Obituary of Johanna Mason
Mrs. Johanna "Hanna" Margarethe Mason, 87, of Spring Branch, TX, formerly of Delhi, NY, passed away early Friday morning, January 30, 2015, at Methodist Stone Oak Hospital in San Antonio, TX, due to a stroke.
Born on September 8, 1927, in Scharmbeck, Germany, she was the daughter of the late Johann Eberhard Schmalz and Marie Karoline Schmalz (geb. Moormann).
Hanna was married to Calvin Leo Mason, known to his friends as Leo, whom she met in Germany in 1945 while he was serving with the Service Company of the 175th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division. The couple was married in Delhi, NY, on May 17, 1947. Leo passed away December 25, 1997, approximately six months after he and Hanna celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
Hanna was employed for over 21 years at Delaware Academy elementary school in Delhi as a Teacher's Aide. She was also a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Delhi for over 60 years. Hanna maintained an adventurous spirit well into old age, and even traveled to India in the last decade of her life, where she rode an elephant to the Amber Fort in Jaipur, and subsequently toured Mahabalipuram and Pondicherry. Hanna Mason was also the first member of her family to emigrate from Germany, sailing from the port of Bremerhaven to forge a better life in America. Through the efforts of Hanna and her husband, Leo, three of Hanna's five siblings would subsequently immigrate to America and become U.S. citizens.
Hanna is survived by her four children, a son-in-law, and two daughters-in-law: Maria and Paul Phillips of Spring Branch, TX, Christina "Tina" Mason of Auburn, NY, Robert and Lynda Mason of Spring Branch, TX, and Tyler and Mercedes Mason of Bucharest, Romania; six grandchildren, Kristen Wade, and Marissa, Mia, Haylee, Ethan, and Hannah Mason; as well as six great-grandchildren, Mason, Mackenzie, Cody, Cameron, Meredith, and Clayton Wade; and four of her five siblings, brother Karl-Gerhard Schmalz of Ritterhude, Germany, sister Thea Koch of Osterholz-Scharmbeck, Germany, brother Heinz Schmalz of Clinton, NY, and sister Marianne Rabeler of Moravia, NY. Hanna's brother, Erwin Schmalz of San Antonio, TX, predeceased her.
Graveside funeral services will be held at West Delhi Cemetery at the convenience of the family.
Contributions in Hanna's memory can be made to the Immanuel Lutheran Church, 565 Andes Road, Delhi, NY 13753. Isaiah 46:4 (NIV). John 11:25-26 (NIV). Romans 15:13 (NIV).
Graveside funeral services will be held at 2PM on Saturday, June 20th at the West Delhi Cemetery, Sutherland Rd., Delhi (off County Highway 16 behind the West Delhi Church)
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Hall & Peet Funeral Home of Delhi.
Please visit Mrs. Mason's online memorial at www.hallandpeet.com to share condolences with her family.
Attached is a Tribute from Hanna's Granddaughter, Kristen:
When I woke up on Thursday morning, January 29, 2015, I had no idea that just a few short hours later in the wee hours of Friday morning I was going to be standing by my Omi's bedside as she took her very last breath on this earth. My Omi, Hanna Mason, was a woman to be reckoned with, a woman who didn't take no for an answer, a woman that did things the right way with pride and who could do anything she put her mind to on her own. She was stronger than nails and had a personality that was bigger than life and certainly much bigger than her less than 5 foot frame. You only had to meet her once and you would never forget her, "though she be little, she be fierce." I spent every single summer with her in upstate New York during my childhood and into my teenage years with her and my grandpa in the house my father was raised in. She taught me so many things that at the time I may not have completely understood the importance of, however I see how she helped shape me into the person I am today and I am so grateful to her for her many life lessons and strong convictions.
She taught me saying thank you is immensely important, in fact don't just say thank you, write it to make sure the person gets the point and knows you appreciate them. I learned there is absolute honor in simplicity. My grandparents lived in a modest house, and it was spotless. I would have had no problem eating a four course meal right off the floor. Though, they had a big huge amazing love story beginning right smack dab in the middle of World War II as my grandpa was fighting in the U.S Army right near Omi's hometown. Her silly little brothers were stealing food off his military supply truck because there family was starving, and being the super friendly guy my grandpa was, he befriend them and they took him home to meet their incredibly beautiful older sister. Even though she was no taller than a minute, her crystal blue eyes, raven hair, snow white skin and her naturally incredible bee stung lips before gel lip injections mind you, captivated one Calvin Leo Mason. Even with the language barrier, it of course was love at first sight which was of course the start of Hanna Schmalz, becoming Mrs. Mason and many years later becoming Omi. After two years from this first meeting by chance, he brought her to America to be his wife and he sponsored her youngest sister and those two silly little brothers to come to this country to have new beginnings as well. Omi, came to this country not speaking a word of English during a time when their just was not much understanding and empathy for people who couldn't speak the language of this country. She didn't complain or ask for government assistance to help her with her plight, if she was scared, you never would have known it. She just put her nose to the grind stone and learned to speak complete English, write it and in cursive as well, all on her very own.
Though she and my grandfather had a big beginning, they lived simply in the same house for over 50 years, raised four children and never deviated from their love for each other during their 50 year marriage in times of struggle and bliss. They grew almost all of their own vegetables, always helped their neighbors, worked many jobs to support themselves and their children and loved their family very much. She taught me to have pride in myself no matter what others might think. She always looked very presentable with her big summer sunglasses, beautiful fuchsia lipstick, perfectly matched outfits and amazing skin. She had beautiful skin cause she took care of it, and rubbed her "grease" (said in a very heavy German accent), also known as Nivea crème, on her face every single night before bed. She made me feel important and confident, as she always seemed so excited for my visits every summer and especially our every summer night before bed marathon gossip sessions, girl talk as my grandpa called them, where she would ask me all about my life and I would beg her to tell me what it was like to grow up in a family of six kids in Germany. She taught me that it is very important to gain an understanding of where I came from to understand where I may be going in the future.
Though it was incredibly heart wrenching, uncomfortable and impossibly painful to watch her pass away on Friday, I would not have been anywhere else on this earth at that exact moment than right there with her. She knew who I was from birth, she sang me to sleep when I was infant, watched me grow up, graduate from college, get married, create my own family, held my babies, and she taught my husband to make her incredible authentic German potato salad and fresh cucumber salad. I know she was one special person on this earth that loved me for sure and that fact will never be lost upon me. I am so grateful my children got to meet her, understand her bigger than life personality, share holidays with her and get more than a few of her amazing hugs. She was a gift in a very dynamic package. However, sad it is not to have her here on earth with all of us, I am truly happy that she has been reunited in heaven with the love of her life after almost 17 years of being here without him.
