James Mason Cosby

COSBY, James Mason, 81, of Powhatan, passed away at home on November 15, 2010. He was preceded in death by his parents, Hugh and Sallie Cosby of Bon Air; sisters, Dorothy Rice and Evelyn Cosby of Richmond; and brothers, Hugh of Denver, N.C. and Winburn of Powhatan. He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Clair; daughters, Sarah McGiverin (Brian) of Durham, N.C. and Sallie Hess (Josh) of San Francisco; son, James Cosby (Adriane) of Baltimore; and granddaughter, Hannah McGiverin. He was looking forward to the birth of two grandsons in December. Two of his sisters, Alma Pope (Charles) and Margaret Higham (Edward), and numerous nieces and nephews survive. Mason joined the Air National Guard at Bird Field after graduating from Midlothian High School and was called into active service during the Korean Conflict. He later graduated from Ferrum Junior College (AA), Randolph-Macon College (AB), Duke Divinity School (M-Div) and Scarritt College (MA). He was a United Methodist pastor in the Virginia Annual Conference for 42 years, starting as a student associate to Rev. Joe Carson in the Louisa Larger Parish. He also served as pastor of the Daleville Charge in Roanoke (now St. Mark's UMC), Dulin UMC (Falls Church), Watson Memorial UMC (Chatham), Herndon UMC, Dunn Loring UMC (Tyson's Corner), Warrenton UMC, Burke UMC, Leesburg UMC, Great Falls UMC and Arlington Forest UMC. Mason felt some of his greatest life accomplishments were directing district evangelism programs and leading building programs for churches and parsonages. He is remembered as a loving and wise pastoral counselor and preacher. Since retirement Mason has participated in the Midlothian Ruritan Club and the Old Dominion Chapter of the Model A Club of America. He attended Wally Groom's Boys' Night Out and a weekly informal pastors' breakfast. Mason also maintained his membership in 247 AF & AM Masonic Lodge in Roanoke. The family will receive friends at a reception after the funeral on Thursday, November 18 at 11 a.m. at Mt. Pisgah UMC, 1100 Mt. Pisgah Dr., Midlothian. Interment will be at Providence UMC as part of a private burial. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Mt. Pisgah UMC Memorial Fund, the Midlothian Ruritan Educational Fund or the Powhatan Volunteer Rescue Squad. woodyfuneralhomehuguenot.com



This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.