John Mason

John Mason, 83 of Sidney, died Tuesday, July 29, 2014 at St. Anthony's Hospital in Lakewood, Colorado.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, August 5, 2014 in the First United Methodist Church in Sidney with the Rev. Thomas Hyde officiating. Burial with military rites will follow in the Greenwood Cemetery.

Friends may call from 1 to 7 p.m. Monday at the Holechek Funeral Home with the family present from 4 p.m. To 6 p.m.

In lieu of flowers memorials have been established to the First United Methodist Church or the Lodgepole Valley Shrine Club.

You can view the online obituary and share condolences with the family at http://www.holechekfuneralhomes.com

John was born June 20, 1931 in Ord, Neb., the son of Ben and Esther (Paine) Mason. He grew up on the family farm near Arcadia, Neb. and later moved into town and graduated from Arcadia High School in 1950. He married his beautiful wife Carol Adams in 1954 in Arcadia and have three children who grew up in Sidney. He graduated from Nebraska State College at Kearney in 1956. He served in the U.S. Army from 1953 to 1955 during the Korean conflict. John also attended the University of Wyoming. He taught school at Lodgepole Public Schools for 5 years before he changed careers went into insurance sales.

He started his insurance career in 1958 with Ohio National Life Insurance. He earned his CLU and ChFC designations. For 50 years John was dedicated to his many clients and during his career earned numerous Ohio National awards and accolades including the Council of Honor Convention, 9 Wall of Fame Memberships, 6 Chairman/President's cup qualifications and 15 additional Council Honor qualifications. He is also a 23 year National Quality Award qualifier.

John was a member of the Cheyenne County Chamber of Commerce and served as president of the Sidney Industrial Development Committee for many years. He served on the Sidney Economic Development Committee. John has served on the UNL Board of Directors at Kearney, and was a commissioner on the Nebraska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission for several years. He is a 50-year member of the Lodgepole Valley Shrine Club and participates in the Tri-Wheels organization in the Panhandle. He was a life-long member of the First United Methodist Church.

John was an avid fisherman, enjoying several trips to Alaska and Canada and spent many hours at his local fishing hole, Lake McConaughy. John also enjoyed spending time hunting, golfing, gardening, farming and cheering on the Huskers, no matter the sport. He was a wonderful brother, father, uncle and grandfather. John and Carol had just celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.

He was always ready with a good old story and told them well. He is remembered as always happy and smiling. Since retirement, John has found a very special place in many hearts in a local "coffee club"

Survivors include his wife Carol of Sidney; his children: Mike Mason of Sidney, Kim (Gary) Baker of Omaha and Mark (Denise Salter) Mason of Aurora, Colo .; grandchildren: Brianna, Nathan and Rachael Baker; his sisters: Mary Saum of Hamilton, MT and Barbara John of Grand Island.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one sister, Virginia Flower.

Holechek Funeral Home and Cremations in Sidney is serving the Mason family.