MICHAEL DALE MASON - was born on March 2, 1950 in South Bend, Indiana to Warren and Kula Mason.  He grew up in Chicago Heights, Illinois along with 5 siblings (Bev, Roy, Connie, Joe and Debbie).  Mike attended Tinley Park High School and in 1968 enlisted in the United States Army.  He served in the army from 1968-1971, which included 2 years active duty in the Vietnam War.  Mike returned to Mt. Vernon, Illinois and enrolled in coal mining courses at Wren Lake College.  Using the “new” concept of computer dating he met Janet Kalata.  They dated for only two weeks when he proposed and they were married 3 months later on July 1, 1972.  Mike and Jan had 4 children (Vicky, Jenny, Mikey and Kristi), then moved to Houston, TX in 1981 where he became affectionately known as the “neighborhood dad.”  Mike worked as a carpenter before joining the Plumbers Union through The United States Department of Labor in August, 1990.  In August 1995, he became a Journeyman Plumber at the local #68 lodge and worked for El Paso Energy and St. Lukes Hospital.  Due to the on-set of Agent Orange symptoms, he was diagnosed 100% disabled and was forced to retire in 2002 at the age of 52.  Gardening, BBQs, karaoke and spending time with his family consumed his final days.  Mike Mason died at the VA Hospital in Houston, TX on January 25, 2012 at the age of 61.