Curtis Mason

MIDDLETON- Curtis Everett Mason, age 76, passed away at Meriter Hospital on Tuesday, January 5, 2016, in the presence of family and loved ones, after a severe stroke suffered the previous evening. Curtis was born June 20, 1939 to Bertha (Shedd) and Marshall Mason of San Jose CA, descended on his mother's side from Presbyterian missionaries to Persia. He later completed elementary school in San Jose, high school at Verde Valley in Sedona AZ, and post-secondary studies at the University of California, Berkeley, graduating in 1966. In 1963, he was united in marriage to Lorna Cogswell, formerly of Goodland KS, then a graduate student at UC-Berkeley. The couple made their home in Castro Valley CA and raised two children, Carolyn Shedd (born Oct. 27, 1964) and Eliot Cogswell (born Aug. 8, 1967). Curtis was employed for many years as plant manager for American Draperies of Hayward CA, while Lorna was a writer of elementary and high-school history textbooks. Family gatherings frequently centered around the beloved Mason getaway cabins at Echo Summit above Lake Tahoe, which Curtis continued to manage as the family circle expanded to new generations. The couple remained in Castro Valley until Lorna's death in 1998, after which Curtis moved to Middleton WI to be near his son's family, with daughter-in-law Julia and grandchildren Sophie and Annabelle. There he met Marilyn Josephine Kelley (widow of John Kelley), to whom he was married in 2006. The couple lived in Middleton and enjoyed travel, sailing, opera, architecture, wintering in Florida, and indulging grandchildren near and far. They had just returned from a joyous family reunion in Puerto Rico the evening before Curtis was stricken. Curtis was preceded in death by his parents and first wife Lorna.

He is survived by his wife Marilyn; sisters Laura Campbell (Bloomington IN), Louise de Leeuw (Poughkeepsie NY), and Sarah Erskine (Fort Bragg CA); son Eliot (Portland OR) and daughter Carolyn (Los Angeles CA); Michael Kelley (Woodbury MN), Andrew Kelley (Fishers IN), Lisa (Kelley) Jurecko (Plymouth MI); extended family of eight grandchildren (Sophia & Annabelle Mason, Madison & Grant Kelley, Grace & Paige Jurecko, Josie & J.T. Kelley) and numerous nephews and nieces. Curtis was an avid history reader, canoeist, woodworker, chorister, recorder player, and general music lover, with wry gentle humor, deep love of the southwest and never-ending search for meaning and wisdom in life. His passing is deeply mourned by in-laws Mariana (Cogswell) Weinhold and family of Madison WI, Martha (Cogswell) Auld and family of Tiburon CA, and John Cogswell and family of Buena Vista CA, Jerry Hemmer of Milford OH, and Barbara Thiemann of Cincinnati OH, as well as by many members of the extended Kelley family and beloved canine companion Lucy.

A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, January 16, 2016 at St. Luke's Lutheran Church, 7337 Hubbard Ave. in Middleton. There will be no formal gathering time prior to services.

The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to MOM (Middleton Outreach Ministry), 3502 Parmenter St., Middleton, WI 53562 or the Dane County Humane Society, 5132 Voges Rd., Madison, WI 53718.

Cress Center
6021 University Ave.
Madison, WI 53705
608-238-8406