Barbara Ann (Hansen) Mason, of Millinocket, passed away suddenly on Dec. 11, 2023 at home shortly after asking that the birdfeeders be filled first, with the next order of business being what she herself would like for dinner that evening. All who knew her throughout her life can smile and know simply that this was her most fitting end to a most extraordinary, spirited, and caring life.
Barbara was born on Sept. 5, 1927 in Westfield, Mass., to Charles and Anna Hansen of Granville, Mass. She is survived by her sister, Cecelia Marshall, of Simsbury, Conn.; a daughter, Sally (Sarah) and her husband, Lawrence Toye, of Burlington, Mass; a son, Mark Mason and partner, Jocelyne Deraspe, of Falmouth; another son, Christopher Mason, of Malden, Mass.; her granddaughter, Bethany and husband, Keith O’Regan, and their sons, Keon, Cole, and Kaden, of Burlington, Mass; and three grandsons, Cody Mason, of Portland, Hansen Mason, of Brunswick, and Tucker Mason, also of Brunswick. Barbara was predeceased by Dr. Peter H. Mason, her devoted husband of 65 years.
Barbara earned her R.N. degree at Cooley-Dickinson Hospital in Northampton, Mass. where she met her future husband, Peter. From there, Barbara and Peter moved to Boston where she worked at Massachusetts General Hospital as head nurse in the urology unit. After brief moves to Seneca Falls, N.Y. and Stoughton, Mass., the growing family moved ultimately to Millinocket upon completion of the new Millinocket Community Hospital where Peter would establish his decades-long surgical practice.
Millinocket was the perfect small town for Barbara and Peter to raise a family and enjoy the richly varied offerings of the four New England seasons. Barbara soon became an avid and very proficient birdwatcher and frequently took family fishing trips to Baxter State Park and other nearby sporting camps. The warm summer months meant staying at camp on North Twin Lake where she enjoyed swimming and waterskiing (she kept at both into her 70s!). Fall seasons were spent bird hunting with the family Brittany spaniels and Gordon setters at Codfish Ridge. With the winter snows came cross-country and alpine skiing – she was better at both than Peter (but never bragged). Year-round, Barbara was always involved with and held officer positions on community betterment organizations including literary club, garden club, and the Millinocket Memorial Library. Vacation trips to Norway, Alaska, Russia, and Great Britain added to her worldly interests and ever-evolving fascinations. At home, she enjoyed a lifetime of reading, was an excellent cook, studied family genealogy, loved singing and playing piano and organ, and she just had to watch “Jeopardy.”
The family wishes to thank the many wonderful friends, caretakers, and people of the surrounding community for their outpouring of support, foods and gifts, their kind words, and expressing their recollections of many happy moments and shared memories of our beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother who will always stay in our hearts.
A celebration of Barbara’s life will be held on Saturday, May 4 at St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Millinocket at 10 a.m., followed by a graveside tribute and then a luncheon back at the church.
