I've just heard that Bert Mason, Jr. passed away. Those of you who knew or knew of Bert will understand what a loss this is for the surveying profession. I've had the distinct pleasure of speaking to Bert on a personal level at a couple of PLSO conferences over the years and appreciate every moment I had with him. We could all learn from him.
I don't have any details about his passing at this moment, but will provide them as soon as I have them.
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Mr. Mason had already been retired for quite some time when I arrived in Portland in the mid 90's but he was still well known. No matter where you were surveying, especially on the east side, Mr. Mason had probably been there first. One of his latest surveys can be seen here.
Sorry to hear that, he will be missed.
I believe that Bert was essentially the "Father" of the Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon (PLSO) at least that is what I considered him to be and he was right up there as one of the oldest living surveyors in Oregon.
I had the pleasure of serving on the board of PLSO when Bert was still the Executive Secretary. I believe it was at last years convention that I spoke with him, he didn't recognize me at first due to his failing eyesight, but after I told him who I was we had a pleasant few minutes of conversation.
SHG
Huge shoes to fill.:-( His body of work is so extensive and his work is a blessing to retrace. If he was there, it was done right and thankfully he would file a survey even when it wasn't required.
What a guy. What a life! Our state society’s news letter had a long running series by him titled “The life and times of Bert Mason”. That’s where I got to know Bert. He was a fantastic writer and his stories were filled with insight, humor and an attention to detail that boggled the mind… he’d remember the most miniscule details about, say, an obscure piece of complicated photogrammetry equipment he used in the 1940s, and weave an informative story around it in a hilarious, self deprecating style.
Rest in peace Bert, you’ve left an amazing legacy in this state that will outlive all of us…
> Mr. Mason had already been retired for quite some time when I arrived in Portland in the mid 90's but he was still well known. No matter where you were surveying, especially on the east side, Mr. Mason had probably been there first. One of his latest surveys can be seen here.
your link seems to be broke.
Of course a Duck in Oklahoma is somewhat out of place.:-P
Bert’s writings – Elbow Lake (WA) 1948
This is a great example of one of Bert’s stories. If the link below works, page to PDF page 30 where the story begins:
Elbow Lake - 1948
Excerpt – character study of the party chief on the Elbow Lake job:
>Charlie Reynolds was a remarkable man; he could outwork, twice over, any of the rest of us who were several years his juniors. A rather rotund fellow with an open, friendly countenance and unbounded enthusiasm for the woods and work therein, he was a graduate of the New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse.
>He was a talented artist with paints and pencil who loved to dance and sing the nights away with liberal accompaniment of ardent spirits. Awake or asleep, he was never without his curved briar pipe. When excited, he tended to exhale through the stem, sending a volcanic explosion of ashes and burning tobacco over drawings, notes, and people—anything, which stood in the way.
>He had a unique ability to dance and sing until 3 am, get up and catch breakfast at 6 am, jump on the crummy at 7 am, work like a whirling dervish until noon, wolf a quick lunch and lie down on a convenient log in the sun, pipe in mouth, and drop off to sleep until someone woke him to go back to work. He would then resume his furious assault on the job until quitting time, catch the crummy back to catch a shower and shave and race to the tavern in Hamilton or Lyman for another night on the town.
I knew Bert for many years while he was the Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon Executive Secretary and after he retired from that position. Unfortunately, distance limited my contact with him.
When he was younger, Bert was a avid pilot and he and his wife, Ellen, frequently flew their Piper TriPacer from Mulino, Oregon up to a cabin on Center Island in the San Juan Islands, Washington. He related that much of the materials for the cabin made the flights with him.
Bert's wife died a few years ago.
Bert was truly an asset to the profession and will be missed.
Don Quixote, The Patron of "Never Give Up". Interesting Avatar.
It seems the last few years have been hard on the MENTORS in our profession.
May all their foresights be in the clear, the "Footsteps" easy to find and the monuments undisturbed.
🙂
One of Mr. Mason's latest surveys...
