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Sam R. Mason Jr.

12/24/2020

25 Comments

 
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Sam R. Mason, Jr., of Skaneateles and formerly of Homer, N.Y., the dear husband of Mary Lou Mason, and beloved father of Sam III, Linda, David, John, and Lisa, passed away peacefully on the morning of Christmas Eve, December 24.

All who knew Sam, loved him. His warm smile and kindness graced family, friends, and strangers alike.  He often talked of all the rich blessings of his life and had deep gratitude for a life well-lived.  He grieved deeply for Mary Lou every day since her death, after 66 years of marriage, in April 2017.  Their wedding anniversary is December 27.  We rejoice that they are together again in their eternal love.

Sam was born on August 15, 1926 in Erie, Pennsylvania to Samuel Rankin Mason and Gertrude Graf Mason.  His brother, Terry, was born in 1930.  Sam, from an early age, was a disciplined and talented student and athlete.  He was the captain of his high school swim team and led them to win the Erie city swim tournament every year he was in high school. He was also an accomplished tennis player and competed in the Youth US Open in high school. He graduated Salutatorian of his senior class.

Sam went to Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania on a Navy scholarship and majored in Biology and Psychology and swam on the college swim team. The Navy sent him on to medical school at the University of Pennsylvania.  He continued to excel academically and was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. 

After his third year of medical school, he went home to Erie for a few weeks.  He was introduced to Mary Lou by his mother.  They went for a walk on their first date.  While getting to know each other, Mary Lou, an avid reader, asked Sam if he liked to read anything besides medical textbooks.  He replied that he had just finished War and Peace.  Sam claimed that Mary Lou stopped in her tracks and gave him a long look.  He always said that he owes his marriage to his mother and Tolstoy!  Sam and Mary Lou were soulmates and best friends.  Their joy in each other was inspiration to all of us.

After Sam’s medical residency in Syracuse University Hospital, he was assigned by the Navy to Camp Pendleton in California for two years.  After his Navy service, Sam wanted to practice medicine in an area where his efforts could make a big difference. They also wanted to live in central NY to be close to Mary Lou’s family and chose to settle down in the village of Homer, NY in the Finger Lakes Region of central NY.  He set up a private practice that grew to cover a large area in Cortland County and worked in Cortland Memorial Hospital for decades.  He was ultimately appointed Chief of Cardiology at Cortland Memorial Hospital and Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Health Science Center in Syracuse.

Sam was inspired to help Cortland Memorial Hospital become one of the best in the region. He was committed to creating a new service in the hospital every few years.  Among the medical units and centers he created were the first ICU in upstate NY, a psychiatric ward, a radioisotope laboratory, a telemetry coronary care unit, and a cardiac rehabilitation unit.  He was a continual learner and nearly every year went to medical conferences and trainings.  He took the national medical boards twice throughout his career “just for fun.”

In the 1970’s he created a Bio-Medical Ethics Committee. He chose a nurse, a college philosophy professor, a Catholic priest, and a social worker to serve on the committee with him. Sam also brought hospice (the Caring Community of Cortland County) to the area.  He served on the boards of the American Cancer Society and the Special Children’s Center.

As Sam often said, he worked in the “golden age of medicine”.  He was passionate about his vocation, did house calls until the day he retired, got to know the families of his patients, and had a renowned kind and warm bedside manner.

Every few years, Sam took time off from his medical practice to volunteer elsewhere.  He worked for the Navajo Nation on their reservation in Arizona.  He worked in Zaire, now Congo, in a remote missionary hospital.  He worked with CARE Medico in Honduras, CARE on the Cambodian/Thai border, and with Save the Children in Sudan.

Sam touched countless lives with his kindness, intelligence, and humor. He was an inspiration to many, and especially to his children and grandchildren.  His greatest pleasure was to spend time with and hear about his children, and especially his grandchildren.  The family all looked forward to his speeches at every family gathering.  He would work for weeks on his remarks and would write multiple rough drafts.  They were always sentimental, appreciative, and witty.  And of course, they always started with a loving ode to Mary Lou.

Sam and Mary Lou had a joyful retirement, spending half the year in Naples, Florida with many family members, and half the year in central New York. In his retirement Sam became an avid cook and told Mary Lou that, after cooking for a family of seven for years, that she would never have to cook another meal.  He took great pleasure in pampering Mary Lou, doing all the shopping and errands in addition to cooking.  They did everything together – exercised every morning, took walks, sat side by side while they read their books, and watched a movie in the evening.  They stopped every day at 5 pm when Sam would prepare a delicious hors d’oeuvre and pour Mary Lou a half glass of red wine (for good health!).

Sam is survived by his brother, Terry, his children and their spouses, Sam and Sally, Linda and Roger, David and Jacqui, John and Margaret, and Lisa and Dan; his grandchildren Miggy, Sammy, Eliza, Farrell, Lucas, Gracie, David, Samantha, Holly, Olivia, Eli, Avery, and Jackson; and his great-grandchildren Jack, Will, Louisa, Frances, Alice, Mason, Charley, and Joey.  His memory will live on with all of us.

In lieu of flowers, the family would be grateful for donations to the St. James Episcopal Church, 96 East Genesee Street, Skaneateles, NY 13152.  We will hold a memorial service once we are safe from Covid so that we can gather together to celebrate Sam’s life.

You are welcome to offer your thoughts about Sam on the Robert D. Gray Funeral Home Guestbook page.
25 Comments
Judy GELSTON
12/29/2020 03:58:11 am

Your father was the family care doctor of my grand parents. He was so dearly loved by our family in Cortland. He always too great care with his patients.

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Carrie Sabin
12/29/2020 04:54:27 pm

Dr. Mason thank you for all of the wonderful care you provided to the community over the years as well as your love for and support for our community hospital. Guthrie Cortland Medical Center. May you Rest in Peace.

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Mary (O'Connell) McCabe
12/30/2020 04:37:02 am

On behalf of the Robert and Ruth O'Connell family please know that our heartfelt condolences are with you at this difficult time. We have fond memories of your family when we knew them while growing up in Homer. God bless you all.

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john daly
12/30/2020 10:16:24 am

Our condolences to John, Margaret and the entire Mason family over the passing of Dr. Mason.

John & Theo Daly
Nashville, TN

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Susan Ross
12/30/2020 11:05:25 am

Dear Sam and Sally, Please accept my sincerest sympathy for the passing of your dad, Sam. His obituary was beautiful. You are in my prayers. love, Sue Ross

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Mike Cartini
12/30/2020 03:41:54 pm

John and family
Sorry for your loss. My condolences to you all.

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Mary Dadey
12/30/2020 05:03:12 pm

Sam, Sally and family. I am sorry for you on the passing of your Dad, father- in-law and grandfather. RIP Dr. Mason.

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Joy Magee
12/31/2020 05:21:27 am

My condolences to the Mason family
As a young nurse I worked with Dr.Mason and saw his compassion first hand as he taught me many things.I will remember his smile and his thinking out of the box as he cared for patients,families,and staff.I know that he/Mary Lou are once again together.
Thank you Dr.Mason for all you did for so many

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Char & Ed McGraw
1/1/2021 06:12:50 am

Dear Sam & Sally & family
We are very sorry for your loss. It is so difficult to lose our parents. The obituary is a wonderful tribute to a well-lived life.

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Barb and Dennis Dundon
1/1/2021 07:06:11 am

Sam and Sally, so sorry for your loss. Sending prayers and love to you and your family during this difficult time.

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Robin Austin
1/2/2021 06:28:39 am

It was my pleasure as a RN to work with Dr. Mason at Cortland Memorial Hospital. He was always smiling and demonstrated his dedication to caring for the patients under his care. My condolences to the Mason family. His was a life well lived and he touched many lives.

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Bill and Nancy Oustad and family
1/2/2021 11:36:46 am

Our deepest heartfelt sympathy to all of you. So fortunate to have had such wonderful neighbors for so many years. Fond memories of all the Mason Family.

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Linda
1/12/2021 01:45:13 pm

Bill and Nancy,
They loved your whole family. Such wonderful memories

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Dave Oustad
1/2/2021 12:05:29 pm

My sincere condolences to my childhood next door neighbors, Sam, Linda, David, John and Lisa. We are all very sorry to hear about your dad’s passing. I have many fond memories of Dr. and Mrs. Mason while growing up in our neighborhood. And my most recent memory was when I returned to Homer for a high school reunion (maybe 2008?). Doc Mason asked if would be his golf partner as his usual playing partner was not available. Well we played against his other cronies that day and we won $3.00 each! You would’ve thought it was $300 for the bragging rights! Doc was so happy we got the win! I really enjoyed that day with him! And I have so many wonderful memories of our childhood days and the Mason family. Again, my sincere condolences.

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Linda Mason
1/12/2021 01:46:46 pm

Dave,
We all have so many wonderful memories of your whole family! You were our great playmate and Marie was our babysitter. My parents loved you all and loved having your family as neighbors. All the best,
Linda

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Linda Fragnoli
1/2/2021 02:56:27 pm

Sam was a wonder friend and doctor to both my parents! He will be missed! God Bless to all family at this time! Love The Frog Fragnoli Family

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Patti Callahan
1/2/2021 08:21:47 pm

Dear Sam and Sally,
What a beautiful tribute to your Dad! We will miss seeing his welcoming, fun smiling face on those glorious boating days!
Sending you lots of warm loving hugs,
Patti

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Katie Quinlan
1/3/2021 02:08:40 pm

I worked at Homer National/Key Bank for many years and knew the Masons from there. Mary Lou would routinely ask about one of my siblings who attended school with her children. Dr. Mason was always
kind and courteous with a smile on his face no matter how tired he might be. Our Homer/Cortland community was blessed by their presence. Condolences to the family.

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Moira McMahon
1/4/2021 07:33:33 am

Dr Mason was one of the first Doctors that I worked with in Cortland Hospital 35 years ago. I will always remember his kind words, gentle smile, and his true gentleman ways. I can still picture him in his light blue suit and sparkling blue eyes as he smiled and put everyone around him at ease . Definitely one of the Best Doctors I ever had the pleasure of working with. Such a beautiful life story he left behind , RIP Doctor. Condolences to the family.

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Betsy M Root
1/6/2021 04:01:43 pm

I worked with Dr. Mason at CMH, Cardiology for 11 yrs. He was a wonderful Dr to his patients and a great person to all the staff. I sent him soup recipes when he retired because he was always trying to make food healthy. Fond memories only. Sorry for your loss, all of our loss.

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Terry Gay
1/6/2021 06:48:40 pm

I had the pleasure of working for and with Dr.Mason in his medical office for six years until I decided to become a nurse in part because of the compassion and care I observed Dr.Mason give to his patients. He was a wonderful man overall and I am grateful to have known him and Mrs.Mason. God bless his family.

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Jim and Deb ( Morse ) Luchsinger
1/7/2021 01:43:34 pm

Our sincere condolences to Sam, Linda, David, John and Lisa. We are very sorry to hear about your dad’s passing. I ( Deb) have many fond memories of Dr. and Mrs. Mason while growing up. He took care of so many...remember memories are forever !

Jim and Deb( Morse) Luchsinger

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Linda Mason
1/12/2021 01:47:55 pm

Deb, you are so wonderful to post your kind thoughts. You grew up with all of us and saw so much of our family. I wish you all the best,
Linda

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Susan Smulyan
1/10/2021 10:59:53 am

My parents, Ruth and Hal Smulyan, valued their long friendship with Mary Lou and Sam, visiting back and forth in Cortland, Syracuse, Florida, and Skaneateles, trading news of children and grandchildren, and of the events of the day. My father died in early December and asked about Sam often in the fall. May his memory be a blessing.

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Linda Mason
1/12/2021 01:49:54 pm

Susan,
You are so kind to write. My parents loved both your parents and talked about them frequently. They did have so much fun together. Your parents were the last to visit my mother, just days before she passed away in 2017. I am so sorry to hear of the passing of your father - such a wonderful man who also lived a beautiful life.
All best,
Linda

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