Known by family and friends for her quick wit and ready smile, Mary-Page Masson “Page” departed this world on Jan. 18, 2014. She will be missed and memories of her will linger for a lifetime.
Page approached life with a twinkle in her eye and an upbeat attitude, gently conveying to all her refusal to be of a negative mind. Her philosophy was to walk on the sunny side of the street in the company of her “beloved four-legged friends.” She maintained a lasting and endearing sense of optimism and could always be depended on to enliven conversation with a clever play on words or a quirky turn of a phrase. She was an avid tennis player, folk dancer and animal welfare advocate. She and her husband, Charlie, rescued dogs including a survivor of Katrina. Such were her passions.
Early life of Page was growing up in Hillsborough and graduating from Hamlin’s School for Girls in San Francisco. Her first employment was with San Francisco Bank in Burlingame and later she found her way to Germany where she was employed by the United States Embassy in Bonn as a code clerk. She recounted her time and experience there as “sterling.”
Her later life was defined and consumed by contributing to the community through tireless work as a volunteer and active participate in Pets Lifeline, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Bergan University of Canine Studies, Luther Burbank Guild at the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts, Kawana Elementary School and Welfare League of Sonoma County.
Among those who survive her are her husband, Charles Masson; daughter, Page Harriet Irwin; brother, Shiels Hoelscher; grandchildren, Brandon Irwin and Charlie Irwin; great-granddaughter, AnnaBelle; niece, Lori Burnett; and nephew, Jeff Hoelscher. Her son, Charles Stanley Masson, predeceased her. Also included with the survivors are the members of the Monday Night Dinner Club, who will miss her greatly.
A memorial service will be held to celebrate Page’s life on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2014, at 4 p.m. at the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. It is requested that no black attire be worn by the attendees of the service. Adherence to that request will be appreciated.
Contributions may be made to the Alzheimers Association of Northern California, 1211 N. Dutton Ave., Santa Rosa, CA 95401.
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