Los Angeles
County
Biographies
CHARLES E. MASON, M. D.
Dr.
Charles E. Mason is a prominent member of the medical profession in the San
Gabriel Valley. He was the Chief of
Staff of Alhambra Hospital in 1950, and is on the staff of St. Luke’s Hospital
and the Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, the Community Hospital of San
Gabriel and the Methodist Hospital in Arcadia.
Dr. Mason maintains offices at 202 East Las Tunas Drive in San Gabriel.
Dr.
Mason is a native of Clarksburg, West Virginia, born on April 13, 1905, the son
of George B. and Maude (Long) Mason.
When he was only a few months old, his parents moved to Massachusetts
and he received his elementary and high school education in the denominational
institution known as Atlantic Union College, South Lancaster,
Massachusetts. In 1929 he came to
California and took his medical education at the College of Medical
Evangelists, graduating with the Doctor of Medicine degree in 1933. His internship followed at the old Pasadena
Hospital, in Pasadena. For two years he
was with the Civilian Conservation Corps of the United States Army. Next, for the period of a year, he practiced
in Altadena, and then joined the Roos-Loos Medical
Group in Los Angeles, ultimately being transferred to the Alhambra office.
Dr.
Mason married Miss Lois Epperson, a native of Los Angeles. Mrs. Mason received her education in
Pasadena. She is a Registered Nurse,
taking her training at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, where she received
her diploma in 1933.
Mrs.
Mason is active in civic and hospital work.
She is a member of the First Baptist Church of Alhambra; has served on
the board of directors of the Alhambra YMCA since January of 1960; has served
on the Election Board and on February 2, 1961, she received an honorary
lifetime membership in the Parent-Teachers Association. She does volunteer work as a member of the
Alhambra Community Hospital Auxiliary, where she is serving as president for a
second term. In September of 1960, Mrs.
Mason was honored with a lifetime membership to the Alhambra Community
Hospital. She has been in charge of the
teen-age dances at the Alhambra YMCA for two years. Mrs. Mason joined the Granada Women’s Club in
1957, and has been a member of the Alhambra Rotary Anns
for fourteen years. She is a charter
life member of the Women’s Auxiliary of the Community Hospital of San Gabriel.
The
Mason’s have three children, Joan (Mrs. Anthony) Sedor,
of Alhambra; Charlene (Mrs. Charles) Edwards, who resides in Seattle,
Washington; and Charles E. Mason, Jr., who is a student at Los Angeles State
College.
Dr.
Mason’s military career is particularly worthy of note. Having been an officer in the Reserve Corps,
he was called to active duty in February of 1941, and continued in the service
of his country until January, 1946.
First stationed at Fort Ord, California, with the First Medical
Regiment, he was sent overseas in August of 1943, and for the following two
years was in the China-Burma-India Theater with headquarters at Ledo. For some time,
he was Medical Liaison Officer with the Chinese Army, and for several months
served with the Chinese troops under General Stilwell. Returning to the United States in May of
1945, he was assigned to Fort Lewis, Washington, and demobilized at few months
later at Fort McArthur in San Pedro, California. During the course of his active service, he
rose from the rank of Captain to Lieutenant Colonel. He has the distinction of having been awarded
the Legion of Merit for duty with the Chinese troops during the North Burma
campaign.
He
entered the Army again in October of 1950 and was in Korea from December, 1951,
to August, 1952, where he served in the First Corp Headquarters as Corp
Surgeon. He received an Oak Leaf Cluster
to the Legion of Merit in 1952, and on October 22, 1954, Dr. Mason was promoted
to the rank of full Colonel. For
meritorious service in the Korean War, he was awarded the Order of the British
Empire and made an Honorary Officer of the Military Division of the Most
Excellent Order of the British Empire.
The award was made in 1955 at the British Embassy in Washington D. C.,
by Sir Roger Makin.
Dr.
Mason is a member of the American, California and Los Angeles County Medical
Associations, as well as the San Gabriel Valley Branch of the latter. He is certified by the American Academy of
General Practice. While carrying on a
general medical practice, Dr. Mason gives special attention to pediatrics.
Fraternally
he is a Mason, and belongs to the Alhambra Masonic Temple, is a member of the
Shrine and of the Alhambra Elks Lodge B.P.O.E. No. 1328. He is a member of the Alhambra Rotary Club,
with a fourteen year perfect attendance record.
Growing
orchids is one of Dr. Mason’s hobbies, and he has a greenhouse filled with
them. After his return from the Korean
War, he began collecting coins and mustache cups. He enjoys relaxing at his mountain cabin.
Dr.
Mason gives this advice to the young people:
“Go to school as long as possible.
Education is most important in life, and can never be taken away.”
Transcribed by
V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
Historical Volume & Reference Works Including Alhambra, Monterey Park,
Rosemead, San Gabriel & Temple City, by Robert P. Studer,
Pages 521-522, Historical Publ., Los Angeles, California. 1962.
© 2013 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
GOLDEN
NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES BIOGRAPHIES