James Jacobs Mason, 93, of Beechgrove, TN, passed away on Sunday August 25, 2019. He was born in Beechgrove, Coffee County, TN to the late Marie Louise Glaus Mason and Paul Gannaway (Laura Huff) Mason, Sr. Mr. Mason was also preceded in death by his sisters, Anna Louise Mason, Sherrill (Alfred) Fischer, and Jean Bryant; brothers, Paul Gannaway (Betty) Mason, Jr., Dr. Franklin Curtis (Peggy) Mason, Sr. and a grandson, Michael Dewayne Trail.
Mr. Mason owned and operated a Tennessee Century farm which had been in continuous operation for over 100 years. He farmed 60 years before his retirement. Mr. Mason also drove a school bus for the Coffee County School system for 22 years. He was a member of the Coffee County Agriculture Committee. He was elected to the second and third districts of Coffee County Court, Noah and Beechgrove. Mr. Mason served on the first Ambulatory Authority for Coffee County and as a member of the Duck River Electric Membership Corp. Credentials Committee. He was a member of the church of Christ at Beechgrove where he had served as an Elder. He was a member of the Stones River Sons of the American Revolution Chapter. Mr. Mason served in the U.S. Air Corps during WW II. He was an honorary member of the University of Tennessee Extension Homemakers. Mr. Mason was a Charter Member of the First Families of Tennessee as a direct descendant of Mathias Hoover who settled Hoovers Gap in 1796. He was also a member of the American Legion Post 0088 at Donelson.
Mr. Mason is survived by his wife of 73 years, Emma Doris Manley Mason; daughter, Nancy (Dewayne) Trail; brother, Sewell Johnson (Mary Patricia) Mason; sister, Eleanor (Kenneth) Moore; grandchildren, John Ashley (Stacey Swack) Trail, and Emily (Raymond) Daniel, Jr.; great-grandchild, Mason Cooper Trail; step-great grandchild, Dathan Swack; several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM Tuesday, August 27, 2019 at Woodfin Memorial Chapel. Funeral service will be held at 1:00 PM Wednesday, August 28, 2019 at Woodfin Memorial Chapel with Bro. Charles Williams and Bro. Darrell Blankenship officiating. Interment will follow in the New Beechgrove Cemetery with John Ashley Trail, Raymond Daniel, Jr., James Fletcher, Doyle Trail, Mike England, Eddie Glaus, Paul Fischer, Mason Cooper Trail, and Dathan Swack serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be; J. Franklin Hollis, James Walker, Jimmy Wright, Cliff Ashley III, Jimmy Bush, Stephen Fischer, Donnie Murray, Richard Brown, Terry Spence, and men of the church of Christ at Beechgrove.
The family wishes to express special thanks to Mr. Mason’s caregivers and Alive Hospice for many acts of kindness and love. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Heart Association or Parkview Meadows Assisted Living Library, 240 E. MTCS Rd. Murfreesboro, TN. 37129.
An online guestbook for the Mason family is available at www.woodfinchapel.com.
