Perry Mason

Perry Mason Jr, 85, of Topping Virginia died on Aug. 14, 2014 of cancer. Perry was born to Ruth and Perry Sr. on December 18, 1928 in Washington DC. He graduated from Petersburg High School and entered the Army Air Corps. On discharge, he attended Virginia Tech, graduating in 1954 with a degree in Electrical Engineering. He married his wife, Joan Armer, on June 3, 1956. His first job after college was with General Electric where he worked for 16 years. In 1970, he joined NASA at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland from which he retired in 1989 after 19 years of government service. His retirement years were spent in Topping, Virginia where he enjoyed his hobbies of gardening, fishing, and model building. He also was active in the Lower United Methodist Church of Hartfield, Virginia and Hands Across Middlesex where he built ramps for wheelchair bound residents. He is pre-deceased by his parents, his brother Fred, his niece Sherry, and granddaughter Bethany. He is survived by his wife Joan and three sons: Dave, wife Loni, and son Matt of Ohio; Dan, wife Lisa, daughter Rebecca, and son Ben of Virginia; and Peter, wife Lisa, daughter Casey, and son Robert of Maryland. He has a niece Missy, nephews Bud and Perry Scott, and three great nieces and nephews. A visitation is planned for Saturday August 23, 2014 at the Bristow-Faulkner Funeral Home in Saluda, Virginia from 3 to 7 p.m. A celebration of his life will be held at the Lower United Methodist Church in Hartsfield, Virginia on Sunday, August 24 at 2 p.m. with a reception to follow in the hall at the church. Many thanks go out to the people of the Lower United Methodist Church for their prayers and support through this time, especially Pastor Barry Burkholder and the women of the church for providing the reception. Also, the caring and concern of all those that work at Gloucester House assisted living is much appreciated.

In lieu of flowers, it is suggested that contributions be made to the Lower United Methodist Church at P.O. Box 98, Hartfield, VA 23071 for the cemetery fund or the church’s scholarship fund with the designation on the check.