Timothy Willis Mason

Timothy “Tim” Willis Mason, 73, of Harkers Island, passed away Friday, December 23, 2022, at Duke University Hospital.

His funeral service will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, December 31st, at Harkers Island Methodist Church, officiated by Pastor Lee Pittard. Interment will follow at Vergie Mae Cemetery in Harkers Island. The family will receive friends from 12:30 p.m. until 2 p.m., Saturday, December 31st, at Harkers Island Methodist Church. For those unable to attend, the service can be viewed through his obituary page on Munden Funeral Home’s website. The service will remain on the Funeral Home website for 90 days. (See the link below for the Service Bulletin.)

Timothy “Tim” Willis Mason, was born on January 27, 1949, in Carteret County, to the late Rodman “Guion” and Hilda Mason. Tim grew up in Williston with his older brother Phillip. He lost his father at the young age of 8 years old. His mother raised her two boys on her own with strength and love that formed a strong bond between them.

Tim graduated from East Carteret High School in 1967 and attended Carteret Technical College for two years, where he graduated with an associate degree in business. He worked in the apprentice program through Cherry Point, NADEP and retired after 35 years. After retirement, he worked with Walmart where he enjoyed talking with and helping people.

Tim always loved music. In his young adult years, he played guitar with a local band called “The Judge”. They enjoyed playing wherever they could, like the “Big Surf” on Atlantic Beach. Some of his favorite bands included the Beatles, the Eagles, and Christian music. He continued to play guitar and sang with the First Friday Fellowship Praise Team of Harkers Island Methodist Church for over 13 years.

Tim and Patricia met on a blind date. They were set up by her sister Karen and brother-in-law Thomas. They fell in love and were married on July 24, 1971. Nine years later, God blessed them with a son, Christopher. Tim never smoked but was so excited about his son's birth that he passed out celebratory cigars at his Cherry Point workplace. He was a proud father.

He and Patricia took Christopher, at 8 months old, to a Red Sox game in Boston. Tim and Christopher enjoyed many of the same interests, such as museums, teams like the Carolina Hurricanes, and their love of astronomy and space. In 2017 they took a special family trip to Florida with Christopher and his daughter Harper. They all had a week of adventure at Disney and seeing a SpaceX launch at Cape Canaveral. On the way home, they stopped in South Carolina, at a place Tim found, to see a total eclipse. Tim loved planning trips and travel and enjoyed living life to the fullest. Tim did his best to never miss a SpaceX launch and had no better view than at the end of Shell Point.

Tim was fun loving, witty, and never met a stranger. He loved going to Shackleford in his boat, swimming, and clamming. He was an avid photographer and had a great love of animals. He had many dogs over the years, but “Buster” was his best and most beloved canine companion.

Tim was an active part of his community. Over the years, he was both a member and president of the Beaufort Jaycees. He was president of the PTO at Harkers Island Elementary and Boy Scout Leader for troop 497. Tim was a devoted member of Harkers Island Methodist Church and served as an Adult Sunday School teacher. He worked with the youth and enjoyed many adult and youth church trips.

In his spare time, Tim worked as an International Exchange Coordinator with (EF) Education First, a student exchange program. He placed over 100 students in high schools throughout Carteret and other counties. Four students that stayed at his home were Pia Huuhka of Finland, Maria Kyllonen of Finland, Dr. Nora Schaub of Switzerland, and Emilie Danielsen of Denmark. Tim also had a close friendship with a visiting exchange student from Finland, Elise Liikala.

He will be deeply missed by friends and family, especially as a loving husband to Patricia for over 51 years, father to Christopher, and grandfather to Harper and Miles.

Those left to cherish his memory are his loving wife, Patricia Salter Mason of the home; son, Christopher Rodman Mason (Katherine Hansen Kalinowski) of Durham, NC; brother, Phillip R. Mason (Carol) of Williston; sister-in-law, Karen Taylor (Thomas) of Harkers Island; father-in-law, Houston E. Salter of Harkers Island; grandchildren, Harper Louise Mason, Miles Anthony Eastep Fletcher; nieces, Melanie Nelson (Victor), Alicia Taylor; nephews, Kevin R. Mason, Kevin Taylor; and great niece, Kristen Bailey (Dykeman), and their children Victoria and Caroline. He was preceded in death by his parents and mother-in-law, Muriel Salter.

As an expression of sympathy, flowers are welcome or donations may be made to Carteret County Humane Society, Post Office Box 357, Newport, N.C. 28570.

Family and friends are welcome to submit online condolences at www.mundenfuneralhome.net

Arrangements by Munden Funeral Home & Crematory in Morehead City, NC.