Esten Matheson Bohannon Mason

1935 - 2025

Esten Matheson Bohannon Mason

April 4, 1935 - November 21, 2025

Charlotte, North Carolina - Esten Matheson Bohannon Mason, "Big E", died peacefully at her home on Friday, November 21, 2025, surrounded by family, at the enduring age of 90, aware and welcoming her heavenly journey ahead. Her mind was sharp, but her body exhausted - appropriate for someone who had lived as fully as she had - and by all knowing her circumstances, a most enviable exit.

Born April 4, 1935, to Esten Jennings Matheson Bohannon and Ernest Franklin Bohannon, Jr. in New York City, Esten grew up on the family farm in Charlotte known as Beaumont. With two younger sisters, Marion and Stuart, she quickly adopted strong matriarchal tendencies as their childhood was roiled by the loss of her father at a young age. She attended Central High School before Stratford Hall and then matriculated to Chapel Hill where she fell in love with her future husband, Robert Elijah Mason III. They were married in 1957 as Bob completed his Naval deployment, living briefly in Washington, D.C. before moving their young family to Clemson, South Carolina, while Bob completed his graduate engineering degree, before returning to Charlotte, her home ever since.

"E" was an energetic mother of her three children, Robert, Bo, and Esten. On Ashworth Road, a street with nearly 50 other children, her kitchen, her backyard, and especially her counsel was enjoyed by the neighborhood children. She knew the rules of backyard basketball, touch and occasional tackle football, and she tolerated (and loved) the numerous critters adopted as pets, including rabbits, snakes, guinea pigs, horses, a skunk named Petunia, and a 20-pound raccoon named Bandit. As she loved her childhood dog Gertz, she kept a dog as a family member - always.

She consistently amazed even those close to her with her zest for family and activity. When her children were young, she organized camping trips, pitched her own tent, learned to fly fish, and enjoyed hiking Grand Father Mountain and the Tetons. Come Thanksgiving, "E" donned waders and hunted the salt marshes of the Santee Delta with "her men." Lest you misunderstand, she was the quintessential lady. She led the Debutante Club as President when it was her turn, and frequently entertained at her home with style, grace and panache. She was a Master Gardener, always working side-by-side to complete her garden visions. When her children were older, she decided to seek her BS in Nursing, taking classes at night, graduating with honors, and with her degree she worked tirelessly in the service of others at Crisis Assistance. Not surprisingly, she remained active and engaged in her civic duties during the day. Esten served as a Board Member of the Mint Museum, Charlotte Country Day School, North Carolina Nature Conservancy, and the Speech and Hearing Center. She was involved in and served as president of The Charlotte Junior League, and she was Chairman of the Mecklenburg Committee of the Colonial Dames of America. She campaigned directly for the founding of Discovery Place and remained involved until it was built. Esten was a wonderful friend to her church, Myers Park Presbyterian, and possessed resolute faith.

What astonished many close to Esten was the genuine compassion and equanimity she shared with people she encountered. She had the amazing gift of seeing people, understanding them, and including them in her life - often with quiet, anonymous generosity. She traveled frequently and far with her family - adventurous trips - and trips individually with each of her grandchildren. When her children and grandchildren reflected on her life, it was her honesty, integrity, and compassion for others that earned her the matriarchal position in the family. Her influence had a positive impact on her own generation, and those that followed - unique, real, strong, wise, and loving.

She is survived by her three children, Robert Elijah Mason IV, and his wife, Annette; J. Bohannon Mason MD, Esten Mason Walker, and her husband, Burchell; her nine grandchildren, Rob, William, Katherine (Chase), Elliott (Kira), Stuart, Weldon (Anna), Ann (Timothy), Esten (Hayden) and Rosamond (Paul); four great-grandchildren, Sloan, Quinn, Eve, and Avery, and her sister, Stuart Bohannon Evans. She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Elijah Mason, III; her dear sister, Marion Bohannon Wright; daughter-in-law, Marianna Peete Mason, and granddaughter, Marianna Stuart Mason.

A special thank you to her physician Lydia Calamari and the lovely women who helped her in this last chapter: Jeanette Smith, Monica Daniels, Margarette Danjoint, Sherika Ewart, Inga Osborne, Buffy Crawford, and Felicia Coleman.

A service of celebration will be held at 2 p.m., on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at Myers Park Presbyterian Church. The family will receive friends following the service in Oxford Hall. The service will be livestreamed through the church website at: https://myersparkpres.org/live/ for those unable to attend in person.

In lieu of flowers, the family would be grateful for gifts to your choice of her charities: North Carolina Nature Conservancy, Suite 300, 334 Blackwell St., Durham, NC 27701; Linville Foundation, PO Box 99, Linville, NC 28646; Wee Kirk Presbyterian Church, PO Box 99, Linville, NC 28646; Myers Park Presbyterian Church, 2501 Oxford Pl., Charlotte, NC 28207.

Arrangements are in the care of Kenneth W. Poe Funeral & Cremation Service, 1321 Berkeley Ave., Charlotte, NC 28204; (704) 641-7606. Online condolences may be shared at www.kennethpoeservices.com.