Retha Jane Ethel Mason

MASON, ROSENHEIMER, MAGDALENA, AITKEN, LONNGREN, BLAKE

Posted By: Tara (email)
Date: 7/3/2009 at 12:01:08

Retha Jane Ethel Mason, 90, of 21 Prospect Pl., Iowa City, formerly of 701 Oaknoll Dr., Iowa City died Saturday morning, Nov. 12, 2005 of lung cancer.

A Memorial service will be held on December 22, 2005 at 2:30 pm at Oaknoll Retirement Residence. Rev mark Martin from St. Andrew Presbyterian Church will officiate. Lensing Funeral Service is in charge of arrangements. She has been cremated and will be put to rest at the family cemetery in Slinger, WI. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be directed to Iowa City Hospice, Oaknoll Foundation, St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, or the charity of the donor’s choice.

Retha Jane Mason was born January 30, 1915 in Kewaskum, WI to David M. and Lena Magdalena Rosenheimer. She graduated Valedictorian from Kewaskum High School, attended Oberlin College and graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. On June 20, 1936, she married Robert (Bob) Aitken mason in Chicago, IL. She received her MA at the University of Chicago. She was a choir director, organist, singer, harpsichordist, pianist, teacher and artist. She was a Professor of Humanities at the Chicago City Colleges where she founded the educational programs for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. She founded and was the first president of the Illinois Junior College Music Association. She and her beloved husband, Bob founded and ran a children’s summer camp, Camp Brigadoon in Cumberland, WI until 1970. She was an elected honorary member and former president of the Chicago Musicians Club of Women. She played harpsichord in the Chicago Chamber Orchestra.

After retiring to Soldiers Grove, WI, she organized a community choir and presented Madrigal Dinners and concerts in Southwestern Wisconsin. Winters in Tucson, AZ, she was a former President and then signature member of the Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild (SAWG) and exhibited widely in Tucson and Tubac as well as Iowa City, IA. She was a state and local music chairman for the National League of American Penwomen. She composed music and had it performed by members of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra in the Tucson area.

She moved to Iowa City in 1997 due to health reasons and to be close to family. She is survived by her beloved family, daughter, Vicki Mason Lonngren (Karl) of Iowa City, 2 grandchildren, Sondra Lonngren of Iowa City and Jon (Andria) Lonngren and 1 great child, Chase Lonngren of Iowa City, IA and one sister, Doris M. Blake of Elmhurst, IL.

Her parents, husband and brothers Elmo, Ralph, Mark and Henry (Hank) Rosenheimer preceded her in death.