Gunnery Sergeant Gene Mason, USMC-ret., age 89, passed away to be reunited with the love of his life, Lois Mason, on Thursday, November 16, 2023, at Riverside Walter Reed Hospital, Gloucester, Va. He was born in Princeton, West Virginia, on December 23, 1933 to Joseph R. Mason and Virginia L. Mason (Overton). Gene proudly served in the United States Marine Corps for 18 years following a two-year stint in the United States Navy. He was part of the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, the first Marines to land in Vietnam. He proudly served two tours of duty in Vietnam, the first in 1965 and the second from 1967-68 during the Tet Offensive. After completing his tours of duty, he was stationed at the Marine Corps Base Quantico where he retired honorably. He was proud of his service to his country and proud of the service of his fellow Marines. After retiring from the USMC, he spent time in civil service, running his own business, and ultimately retiring from the Newport News Shipbuilding Co. in 1995. In retirement, he continued with a career in maintenance at Busch Gardens Williamsburg for about 20 years. Gene loved to walk; in retirement, he would spend time walking at various places including Colonial Williamsburg and various malls in the region.
He was a member of more than one McDonald’s breakfast club and enjoyed his time with his friends there. He genuinely liked people and would often strike up a conversation with almost anyone. He had a great zest for adventure and was not shy about it. He is survived by his daughter, Elizabeth Bulger; his son, David and wife Robin; four granddaughters, Cassandra Mason, Katrina Puhlman and husband Josh, Jessica Bulger and fiancé Tyler Sutton, and Lindsey Rice. He is also survived by his great-granddaughters, Tyler and Harper June Puhlman. He was preceded in death by his wife of nearly 40 years, Lois; his mother, Virginia; his father, Joseph “Joe”; brothers, Jack, Bill, Bruce, and Larry, and son-in-law, William Bulger. The family will receive friends at Hogg Funeral Home from 11-11:45 a.m. on Tuesday, November 28, 2023, followed by a chapel service to begin at noon. Interment with military honors will follow in Rosewell Memorial Gardens Cemetery.

Services under the direction of Hogg Funeral Home.