SSS member Charles Levingston Mason, Jr., 84 of Madison, died September 3, 2015. Charlie to his friends and family, was a father, husband, grandfather, civic leader, farmer, and a fighter pilot in the Unites States Air Force. Other than his family, there was nothing he loved more than flying. He was born in Madison on March 31, 1931. He attended Madison City Schools and graduated from Madison High School in 1948. He matriculated at Clemson University in 1948 and graduated in 1952 with a degree in Agricultural Engineering and was commissioned into the USAF. He trained as a fighter pilot and earned the apt moniker Charlie Brown. During his service he travelled the world and was stationed in Indiana, Korea, Louisiana, Turkey, Germany, Texas, and England. It was while serving in Alexandria, LA, that he met his future wife, Janet Clay of Baton Rouge, LA, who was no doubt impressed when he would fly low over the LSU campus to let her know he was back from an assignment. They were married on December 30, 1961 and promptly moved to Ankara, Turkey, where they began their family. After 15 years of service,
Charlie returned to Madison where he joined his father running the Mason family agricultural businesses. After retiring from the family business he returned to his first love of flying full time. He was an involved member of the community and served on the Morgan County Board of Commissioners and eventually served as Chairman. Additionally, he served as Chair of the Madison-Morgan Memorial Hospital Authority. He was a member of the Church of the Advent where he was a member of the Vestry for several terms, including one as Senior Warden. Post retirement he enjoyed travelling, his longtime friends, his family, and being Poppy to all of his grandchildren. He had a generous, kind heart and was loved by many. His is survived by his wife, Janet and a brother Robert Edward Mason, 4 children, Charles III, and Wendy Mason, Clay and Lisa Mason, Tina and Tom Seetoo, and Sara Mason and Mike Reynolds and 8 grandchildren, Morgan Mason, Rachel Mason, Molly Mason, Bryan Mason, Henry Seetoo, James Mason, Ella Seetoo, and Arlo Reynolds.