TRENTON — A person described as a “real man” by his wife passed away this week when Robert Reynolds Mason Sr. died at the age of 77.
Mason was born in Lillington in 1936 to the late Wade Clarendon and Hassie Brown Mason. He then served in the U.S. Army before spending 25 years with the State Highway Patrol as a trooper and retiring in 1991.
Mason married the former Polly McDaniel in 1982 and the two lived on her family farm in Trenton.
In 1994, members of the community came to her husband and asked him to run for sheriff, Polly Mason said. He went on to serve two terms before deciding not to seek reelection in 2002.
“He took a lot of pride in being sheriff,” Polly Mason said.
On Nov. 7, 1998, while riding a four-wheeler together, her husband suffered a heart attack. The attack left him with paralysis on his left side, Mason said.
Mason said deputies helped her husband as he recovered and he stayed as active as he could.
He then built a house in his native Lillington and moved there in 2002. He lived in Lillington until his death earlier this week.
Mason said her husband was a “real man” — she said he was stern, but caring and compassionate.
He enjoyed hunting and was an excellent horseman, Mason said. He was a classy dresser, with blue oxford shirts and khaki pants serving as his clothing of choice.
Jones County Commissioner Sondra Ipock-Riggs interacted with Mason first when he was on the Highway Patrol, and then later on as sheriff.
“He was a fine man as a Highway Patrolman,” Riggs said.
When Mason was elected sheriff, he was easy for the commissioners to work with, Riggs said.
“He knew what the county could and could not spend,” Riggs said. “I was proud of him for that.”
Riggs said Mason was well-liked and popular in the community.
“He did the best he could,” Riggs said.
Billy Smith, who served as Lenoir County Sheriff from 1989 until earlier this year, met Mason when Mason was a member of the Highway Patrol.
“He was easy going and easy to talk to,” Smith said. “I never heard anyone say a bad word about him.”
The two worked together on several occasions when a case crossed county lines, Smith said.
Mason was instrumental in founding Boy Scout Troop 111 in Trenton in 1995. Cub Master and Jones County Commissioner Zack Koonce praised Mason for his role with the scouts.
“Had it not been for him, Troop 111 would not exist today,” Koonce said. “I’m very sad to see he is gone.”
Noah Clark can be reached at 252-559-1073 or Noah.Clark@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter @ nclark 763.
Funeral for Sheriff Mason:
- 4 p.m. today
- Spring Hill Methodist Church in Lillington
- Reception will follow in the church fellowship hall