Obituary of Joe Mason

Bossier City- Joe Roderick Mason, Jr., who passed away Friday, August 7, 2009, was born October 28, 1938 in Bossier City, LA where he was a lifetime resident. He is a 1957 graduate of Bossier City High School and attended for a short time Oklahoma State University. Joe became a volunteer for the Bossier City Fire Department, or as he put it, ?hung around? the fire stations before he graduated from High School. He became a paid Fireman December 1957 and was instrumental in getting Civil Service status for the Bossier City Fire Department. He was a Certified EMT and helped start the EMT program in the Bossier City Fire Department with which he served as Training Officer for the Bossier City Police and Fire Departments and was the Director for the Safety Education for all Municipal Departments. During his career with the Fire Department he earned and received numerous awards from the LSU Fireman Training Program & Fire College at Baton Rouge, LA and was a Certified Instructor with the LA Commission of Fire Fighting Personnel Standards & Education. He was a Charter Member of the National Fire Protection Association. He retired as Assistant Chief. Mr. Mason enjoyed civic involvement and volunteering his time to help others including being a Paul Harris Fellow with the Bossier City Rotary Club & a 1972-1973 Past President, Boy Scout Leader, and raising funds in support of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, TN. He served his country proudly in the U.S. Army from 1962-1964 at Army Headquarters III Corps at Fort Hood, Texas achieving Emergency Medical Care Training status during his service & served in the LA Army Reserves until 1967 with an Honorable Discharge with numerous awards for outstanding service to his country. His daughter, Miss Helen Denice Mason; his parents Joe R. & Bertha Mason; and his sister Mrs. Elaine Dudley preceded Mr. Mason in death. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Janice Marie Mason; Brother-in-Law Jacky Innmon & Wife Linda Innmon of Houston, Texas; Brother-in-Law Willard Grayson & Wife Elizabeth Grayson of Wimberley, Texas; & Brother-inLaw Charles Dudley of Orlando, Florida; & First Cousins, Mrs. Lucille Garner of Gillette, Wyoming; Mrs. Gloria Cox of Arab, Alabama; and Robert Mason of Bossier City, LA; and numerous nieces & nephews. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, August 11, 2009 at 10:00am at Bellaire Baptist Church, where he served as Sunday School Director & Deacon. Dr. Randy Harper will officiate, assisted by Sonny DePrange and Keith Rowe. Interment will follow at Forest Park Cemetery. Visitation will be Monday evening from 6-8pm at Boone Funeral Home. Fellow Firefighters Bobby Barnette, Steve Anderson, Mike Dyson, Ray Shelton, Ricky Harper, and Hal Curley will serve as pallbearers. Thank you for all the prayers, cards & flowers. A special thank you filled with love & gratitude for all the nurses on the Chemo Floor of the WK Cancer Center whose care and kindnesses helped beyond measure. Thanks to Dr. Charles Hargon & Dr. Charles Byrd for their prayers and care. Thank you to all the nurses at WK North whose dedication to the care of their patients was loving & kind. Particularly, thank you to our Pastor, Dr. Randy Harper, Executive Assistant to the Pastor Mrs. Carol Thacker, Associate Pastors and Staff and the members of Bellaire Baptist Church whose love, prayers & visits sustained us and still does. And another special thank you to the friends and classmates of the Class of 1957 for their fellowship through the years. In lieu of flowers please make donations to Bellaire Baptist Church, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, or your choice of charity.