SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 36 Celebrating the life of Thomas B. Mason.   Agreed to by the Senate, January 17, 2008 Agreed to by the House of Delegates, January 25, 2008  

WHEREAS, Thomas B. Mason of Roanoke, a respected public servant and attorney, and an accomplished actor, died on March 8, 2007; and

WHEREAS, born in Lynchburg on January 12, 1919, Thomas Mason was the son of the late Leonard Tyree Mason and Beulah Coffey Mason; he graduated from E. C. Glass High School and Hampden-Sydney College and earned a law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law; and

WHEREAS, during World War II, Thomas Mason served in the United States Navy as commander of a patrol torpedo boat, PT 179, participating in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the largest naval battle in modern history; and

WHEREAS, after the war, Thomas Mason practiced law in Lynchburg from 1946 to 1956 and worked as a trust officer and vice president of People’s National Bank and Trust Company in Lynchburg from 1956 to 1961; and

WHEREAS, in 1961, President John F. Kennedy appointed him the United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, where he served until 1969, and he and his family moved to Roanoke; and

WHEREAS, in 1969, he joined the Norfolk and Western Railway Company, now Norfolk-Southern Corporation, serving as a senior member of the Law Department before retiring in 1983; and

WHEREAS, the United States Attorney’s office in Roanoke was named the Thomas B. Mason Building in his honor for his outstanding service; and

WHEREAS, Thomas Mason was an active member of the American Bar Association, the Virginia Bar Association, the Lynchburg and Roanoke Bar Associations, and the Judicial Conference of the Fourth Judicial Circuit United States Court of Appeals; and

WHEREAS, Thomas Mason also loved the theater and acting at which he excelled; and

WHEREAS, his notable acting career having begun in college, Thomas Mason gave many memorable performances at the Barter Theatre in Abingdon and at the Lynchburg Little Theatre among other places; and he was acclaimed by audiences across Virginia in regional, summer, and dinner theater productions; and

WHEREAS, Thomas Mason also appeared in popular movies, including Crimes of the Heart, Mississippi Burning, Harvey, On Golden Pond, and Gods and Generals, as well as in seven television films; and

WHEREAS, Thomas Mason was also a faithful member of First Presbyterian Church of Roanoke, having served as a deacon, elder, and trustee, and was active in many missions of the church in the community; and

WHEREAS, above all Thomas Mason was devoted to his family; and

WHEREAS, Thomas Mason and his lovely wife Emily shared a glorious life together for 58 years and cherished their two beloved daughters, Martha and Polly, and three wonderful grandchildren, Luke, Courtney, and Mason; and

WHEREAS, Thomas Mason will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his loving family and his numerous friends and admirers; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly mourn the passing of an outstanding Virginian, Thomas B. Mason; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Thomas B. Mason as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect for his memory.

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 36 Offered January 9, 2008 Prefiled January 7, 2008 Celebrating the life of Thomas B. Mason. ---------- Patron-- Edwards ----------

WHEREAS, Thomas B. Mason of Roanoke, a respected public servant and attorney, and an accomplished actor, died March 8, 2007; and

WHEREAS, born in Lynchburg on January 12, 1919, Thomas Mason was the son of the late Leonard Tyree Mason and Beulah Coffey Mason; he graduated from E. C. Glass High School and Hampden-Sydney College and earned a law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law; and

WHEREAS, during World War II, Thomas Mason served in the United States Navy as commander of a patrol torpedo boat, PT 179, participating in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the largest naval battle in modern history; and

WHEREAS, after the war, Thomas Mason practiced law in Lynchburg from 1946 to 1956 and worked as a trust officer and vice-president of People's National Bank and Trust Company in Lynchburg  from 1956 to 1961; and

WHEREAS, in 1961, President John F. Kennedy appointed him the United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, where he served until 1969, and he and his family moved to Roanoke; and

WHEREAS, in 1969, he joined the Norfolk and Western Railway, now Norfolk-Southern Corporation, serving as a senior member of the Law Department before retiring in 1983; and

WHEREAS, the U.S. Attorney's office in Roanoke was named the Thomas B. Mason Building in his honor for his outstanding service; and

WHEREAS, Thomas Mason was an active member of the American Bar Association, the Virginia Bar Association, the Lynchburg and Roanoke Bar Associations, and the Judicial Conference of the Fourth Judicial Circuit United States Court of Appeals; and

WHEREAS, Thomas Mason also loved the theater and acting at which he excelled; and

WHEREAS, his notable acting career began in college, Thomas Mason performed many memorable performances at the Barter Theatre in Abingdon and at the Lynchburg Little Theatre among other places; and he was acclaimed by audiences across Virginia in regional, summer, and dinner theater productions; and

WHEREAS, Thomas Mason also appeared in popular movies, including “Crimes of the Heart,” “Mississippi Burning,” “Harvey,” “On Golden Pond,” and “Gods and Generals,” as well as in seven television films; and

WHEREAS, Thomas Mason was also a faithful member of First Presbyterian Church of Roanoke, having served as a deacon, elder, and trustee, and was active in many missions of the church in the community; and

WHEREAS, above all Thomas Mason was devoted to his family; and

WHEREAS, Thomas Mason and his lovely wife Emily shared a glorious life together for 58 years and cherished their two beloved daughters, Martha and Polly, and three wonderful grandchildren, Luke, Courtney, and Mason; and

WHEREAS, Thomas Mason will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his loving family and his numerous friends and admirers; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly mourn the passing of an outstanding Virginian, Thomas B. Mason; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Thomas B. Mason as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect for his memory.