57 years. Throughout his life he was an excellent classical pianist, having begun lessons at age five. In addition to music, he had an enduring passion for engaged political conversation and exotic foods. He is mourned by his wife, their three children (Jeffrey Richard Mask, Melissa Mask James and Mia Mask Wittman), four grandchildren, nieces and nephews, fraternal members of the Boulé, and dear friends.

A visitation will be held on Friday, March 13, 2020 from 5:00 - 7:00 pm at Robert Toale and Sons Funeral Home - Wiegand Chapel, 7454 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34231.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, March 14, 2020 at 1:30 pm, with a visitation from 12:30 - 1:30, at First Congregational Church, 1031 S. Euclid Ave., Sarasota, FL 34237.