Walter Leonard Mason
Our hearts are heavy these days.. .dwelling on the passing of our friend and fellow worker Walter Leonard Mason at 2:25 a.m. on June 12, 1946.
Only time will efface the void he leaves among us, and he will live in our memories for a long, long time.
Surviving him is his Mother, Mrs. Walter L. Mason, who resides at Parkdale, Oregon. To Walt's Mother and the rest of his family and friends back home we extend our heartfelt sympathy in this, one of life's darkest times.
Walt was bornin Hood River, Ore. on May 21, 1914. He was educated at the University of Oregon, at Eugene, where he specialized in Physical Education.
He began his service with Arabian American Oil Company on August 30, 1944 and arrived in Arabia on December 21, 1944 for the Purchase & Stores Division.
Prior to his service with Aramco he was with Lockheed Overseas Corporation in Northern Ireland for two years and three months - and for a year and four months he worked for Lockheed at Burbank, California. From 1937 to 1940 he worked in the Hawaiian Islands, was with W.A Ramsey Ltd. for almost 2 years.
Dear Walt,
The philosophy of life of most of us is predicated upon a plentiful supply of good intentions. The weakness generally lies, however, in the fact that the good things we know of those around us and the words of encouragement and appreciation that should be said often remain unspoken until too late.
There are many of us who knew you well, who knew your many acts of kindness and helpfulness, both on the job and during what should have been your leisure hours. We found you cheerfully willing to give of your time to be of service to your fellow employees. The job of Sports Committee Chairman wasn't easy and often when you expected help in arranging events you finished up by doing the job yourself.
We remember those trips to Abqaiq for our meetings there, to keep the boys in touch with what we were doing and to attempt to keep ourselves conversant with their needs. It was not only your very willing participation but your merry laughter and wit which made the otherwise lonesome trips seem a rather joyful event. Once when the car broke down and it was pretty hot, it was you, Walt, who offered to walk into Abqaiq for help and you actually started out but help came from another source and we were able to pick you up along the way practically exhausted. But we had our meeting, and you continued being the life of the party even on the way home.
There aren't many people who know that your last concern was the fact you did not have your Sports budget approved and I had asked you to present it at the General Meeting the night you were taken ill. Don't worry, Walt, your budget will be approved and perhaps the inspiration you left is what we need to help us to bigger and better things.
As I said, Walt, the kind things and words of encouragement are too often left unsaid. Yet, you must have known Walt, from the way the Medical Department worked, the volunteers who did help and those who couldn't, the feeling of mourning throughout the organization when you passed on and the present undertones growing louder and louder of the wish to do something in your memory. We cannot believe, Walt, that these messages from the hearts of men aren't in some way passed on to you now.
Believe me, Walt, your memory shall remain an inspiration to us all. Not only will your memory live in the hearts of us who knew you well, but I'm sure that somehow we will preserve that memory to inspire those who follow.
The whole gang wishes you well on the road beyond. So long, friend, Lloyd Moore.
At 4:30 p.m. June 12, mid the blowing sands and the ebbing heat of a hot day, over 300 people gathered at a secluded spot about a mile outside the Dhahran camp ... a sheltered cove set aside by the Saudi Arab Government for a cemetery ... and paid respects to our Late Friend, Walter Leonard Mason, before his remains were put in their final resting place.
C.T. Gee read the Scriptures; Victor W. Posta read the Prayer; Jimmee Fullerton, the Eulogy; and C.T. Gee concluded with the Benediction.
Eulogy to Walt Mason June 12, 1946
(delivered by one of his closest friends, Jimmee V. Fullerton).
"The Worldly Hope men set their Hearts upon
Turn Ashes - or it prospers; and anon,
Like Snow upon the Desert's dusty Face,
Lighting a little hour to two - is gone.
"Think, in his batter'd Caravanserai
Whose Portals are alternate Night and Day,
How Sultan after Sultan with his Pomp
Abode his destined Hour, and went his way."
From "The Rubaiyat" XVI, XVII
I am speaking a song for Walter Mason
Departed from us.
I am not the greatest poet nor the greatest man
Whose brief span of life our friend encompassed;
I am merely speaking a word which is surely
In the heart of everyone gathered here this day.
A word which our friend has said to me more than once;
And which I repeat now, in paraphrase, to refresh our memory.
These words, simply:
"I am not the world, but just a part of the time of that world.
If I can add to it, I will never know.
If I detract from it, I cannot know that, as well
But if I live a life which satisfies myself
In goodness and kindness - Despite my earthly prophesy -
I shall dwell in the house of the blessed forever."
These are words I have paraphrased to fit the personality
Of one we have known and loved,
Of one whose death we grieve,
One whose existence in the realm of eternity
We are certain of.
I say these lines to Walter Mason. J.V.P.
The Pallbearers were Henry L. Braun- Ned F. Daniels- Carl A. Jones- Jimmee V. Fullerton- Albert Schenk- Deward O. Morgan- Frank Stockman - and James Thornton. The ladies presented a large wreath of Oleanders.
The Events of the Week....
Behind the scenes in the most important event were those who served and those who stood by, in case. We are referring to Bob Coughlin and his review of our Personnel for men with First Aid Training to render artificial respiration to Walt Mason - in Dhahran those who served were:
Scott Buckley Richard Holmes
John W. Bogle Carl A. Jones
Ned Daniel Frank Stockman
Henry Braum James Thornton
Jimmee Fullerton
9 others were selected, but stood by - then the "Iron Lung" arrived. Through the efforts of the Army Personnel at the Dhahran Airport and Lynn Madsen (who served with the U.S. Army in the area) a flight was made to Shaibah in Persia, and within a few hours they returned with an "Iron Lung". Engineers and Craftsmen both in Dhahran and Ras Tanura stood ready to construct an "Iron Lung" should one not be obtainable from Iran.