Thomas R. Mason

Thomas Robert Mason of Fraser, Colorado, age 70, passed away on May 30, 2026. He was the first-born child of Tom and Myrna Mason and entered the world on May 26, 1956, at Great Lakes Naval Hospital. Tom grew up alongside his siblings - Carolyn, Brian, and Jeff -who shared in his early love for the outdoors and adventure.

Tom always loved the mountains. As a member of the Arapahoe Rescue Patrol, he developed skills in outdoor survival and search and rescue that shaped much of his character. He graduated with the first class of Heritage High School (1974) in Littleton, Colorado, before joining the United States Marine Corps. Tom proudly served over four years and attained the rank of Corporal.

After returning to Littleton, Tom spent a short time working in the city before answering an ad for ranch-hand work at the Piney Peak Ranch. He loaded up his red Chevy pickup and banjo and moved to Bond, Colorado. After a few years on the ranch, Tom relocated to Kremmling, where he worked for Spinner’s Conoco, then worked his way to the Fraser Valley where he worked at the Fraser Quickstop and Hilly's Hooker Service - just a few of the many automotive jobs he held throughout Grand County.

For the last 30+ years, Tom worked for The Lift, first as a driver, then as the primary mechanic servicing buses. Never one to sit idle, he also spent his ‘off’ days working at the Bar 55 Ranch in Granby or lending a hand with fencing, gravel operations, and other projects to help his friends.

Tom never really knew how to stop working — it wasn't in his nature. He showed up without being asked, fixed what was broken, and asked nothing in return. The people who knew him best saw it clearly: in a world full of takers, Tom was a giver. That said everything.

Tom found joy in the simple things—fresh mountain air, a good banjo tune, the rhythm of working on a fenceline, rebuilding carburetors, bowling in Grand Lake, and time spent fishing or panning for gold. Tom was a fixture in Grand County, across decades and generations, and he will be missed.

Tom is survived by his siblings — Carolyn, Brian, and Jeff — and by his nieces and nephews, each of whom loved him in their own way. Grand County was his home, and his acquaintances became good friends.

A celebration of Tom’s life will be held in the Fraser Valley at a later date, with details to be announced. Interment at Fort Logan National Cemetery will also take place at a later date (TBD).

Semper Fi, Marine.