Charles R. Mason

VICTORIA -- Col. Charles Rex Mason, age 78, passed away on Friday, November 15, after an extended illness. He was born on July 10, 1935, in Crawfordsville, Indiana, son of the late Charles and Nellie Grace Mason.

Rex attended New Market, Indiana schools, graduating in 1953, Wabash College in his hometown, as well as attaining his degree in Political Science from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Rex married Harriet Gates in 1963, who already had a delightful daughter of five years old, Kathy. Rex had two sons, Larry and Steve, from a previous marriage, with whom he was able to keep a close relationship.

After serving in the Indiana National Guard in Crawfordsville, Rex joined the Air Force in 1955 and attended Cadet School in 1956 in Harlingen, TX. There, Rex formed life-long friendships with several of his fellow airmen. After bombardment school, Rex was assigned his first duty as navigator on B-47s at Dyess AFB in Abilene, where his two sons were born. Rex competed in three annual SAC Navigation competitions, winning one, while at Dyess, and was placed on alert during the Lebanon crisis of 1958.

In 1962, Rex transferred to Carswell AFB, in Fort Worth, where he met and married his lovely wife of 50 years, Harriet. He served on B-52s for seven years, including being the first crew from Carswell to launch during the Cuban Missile Crisis. In June, 1965, Rex was part of the first B-52 bombing mission over Vietnam. In total, he flew 28 bombing sorties during the Vietnam War. He eventually logged over 4,000 hours in jet bombers.

In 1968, he transferred to Offutt AFB, SAC Headquarters, in Omaha, Nebraska, working in Operational Testing and Evaluation of B-52s. He was assigned a one-year tour in Saigon in 1972, where he assisted in overseeing bombing missions.

Rex retired from active Air Force duty out of Griffiss AFB in Rome, NY, in 1979, after an illustrious 24 year service. During his service, Rex earned awards for National Defense Service, Vietnam Service, Vietnam Campaign, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service, Joint Service Commendation, Air Force Commendation, Air Force Outstanding Unit, Combat Readiness, Good Conduct, Armed Forces Expeditionary, Air Force Longevity Service, and Small Arms Expert Marksmanship,

Rex and Harriet then moved to Branson, Missouri, where Rex opened an appliance repair business, which he successfully operated for over 10 years. In 1988, Rex accompanied his sister-in-law, Areta and her husband Chuck, on a sailing expedition through the Caribbean. Rex used his masterful navigational skills to deliver them safely to the Bahamas.

Rex and Harriet moved to Kerrville in 1992, where Rex provided assistance to many people as a tax preparer. In 1995, Rex survived an abdominal aneurysm of his aorta, with the accompanying medical complications. After a short stint in Rockport, Rex and Harriet settled in Victoria in 2009, until his death. Rex also successfully fought off a bout of cancer in 2010.

While retired, Rex spent a large amount of his time keeping up with his fellow airmen, setting up reunions, and working with the American Legion.

A graveside service will be held at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, at 11:30 am, Monday, November 25. A reception for friends and family will be afterwards at the Golf Club at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio.

Survivors include his wife, Harriet; sons, Larry and wife, Kelli, of Denton, Steve and wife, Pam, of Denton; daughter, Kathy Hijazi and husband, Mahmoud of Houston; grandsons, Weldon and wife, Anna, Ty and wife, Ashley, Rusty, Fred, and Zach; granddaughter, Heather; great-grandson, Weldon Lee; great-granddaughter, Emiley, and brother, Louis of Crawfordsville, IN. Preceded in death by great-granddaughters, Kloe and Paisley Mason.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/

Words of comfort may be shared with the family at www.rosewoodfuneralchapel.com.