Helen Joyce Mason (Wymore), 83, passed peacefully, surrounded by family, on April 2, 2017 in Arcata.

She was born July 23, 1934 in Holgen Valley to Elizabeth and Ivan Wymore. She was the oldest of three daughters. The family managed ranch lands and moved throughout the rural parts of Humboldt County before settling on the Parton Ranch in Blue Lake. Growing up, Helen spent many hours ranching with her father. She loved to ride horses, gather cattle and help with all ranch work. Helen also enjoyed cooking with her mother and playing outdoors with her sisters, Doris and Alice.

During a picnic at her family’s property, she was introduced to Jack Mason by her Aunt Mable Knudsen. They became great friends and attended Arcata High School together. The friendship blossomed into more and the two were married September 14, 1952, when they were only 18 years old. As a wedding gift, Jack’s father gave the couple a Willy’s Ariel Lark coupe. Neither one of them had ever had a car before and they both had fond memories of road trips in that new car. They could get to Newport, Oregon on one tank of gas, which to this day they find remarkable.

They settled in Fieldbrook and started a family of their own. Their oldest child, Donna, was born in August of 1953, followed by Diane in 1955, Jackie in 1956 and John in 1960. Helen was very involved in the community of Fieldbrook, where she was a member of the PTA, Volunteer Fire Department, the Grange and Women’s Club. Some of her favorite memories of that time were the “come as you are” breakfasts that were hosted by various Fieldbrook families.

In January of 1963, the family moved to the Arcata Bottoms, where they began the Mason Dairy with a herd of 24 cows and 10 yearlings. In those early years, Helen milked the cows at night while Jack continued to work at the mill. During the day she had a mail delivery route. Helen became involved in Pacific Union School activities as well as Arcata Bottom 4-H Club, where she was a group leader and her children members. Helen enjoyed leading the 4-H kids in cooking and poultry. She loved taking the kids with their projects to the Humboldt County fairs, spending the week camping and showing the animals. She remained heavily involved in the 4-H Club up until her death. Her great-grandchildren are still members.

Helen began a new career of school bus driving in 1967 at Pacific Union School, where she drove the West End Road route for 35 years. She had many fond memories of the families and the children that she drove. She remained great friends with her co-workers, who she saw regularly for lunches.

Upon retirement she enjoyed being involved in the lives of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She especially loved attending all of their sporting events. Other hobbies included HSU men’s basketball games, yard sale adventures and selling Avon, Watkins and Tupperware. She was also an active member of Native Daughters, where she was the parlor 325 President from 2000-2001. Another fun group that she was involved with was the Red Hat Society, where she attended the weekly luncheons. Helen and Jack spent a lot of time gardening and preserving their crops.

She was a very nurturing woman who not only cared for her own family but adopted many others along the way. She leaves behind a long list of friends who she treated as family and loved just as dearly.

Helen is survived by her husband of 64 years, Jack Mason; children Donna and Delbert Corning, Diane Della, Jackie and Dick Schirmann and John and Karin Mason; grandchildren Brian and Cindy Corning, Devon Johnson, Krissy and Joe Mora, Dustin and Tracy Della, Justin and Ashley Mason, Emily and Dane Valadao, and Jeffery Mason; great-grandchildren Coltyn, Kady and Gage Corning, Case, Skylar, and Drew Johnson, Isabella, Mackenzie, and Oriana Mora, CJ and Cooper Fish, Brayden Della, and Jack Valadao; and sisters Doris Kempf and Alice Enos Pace.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ivan and Elizabeth Wymore, her mother and father-in-law Bertha and Warren Mason, her brother-in-law Don Kempf and her nephew Dean Kempf.

A party for Helen will be held Sunday, April 9, 2017, at the Portuguese Hall in Arcata at 11 a.m. Please join us for food, family and friends. We ask that everyone wear their favorite ball cap in Helen’s honor.

###

The obituary above was submitted by Helen Mason’s family. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.