A special tribute was given to the late John Mason, an Army veteran and former Fairfax mayor, during last week’s Veterans Day ceremony in Fairfax City. Present were members of Mason’s family, including his wife of more than 60 years, Jeanette.

“John Mason left an incredible legacy,” said Del. David Bulova (D-11th). “And sons John Jr. and Jeff are also both Army veterans, so service runs deep in the Mason family.”

Born Jan. 27, 1935, in Springfield, Mass., John Mason had a distinguished, 20-year career in the U.S. Army before retiring as a colonel in 1976. His service included two tours in Vietnam, plus a follow-on command tour with the 5th Battalion, 68th Armor, 8th Infantry Division. His final assignment was as Assistant Director, Operations and Readiness, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, at Army Headquarters at the Pentagon. 

After retiring, Mason became vice president of Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) and director of the Transportation Policy and Analysis Center. As a politician, he served on the Fairfax City Council from 1986-1990 and was mayor from 1990-2002. 

Mason was also executive director of the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) and president and CEO of the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton. He also served on the boards of several organizations, including the Fairfax Symphony, Arts Council of Fairfax County, Fall for the Book Festival, and Mason Housing Inc. at George Mason University. He died Feb. 7, at age 89, after a second battle with cancer.

“I think of John often,” said Bulova. “When I pass his white, military headstone along Judicial Drive, I can still hear his voice in my head. And I often take inspiration about what he would do in a particular situation.”

“To the American Legion and VFW, as well as all of our veterans here, as all of you know, for our democracy to be strong, it needs to be both defended and nurtured,” he continued. “So thank you for allowing us to honor Col. John Mason and, in doing so, to honor all our veterans who served with distinction – and then, without being asked, gave back even more.

“What a blessing it is to have these men and women. I’m so incredibly grateful for your service. Today we wanted to recognize John because he was emblematic of the unflinching spirit of our veterans. Sen. Salim and I were pleased to introduce identical resolutions [in the Virginia General Assembly] celebrating John’s life.”

Next, Salim gave a detailed account of Mason’s military career assignments. Then Del. Dan Helmer (D-10th) joined Bulova and Salim to present the two framed resolutions to Mason’s family.

The final speaker during the Veterans Day ceremony was American Legion Post 177 Commander Eric Parkhurst. “As evidenced today by John Mason’s remembrance and our keynote speaker Frank Larkin, veterans don’t stop when they leave the military,” said Parkhurst. “They continue to serve their communities, state and nation.”

Exemplifying his point, he then explained how the local veteran community, plus area residents and businesses, recently came together to collect and deliver desperately needed supplies for Hurricane Helene victims in Western North Carolina. (See story, “People Coming Together for Good in Time of Need” in the Oct. 30 Connection, https://www.connectionnewspapers.com/news/2024/oct/30/people-coming-together-for-good-in-time-of-need/ )

“We collected $60,000 in donations which were used to buy over 30,000 pounds of supplies,” said Parkhurst. “We also had a goal of sending 100 generators to Yancey and McDowell counties. Originally, they said they wouldn’t have power there until December – now they’re saying early spring.

“Their power plants were devastated. We put out a call for money for generators, and when we hit 100, we bumped up our goal to 177. We passed that number and filled up an entire tractor trailer with 192 generators. And that’s thanks to our neighbors, community, veterans service organizations and other organizations that all pitched in and came together as Americans helping Americans.”

Parkhurst then expressed appreciation to everyone attending the Nov. 11 ceremony “to honor the greatest men and women who served this nation with dedication and valor. Today we’ve remembered those who stood in defense of our freedoms, who shouldered the weight of protecting our democracy and who sacrificed so much so that we could live in peace.”

However, he added, “Our gratitude must extend beyond this one day. Every day is an opportunity to show appreciation for our veterans – not just in words, but in actions. We can support organizations that serve veterans, reach out to those who may need companionship or a helping hand, and teach younger generations about the sacrifices that keep our country safe.

“Let us also remember our active-duty members who, even now, are stationed across the globe to protect and preserve the values we cherish. We owe them a debt of gratitude, and we honor their dedication and strength, along with that of their families.”

“As commander of this American Legion post, I’m humbled by the legacy left us by those who served before,” continued Parkhurst. “It’s our duty to carry forward that commitment to service, to stand as guardians to memory and to be advocates for every veteran who’s worn the uniform with pride. Thank you for being here, for honoring our veterans and for continuing to uphold the principles that keep our nation strong and free. God bless our veterans, our military and the United States of America.”