Jerry Vern Mason

Jerry Vern Mason, 85, of Royal City, Washington, passed away May 4, 2026. Jerry was born to Vern and Ocie (Hardin) Mason on Dec. 7, 1940, in Toppenish, Washington. He was the younger brother of sister Darlene. He grew up in the Yakima Valley, a great part of it in Sunnyside. After high school, Jerry served for over two years in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Panama. 

Jerry married his high school sweetheart, Kathleen Louise Moore, in 1962. Together, they had four children, all born in Sunnyside. Jerry and Kathy’s brother Mike Moore started a dairy farm in Sunnyside. In 1975, Jerry’s family and the dairy herd moved to Royal City.

Jerry and brothers-in-law Mike and Edward farmed Mason and Moore Dairy on the Royal Slope until 1994. After the cows retired, Jerry and his son Jason farmed hay and other crops on the property as Mason Farms.

Jerry was a devoted husband and father. Jerry and Kathy were known to host pinochle parties and loved to go dancing, both in Sunnyside and in Royal City. Jerry sledded with his kids and grandkids on the farm in the winter and went camping and horseback riding with them in the summer.

He packed horses and mules into the mountains to camp and hunt with family and friends. He also loved to process meat, smoking meats and making sausage and jerky for his family and friends.

Jerry was a man who loved to stay active, and he loved to have a project. Like many farmers, he could build or fix anything. His wife loved to read, so he built bookcases for her. He built his own smokers out of old refrigerators. He once built a cart welded together out of spare parts for his horse to pull to give rides.

After losing his wife of 51 years in 2014, he eventually began to spend more and more time on vacation property at Rimrock Meadows with his son Vern. There, he worked in the garden. He also continued to smoke meats to give as gifts, and he loved to pick flowers and give bouquets as gifts. 

Jerry was preceded in death by his parents Vern and Ocie, his sister Darlene, his stepsister Diana and his wife Kathy. He leaves behind his stepbrother Joseph Becker; his children Phebe Wall, Leah (Jon) Bruhn, Vern (Shannon Coolidge) Mason and Jason (Jenny) Mason. He is also survived by seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

A graveside memorial service will be held at the Lower Valley Memorial Gardens, 7800 Van Belle Road, Sunnyside, on June 13 at 11 a.m. with a luncheon to follow.