Peggy Ione Barker Mason 80 of Lead passed away Saturday, January 9, 2010 at her home in Lead

A memorial service will be 4:00pm Friday, January 15, 2010 at the Trinity Untied Methodist Church in Lead, SD with Rev. Bruce Adams officiating. Inurnment will be held at a later date in the Bell Park Cemetery in Rochford SD.

Peggy Ione Barker Mason started her eternal life on Sept. 14, 1929 at Verona, Mt. She is one of seven children of Lyle and Beatrice Barker. The family soon returned to Rochford, SD, where she spent her childhood, playing among the many abandon structures. She attended Deadwood High School, boarding at Pop’s Grab It and Growl; returning to Rochford by train on the weekends. After graduating from High School, she attended Black Hills Teachers College. She obtained her teaching certificate during the war years. She taught both in the Rochford and Custer Peak school systems.

Peggy meet her future husband, Delvin Mason at a dance in Whitewood. They were married in the Rochford Community Hall on June 25, 1950. Delvin worked for Homestake Mining Company, so his beautiful bride moved to Lead for thirty nine years. Out of this union were born three children, Delvin “Gene”, Bert, and Bonnie. Peggy was one point of the Mason Triangle of South Dakota. There were three Mason families within a three block area, where three homes were actually one. Out of this extended family came many memories of singing by the campfire, fishing, prospecting, pinecone hunting, and love. Peggy took on many jobs and responsibilities. The one most likely remembered by longtime residence of Lead, was the running of the local flower shop with the support of her friend and sister-in-law Evelyn Mason.

Upon Delvin’s retirement from Homestake, he wasn’t given an option, they returned to her beloved Rochford to live on the old homestead. There she entertained her nine grandchildren, with sleeping in the fields under the stars, fireworks at Christmas, and whistling. But the best entertainment of all was her GG dance for her eight grandchildren. With life’s many twist and turns, she continued her involvement in the Rochford community by supporting the Community Hall and Chapel, with time and energy. In her last years of life, she shared her love of baseball and pinecone hunting with Wayne Freeland. They spent many hours enjoying each others company.

Survivors include her children; Delvin Gene Mason, Bert and Wife Maria Mason, Bonnie and husband Mark Olson, her grandchildren; CJ and husband Craig Clem, Nathaniel Mason, Matthew and wife Carrie Mason, Delvin Lucas Mason, Logan Mason, Kurt and wife Dawn Olson, Amy Olson and fiancé Wes Trautman, Amanda and husband Ed Pellicotte, and April Olson, her great-grandchildren Brenden, Izabel, and Eli Clem, Owen, Tucker, and a Blessing number 3 Mason, Walter, Emma, and Joesef Olson, Jonathan, and Daniel Pellicotte, and Amy’s due in June, and her sisters, her brother, and many nieces, nephews, and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband Delvin Mason, parents, and her sister Patsy Protratz.

A memorial has been established in her honor for the Rochford Chapel, Rochford Community Hall, or the Rochford Cemetery.