Dr. Franklin “Curtis” Mason, Sr. was born June 18, 1931 in Beechgrove, TN and passed away August 30, 2018 in Murfreesboro, TN.
He was preceded in death by his daughter, Mary Mason McCauley; mother, Louis Glaus Mason; father, Paul Gannaway Mason, Sr.; brother, Gannaway Mason; sisters, Anna Mason, Sherrill Fischer, and Jean Bryant. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Peggy Orr Mason; son, Franklin C. Mason, Jr.; son-in-law, Bill McCauley; sister, Eleanor Moore and her husband Ken; brothers, James Mason and his wife Doris and Sewell Mason and his wife Pat; brother-in-law, Bobby Orr and his wife Patsy; grandchildren, F. Curtis Mason, III, Katie Mason, and Gabriel Mason; and many loved nieces and nephews.
He was extremely proud of his service to his country in the Air Force and as a result of the G.I. Bill was able to receive a B.S. degree from MTSU. He was awarded the Dupont Fellowship giving him the opportunity to receive a Master’s Degree from Vanderbilt University. Teaching at Georgia Military Academy and three years of teaching at MTSU gave him a reprieve from being a student. He then received a cooperative fellowship from Miami University of Ohio and the Ohio State University, and he was a student again. He received a Master’s Degree in Physics from Miami University and a Ph.D. in Physics from the Ohio State University.
For the following 27 years, Dr. Mason shared his knowledge of Physics with the students at Middle Tennessee State University. He also shared his knowledge as he traveled to high schools in the midstate area presenting Physics programs as a member of the Visiting Scientists Program.
His hobby was gardening. Many summers he maintained three vegetable gardens. For two summers, he curtailed his gardening in order to work with a group of scientists at NASA in Huntsville, AL.
Dr. Mason was an elder of the First Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Murfreesboro. For many years, he enjoyed sharing the teaching of the Adult Workers’ Class on Sunday Morning. He was a longtime member of the Murfreesboro Exchange Club, a member of the Blue Raider Athletic Association, several Physics societies, and the Rutherford County Retired Teachers’ Association. Over the years, Dr. Mason and his wife enjoyed attending sports events at MTSU and for many years made an annual trip to attend a football game at his beloved Ohio State University.
Memorials may be made to the local food bank, Habitat for Humanity, or the charity of your choice in memory of Dr. Mason.
Visitation with the family will be Saturday, September 1, 2018 from 4:00pm until 8:00pm at Woodfin Memorial Chapel. Funeral Services will be held Sunday, September 2, 2018 at 2:00pm at First Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Burial will take place in Head Springs Cemetery in Belfast, TN.
