Benny Ray Mason

*** Benny's family invites the relatives & the friends of Benny Mason to attend a Celebration of Life, come & go gathering with a noon potluck meal to be held on Saturday April 29th from 10am-2pm at the Leonard Park pavilion in Gainesville, Texas. ***

Benny died in the loving arms of his youngest daughter, Sheila, at Texoma Medical Center in Denison, Texas, at the age of 78.

Benny was born at home in the Addington Bend community near Marietta, Oklahoma, to Paul Monroe Mason & Trudy (Stevens) Mason.

Benny attended both Thackerville & Gainesville High Schools before entering Technical School in Fort Worth, TX for Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Training.  His first full-time job was working for Kenny Markley in Fort Worth, TX, installing central air conditioning units.

Benny then married the love of his life, Maudene Scott Mason, on February 8, 1964.  During their marriage, Benny worked at the following jobs:  J.C. Yeatts Appliance, Ardmore, OK, Enderby Gas, Gainesville, Weber Aircraft, Gainesville, Bill Dennis Plumbing, Gainesville, Texas Power & Light, Gainesville, Santa Fe Railroad, National Supply, Gainesville.

Lastly, he opened his own business, Benny Mason Auto Repair, where he was particularly known for being the go-to guy for achieving the absolute COLDEST vehicle air conditioning to be had. As he was fond of saying, he would "have them blowing snowballs!"

Benny was a happy & kind Christian man who made many friends throughout his lifetime. He almost always had a smile on his face & could talk to a stranger just as easily as if they were old friends. His laugh was the best & almost always caused everyone else to laugh right along with him.

Benny cared deeply for his entire extended family & friends. He was always willing to lend a hand when help was needed.  He had a special caring spirit for those widowed in his family as well as his widowed, long-time next-door neighbor & dear family friend, Jean Dennis. He would always call & check in with them or do whatever he could to help until his health no longer made it possible.

Benny absolutely adored his grandchildren & was so very proud of each of their accomplishments. His eyes would just light up when speaking TO them or ABOUT them.

Due to his confinement in recent years, Benny didn't get to spend much time in person with his great-grandchildren. But he enjoyed tremendously looking at pictures & videos of them. In December, when asked about the approaching birth of his great-granddaughter, Josie, he stated, "we may be slow, but we're filling our barnyard up."

Benny always had a way with words that was unique to him. He said the funniest sayings & loved telling old stories or jokes.

Benny should be remembered as a loving, kind, generous, smart, hard-working, funny, happy Christian family man who was a true friend to many, a wonderful, loyal & compassionate husband & an incomparable Daddy & PaPa.

Benny was preceded in death by his parents, Paul & Trudy Mason; sisters, Mary Mason, Betty Mason & Eloise Mason Rushing; brothers, J.B. Mason, Vernon (Red) Mason, George Mason, Paul Jr. Mason, Mack Mason, Gary Mason; stepmother, Delia Mason, and his beloved firstborn daughter, Lisa Mason Zoeller.

Benny is survived by his loving wife of 59 years, Maudene Scott Mason of Gainesville; his adoring daughter, Sheila Mason Hooper & husband Benny Hooper of Callisburg; son-in-law Allen Zoeller of Woodbine; grandchildren, Benjamin Hooper & wife Brooke Hooper of New Braunfels, Elisha Hooper Van Deventer & husband Joseph Van Deventer of Keller; step-granddaughter, Noel Zoeller Luttmer & husband William Luttmer of Woodbine; great-grandchildren Jack Van Deventer, Joselyn (Josie) Van Deventer; step-great-grandchildren, Davis Trout, Tessa Trout, Joseph Luttmer, Madlyn Luttmer, Kaleb Luttmer & Hayley Luttmer; sisters, Edith Mason Kirk of Newalla, OK & Joy Mason Landry & husband Dave Landry of The Villages, FL & many beloved cousins, nieces & nephews.

Benny had a private family burial service at New Resthaven Cemetery in Gainesville, Tx on Friday February 10th with dear family friend Jim Coker officiating.

Honorary pallbearers were Benny Hooper, Benjamin Hooper, Joseph Van Deventer, Lynn Foster, Allen Zoeller & William Luttmer.