Obituary for John Henry Mason

From the Durant Daily Democrat, 23 Feb 1953, Page 1:

Services For John H. Mason Here Tuesday

Funeral services will be held at the First Baptist Church Tuesday at 4 p.m. for John H. Mason, pioneer Durant businessman and former Bryan county official, who died Sunday night after a long illness. Mr. Mason had been a resident of Durant for 53 years and was 76 years old.

Services will be conducted by Rev. L. L. Armstrong, assisted by Carroll Hooper, and burial, under direction of Holmes Funeral home, will be in Highland Cemetery.

Active pallbearers will be Ralph Ownby, M.K. Staton, J.T. Davis, Bob Howard, Wallace Gates and Bill Barker.

Honorary pallbearers will be members of the First Baptist men's Bible class.

Mr. Mason, well known as "Uncle John," was born at Lone Oak, Ark., May 14, 1876, a son of Mr. and Mrs. George Washington Mason. He was married to Miss Mattie Alva Lipsey at Lone Oak in 1895.

Since coming to Durant, Mr. Mason was engaged in business and livestock production here, and had served two terms as Bryan county commissioner. He retired from active business several years ago because of poor health. 

Mr. Mason was a lifelong member of the Baptist church and was a member of the Woodmen of the World lodge.

The deceased is survived by his wife, two sons, Brans Mason, Amarillo, Texas; and Clabe Mason, Durant; one daughter, Mrs. Leo McMains, Denison, Texas; five grandchildren and four great grand children. He was a brother of the late George A. Mason and an uncle of Albert W. Mason, George Mason Jr, Hall Mason, and Elmo Mason, all of Durant.