Debra Susan (Skatula) Mason

Debra Susan (Skatula) Mason of Bellevue, WA, died peacefully at home on Saturday, August 1, 2026, after a courageous battle with ALS. Her husband Dick Mason, her son Jordan Mason, and her sister Mary Jo Johnson were with her.

A memorial service for Debra Mason will be held at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, August 22, 2026, at Creekside Covenant Church, 2315 173rd Ave NE, Redmond, WA, 98052.

Debra, or “Debbie” as she was also known, was born on October 18, 1955, in Sheridan, WY, the second of four children to Roman and Martha “Marty” (Sabo) Skatula. Debbie attended Sheridan schools and was a proud member of the Sheridan High School Class of 1974. After graduation, Debbie attended the Bassist Institute School of Design in Portland, OR, where she received a degree in Interior Design. From there, she attended the Burnley School of Professional Art in Seattle, WA, receiving a degree in Commercial Art & Graphic Design.

Her career began with an advertising firm in downtown Seattle where she worked as a Creative Art Director for Nordstrom’s, Frederick & Nelson, Ben Bridge Jewelers, and the Portland Transit Center, among others. She also owned a freelance interior design and graphic design business.

On June 2, 1979, Debbie married Richard “Dick” Mason at Mercer Island Covenant Church, Mercer Island, WA. Their 47-year marriage saw the joyful additions of son Jordan in 1982, and son Zachary in 1986. Later, they celebrated the arrivals of grandsons Harvey, Maxwell, Caleb, and granddaughter Zoe.  

After raising her sons, Debra entered a new career, teaching K–12 art classes at The Bear Creek School in Redmond, WA; Providence Classical Christian School in Bothell, WA; and Seattle Classical Christian School in Seattle, WA. During school breaks, she held art camps through The Bellevue Club, in Bellevue, WA. 

Debra left the teaching profession in 2023 to care for her mother, who lived her final years in Bellevue until her passing in 2024.  Tragically, Debbie and Dick found themselves continuing as caregivers for their son Zach, who fought his own ALS battle until his death on January 30, 2026. 

Along with her beloved Zach, Debra was predeceased by her paternal grandparents Joseph Skatula, and Mary Seitzinger; maternal grandparents Michael and Anna Sabo; parents Roman and Marty Skatula; parents-in-law Dwight and Agnes Mason; oldest sister Kathryn Skatula (also of ALS, in 2008); and brothers-in-law Clarke Mason and Gary Mason.

She is survived by her husband Dick Mason, her son Jordan (Brittany) Mason and their sons Harvey, Maxwell, and Caleb; and Zach’s daughter Zoe. She is also survived by her brother Rick (Kim) Skatula; sister Mary Jo (Clark) Johnson; Uncle Joe (Christine) Skatula and their family; sister-in-law Shirlee (Larry) Alexander; brother-in-law Dwight (Dalen) Mason; sister-in-law Margaret (Chris) Lapcevich; sister-in-law Dorothy (Bill) Culliton; brother-in-law John (Kris) Mason, and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews. Memorials focusing on Familial ALS rare gene research may be made to The ALS Association (https://www.als.org/ways-give) or to Project ALS (https://projectals.org/page/4/?form=donate).