J. Lewis Masten

J. LEWIS MASTEN, devoted husband and father, born December 14, 1918 in Winston Salem, North Carolina to the late Mr. and Mrs. William Oscar Masten, passed away January 17, 2004 at the age of 85. His childhood was spent in his home state of North Carolina, where he enjoyed many boyhood summers on his grandparents farm. He received a Bachelors Degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and was a member of the Lamba Chi Alpha Fraternity. During World War II he began his 41 year long career with Monsanto Chemical Company as a chemist, initially in St. Louis, Mo.; then Marshall, TX where he worked in a plant that provided explosive material for the war effort. In 1943 he was transferred to Texas City, Tx where he worked as a chemist and administrator. He met his wife of 56 years, Marietta Arnold in 1945 in Galveston and was married in 1946. They made their permanent home in La Marque, Tx. He resided in LaMarque until after the passing of his wife in 2002. He spent his final months in Houston at the Forum Retirement Community where he enjoyed his time in Houston and made many friends. He was an active leader in the Boy Scouts of America and the Knights of Columbus for many years. He was a founding member of West Galveston County Interfaith Caring Ministries and a member of All Saints Episcopal Church in Hitchcock, Tx. While in his 60's he attended College of the Mainland and the University of Houston attaining a degree in accounting. He then transferred to the accounting department at Monsanto where he finished his career. He had a great love of the Texas Gulf Coast, enjoyed fishing, hunting and good seafood. During his retirement he and his wife Marietta enjoyed traveling the world and spent most of their summers in the cool mountains of his home state of North Carolina. He was a kind man with a good sense of humor and liked everyone he met. Lewis was preceded in death by his father, William Oscar Masten, his mother, Guertrude Jannet Spaugh and his wife, Mary Arnold Masten. The loss of this wonderful man will be shared by his family and many friends. He is survived by his son, James and his wife, Kathy; son, Edmond and his granddaughters, Gina L. Masten and Janette Masten Perry, all of Houston. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, January 21, 2004 at 10:30 a.m. at All Saints Episcopal Church in Hitchcock, Tx. with Father Jon Sonnen and Dr. David Kirkaldy officiating. Graveside services will be held at Forest Park Lawndale, Houston, Tx at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Visitation will be held Tuesday, January 20, 2004 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at James Crowder Funeral Home in Dickinson, Texas. The family request that in lieu of flowers, for those who desire, contributions may be made to West Galveston Interfaith Caring Ministries, P.O. Box 1426, Santa Fe, Texas 77510. James Crowder Funeral Home, Dickinson, TX 77539 281-337-1515