George "Butch" Mast

George Butch Mast was an energetic man and supportive husband and father. He was always ready for a good time, yet his concern for others outweighed his desire for fun. He would do anything for anyone. Whether it was for a family member, friend or even a neighbor, Butch could be counted on to be there. He loved life and it showed.

Georges story began December 15, 1944 when World War II dominated American life. As men went off to war and women were drawn into the workplace, the nation pulled together to make life as good as possible for the next generation. George, nicknamed Butch after his grandpa, was born to Clifton M. and Ruth D. (Doehla) Mast at St. Joseph Hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana. When Butch was 10 years old, his family moved to Roanoke, and he enjoyed a childhood of sports and speed.

Growing up, Butch liked the ruggedness of football, but he was most interested in racing. Whether peddling his bicycle or chasing behind a lawnmower, Butch raced anything and everything he could. Inevitably, he became involved in motocross, and as he got older, he satisfied his need for speed with motorcycles and cars. At one point, his friends gave him a unique gift for his birthday; they painted a quarter mile start line outside of their home with a finish line down the street.

Following graduation, Butch took a job with International Harvester but was drafted into the US Army on September 1, 1965. He served during Vietnam until his discharge on August 31, 1967. As he prepared to return home, he sent word to his girlfriend that she should start planning their wedding. Butch and Anne Loveless had dated since they met seven years prior, when 16-year old Butch was helping his dad build a house on Knapp Lake. Anne had noticed a good looking young man on the roof but had to walk by several times before he noticed her. Not long after, the two became inseparable, and following his military duty, they were married on March 11, 1967 at Most Precious Blood Catholic Church in Fort Wayne.

The newlyweds settled in Fort Wayne, and Butch returned to International Harvester. When Harvester left Ft. Wayne, Butch used his automotive knowledge and sold cars in Fort Wayne for the next six years. Then International Harvester invited him to return to work for the company in Springfield, Illinois, some 120 miles away. It was a fine offer, but Butch was concerned for his family. Before he could make a decision, he sat down with Anne and their two sons to discuss the effect this could have on the family, if they were to move. The result: Butch commuted the five hours to work each week. Over the years, he became a valued employee and strong union supporter, even serving as Union Steward.

In 1998, Butch retired from Harvester. He had worked there for 30 years. After retirement, he owned and operated "G Clearance," a small furniture business.

Butchs lifelong fascination with cars led him to own three Corvettes and a Chrysler 200 Hard Top Convertible, his favorite. The Chrysler was his favorite because he had too much fun amazing people with it. By simply pushing a button, he could transform it from a regular car to a convertible. It was a conversation starter, to say the least. Very recently, Butch and Anne were in Waynedale, and a gentleman was admiring the car. As they talked, the two men came to realize that they had been friends when they worked together over 30 years ago at Harvester in Fort Wayne.

Not surprisingly, Butch and Anne liked to hit the road to such places as Gulf Shores, where they had a place. They vacationed at time-shares all over the US, from Maine to Hawaii, and even traveled to France, Netherlands and Germany. Additional recreation included hunting, skeet and trapping, golfing, drag racing, camping, boating on Knapp Lake, and playing racket ball and chess. Butch also met up with friends at American Legion Post 160 in Roanoke and the Corvette Club. He cared for his family as Power of Attorney for his elderly mother and her sister. Having suffered a heart attack in 1996, Butch was determined to live life to the fullest. And he did.

George "Butch" Mast, 69, of Knapp Lake in rural Kimmell, passed away Saturday, May 31, 2014 at Parkview Regional Medical Center, Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Butch will be missed and lovingly remembered by his wife of 47 years, Anne Mast of Kimmell; mother, Ruth Mast of Columbia City; sons, Clifton (Yulia Tolstikov-Mast) Mast of Fishers and Andrew (Jordan) Mast of Noblesville; sister, Mary (Scot) Mast-Bradley of Cromwell, IN; brothers, Tom (Sandy) Mast of Avilla and John Mast of Larwill; and three grandchildren, Amanda Valeria and Anatoli Mast. Butch was preceded in death by his father.

A memorial gathering will be held on Wednesday, June 4, 2014 from 3 to 7 p.m. at DeMoney-Grimes, a Life Story Funeral Home, 600 Countryside Drive, Columbia City. A memorial mass will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, June 5, 2014 at the church of his membership, Most Precious Blood Catholic Church, 1515 Barthold St, Ft. Wayne with Father Joseph Gaughn officiating. Inurnment will be at Catholic Cemetery, Fort Wayne. Memorial gifts may be given in Butchs memory to Feed My Starving Children. Visit www.demoneygrimes.com to send family condolences or sign the guest register book