Earl James Mason, Jr., MD, PhD

EARL JAMES MASON, Jr., PH.D., M.D. OGDEN DUNES, IN Earl James Mason Jr., Ph.D., M.D., age 88, of Ogden Dunes, IN and Palm Springs, CA passed away on November 2, 2011 at Regency Hospital from complications following heart surgery. He is survived by his loving wife of 44 years, Eileen “Penny” (nee Gursansky); beloved children, daughter, Jane (Richard) Adamson of Temple Terrace, FL and son, Warren Mason of Brandon, Fl; four cherished grandchildren: Scott Adamson of NYC, Kathryn Adamson of Denver, CO, Grace Adamson of Wash., DC and Justin (Jessica) Mason of Cleveland, OH,; dearly loved mother-in-law, Irene Gursansky (La Jolla, CA) and brothers-in-law Gilbert Gursansky (Boise, ID) and Frank Gursansky (San Diego, CA) He was preceded in death by his father, Earl Sr., mother, Grace (Leer), brother, Richard L. Mason, M.D. and sister-in-law, Ruth Mason of Hammond, IN. Visitation will be held on Saturday, November 12, 2011 from 2:00- 6:00 PM at Burns Funeral Home, 701 E. 7TH St., Hobart, IN with a Memorial Service at 6:00 PM. Rev. Mark Atkinson officiating. Earl was born on August 26, 1923 in Marion, IN. After two undergraduate degrees at Indiana University in 1944 and 1946, (AB and BS) Dr. Mason obtained a MA degree in Microbiology with a minor in Chemistry in 1947. A Ph.D. degree in Microbiology, specializing in medical microbiology and immunology, was awarded from Ohio State University in 1950. Dr. Mason then attended Western Reserve University, School of Medicine and graduated in 1954. During his college years, Dr. Mason held various posts in teaching and in research and published scientific articles, mainly regarding the interaction between viruses and cancer cells. He was also a Crile Research Scholar at Western Reserve from 1951-1954. After graduation, for two years Dr. Mason continued in research as a Damon Runyon Cancer Fellow at the Institute of Pathology of Western Reserve and also began residency training in pathology. He reentered government service as a Senior Assistant Surgeon in the Public Health Service at their San Francisco Hospital as Deputy Chief, Pathology Service, at that hospital. Two years later he transferred to the University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute, Houston, where he finished formal training as an anatomic pathologist in 1959. Dr. Mason then took a position as Assistant Professor of Pathology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Following almost two years of teaching and research in the virus-cancer cell field, he moved to Michael Reese Hospital, Chicago, for a year as an Assistant pathologist under the late Dr. Otto Saphir. There he gathered extensive experience in surgical pathology and supervision of residency training in their department at Michael Reese. Next, Dr. Mason took a position as Associate Director of Laboratories at Mercy Hospital, Chicago, in 1961. There, along with Dr. George Changus, one of the \"legends\" of Chicago pathologists, Dr. Mason participated in an all-around hospital pathology service which included nuclear medicine and extensive clinical pathology. He continued teaching and limited research and was also appointed as Chairman of the Department of Biological Science at Mercy Hospital. He became Director of Laboratories and Nuclear Medicine at St. Mary Mercy Hospital (now St. Mary Medical Center, Hobart, IN), July, 1965. As a solo pathologist in that institution for almost one and a half, years, Dr. Mason began enlarging the laboratory and adding additional programs to make it one of the premier laboratories in this area. It was among the first laboratories to be accredited by the College of American Pathologists (l966). An Associate Pathologist was added in 1967 and a full Staff of four Associate Pathologists and three Ph.D. clinical scientists were finally obtained in the 70\'s as the hospital opened an extension in Hobart. The consolidated laboratory expanded to a complement of 175 employees. A residency program for pathologists was begun in 1968 and 15 pathologists were trained and certified in anatomic and clinical pathology until its close in 1983. An A.S.C.P. School of Medical Technology was also formed in 1967. There have been approximately 160 certified medical technologists graduated from the school. In addition to serving St. Mary, these graduates have disseminated to area hospitals in which some have assumed important leadership roles. In addition to serving as Clinical Associate Professor of Pathology at Chicago Medical School from 1965 until 1983, Dr. Mason was a Clinical Professor of Pathology at Indiana University School of Medicine, Northwest. His lectures cover the topics of immunology and autoimmune diseases, endocrine pathology and dermatopathology. Consistent with high continuing education standards within the department, Dr. Mason added board certification in the specialty of Dermatopathology to his credentials in 1977. Dr. Mason became familiar with nuclear medicine in its early years and organized this specialty as a separate department at St. Mary Medical Center in 1972. He became board certified in Nuclear Medicine in 1976 and continued to advance both his interest and qualifications for the clinical use of radioisotopes by obtaining additional board certification in Radioisotopic Pathology. Also, approximately 35 scientific articles, principally in the fields of clinical chemistry, microbiology and pathology were published by members of the clinical laboratory under his direction. Membership in Professional Societies College of American Pathologists American Society of Clinical Pathologists (Fellow) American Association of Pathologists (Fellow) American Association for Cancer Research American Society of Hematology American Society of Cytology International Academy of Cytology American Academy of Dermatopathology (Fellow) American Academy of Dermatology (Associate) Society of Nuclear Medicine American College of Nuclear Physicians Sigma Xi (Western Reserve Chapter) American Medical Association Dr. Mason was well-known for his lifelong love of jazz music and played his trumpet daily. He was an enthusiastic member of a jazz group known as “The Gashouse Gang” first organized by Bob Gasser, President of then Gainer Bank. Their free concerts were enjoyed at many nursing homes and community events throughout the years. He also enjoyed playing bridge and had great fondness for his loyal Bichon, Jazzy. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made in Earl’s memory to: Valparaiso University Dept. of Music – Jazz Studies. Attn: Jeffrey C. Brown 1709 Chapel Drive Valparaiso, IN 46383 Friends and family may share an online condolence or memory at: www.burnsfuneral.com

Earl James Mason, Jr., MD, PhD

August 26, 1923 - November 2, 2011