Mildred Laverne "Millie" Kasner

1930 - 2024

Mildred Laverne "Millie" (Mason) Kasner Our Mom, Grandma, Gigi, Mildred (Millie) Laverne Mason Kasner entered the presence of her Lord on Wednesday, October 9 in Franklin from complications of dementia at the age of 93 years and 11 months.

Mom was born November 19, 1930 in Houston to Sarah Jane Thomas and Carlton M (Jack) Mason, the youngest of three children. Jack moved his family to Thorndale in 1943 where Mom graduated high school as valedictorian in 1948. She met Dad (Lonnie) at the local feed store and never forgot what he was wearing that day-a blue shirt that matched his blue eyes. They married in Thorndale on June 27, 1949.

Dad was a farmer and they lived out in the country around Thorndale where he worked the land and Mom started learning about being a farmer's wife. When I (Sally) was 4 and Jo was 1, we moved to the family farm outside of Marlin and lived in a very small four room house with no indoor bathroom. A huge adjustment for a girl who was basically a city girl! She was a quick study though and it didn't take her long to catch on. One important lesson she learned very fast was that black dirt is extremely hard when it's dry and can get cracks so big baby chicks can fall in. But, when that same black dirt gets wet, it's a totally different story. The family saying was "If you stick with it when it's dry, it'll stick to you when it's wet." Their plan was for Mom to stay home and raise us girls but they decided as we got older that a larger house was needed. Mom went to work for the Falls County Tax Office and then took a secretarial position with Texas State Department of Human Resources, Child Protective Services in Marlin to help pay for that house which was built in 1962. She ended that temporary employment 30 years later in the position of administrative secretary. After Dad's death in 2000, Mom remained in Marlin until 2003 when she moved to Normangee to be closer to family and then moved to Franklin in 2015 to be even closer.

She was a member of the McClanahan Baptist Church until it closed and then moved her membership to Trinity Memorial Baptist in Marlin. She kept her membership there until she joined Elliott Baptist Church in 2016. Church was an important part of her life as an adult and it's something she passed on to us. One lesson we learned early on was that regardless of how late we were up on Saturday night, we went to church Sunday morning.

In 1962, she was a founding member of the McClanahan Riding Club and we spent many weekends there and at other clubs around Central Texas. Dad loved his horses and passed that on to us-Jo more so than me and I'm not sure Mom was so keen on them but she loved us and stayed active with our activities whatever they were.

Mom was a devout Christian and read her Bible faithfully. She prayed for each of her children, grandchildren, their spouses, and her great grandchildren. She prayed for those in her church and many times she would tell me that she didn't know a lot of the people on the prayer list but "I just tell the Lord that I don't know them but He does and He knows their needs."

Mom was an avid reader; and while Dad was able, they enjoyed dancing...I don't know that she ever danced with anyone else but Dad. Dad didn't get away for very many vacations because that's the way farming is but after the grandkids came along, she would plan at least one trip a summer. Mom and I, Jason, Clint, and Sarah would load up-we went to Ft Davis, Galveston, San Antonio to name just a few. The kids spent a lot of time with "Grandma and Pa" during their summers for many years-making memories that will last a lifetime. There was laughter, and fighting (as cousins do) and fun.

Mom is preceded in death by her parents Jack and Sarah Mason; her husband Lonnie; her brother Kenneth Mason; and grandson-in-law Kevin Tepera.

She is survived by her daughters-Sally Merryman & husband Glenn of Franklin; Jo Brooks & husband Dan of Kiowa, Colorado; grandchildren Jason Merryman & wife Kati of Grandview; Clinton Towers & wife Michelle of San Marcos; Sarah Tepera of Franklin; sister Dorothy Conoley of Richardson; sisters-in-law Marjorie Kasner of Marlin; Caddie Logan & husband Pat of Temple. To carry on her legacy and cherish her memory are her 7 great grandchildren: Colton Merryman, Blayne Tepera, Catherine Towers, Dylan Tepera, Jennifer Towers, Mason Merryman and Blair Merryman.

Memorial service will be held at Elliott Baptist Church 7390 W US Hwy 79, Hearne on October 19, 2024 at 11am. The family will receive friends from 9:30am until time of service. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation to the charity of your choice, Elliott Baptist Church, or Brazos Valley Hospice, 502 W 26th Street, Bryan, Texas 77803.