Carol Jean Mason

A private family celebration of life for Carol Mason, a 76-year-old Buffalo resident who passed away Friday the 19^th of April at the Amie Holt Care Center in Buffalo will be held by her family and friends at a later date. Donations in Carol’s memory may be made to the Amie Holt Care Center in Buffalo at 497 W. Lott.  Online condolences may be made at www.harnessfuneralhome.com

Carol Jean Mason was born on March 25, 1948, in Iron Mountain, Michigan to Everett and Shirley Lammi.  She grew up and went to school in Iron Mountain and graduated from Iron Mountain High School with the class of 1966. She was married to Kent Ruesch in 1968 while attending Western Michigan University where she studied education. She received a B.S. in Education from Western in 1971.  Following her graduation, she attended nursing school at the University of Michigan.  She received a B.S. in Nursing in 1974 and worked as a nurse in Charlotte Michigan.  Carol went back to school at the University of Michigan where she received a master’s degree in psychology. She joined the U.S. Army Reserves in 1980 and attended the rank of Captain.  She received an honorable discharge in 1998 while working as director of nursing at Oaklawn Hospital in Marshall, Michigan. She was divorced in 1986 and in 1990 she married Steve Mason in the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee, and they made their home in Marshall, Michigan.  In 2000 she and Steve moved to Gillette, Wyoming where she was Director of Mental at the Campbell County Hospital.  Ill health forced her to retire in 2008 and she moved to Buffalo, Wyoming to be near family.  Steve passed away in that same year and Carol continued living in Buffalo until her death.

Carol was an animal lover and loved her dogs, cats, and horses.  She enjoyed anything outdoors.  She was passionate about supporting the Mustangs in South Dakota, the Eagles, and Wolves.  She was an avid baker and spent many hours baking for and spending time with her grandchildren. She is survived by one daughter, Jennifer Atwell of Buffalo: four grandchildren, Gabe, Tatum Owen Atwell, and Scott Douglas and two great-grandchildren, Lainey Atwell and Parker Borsenski.  She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, and one daughter Laura Douglas.