MASON, Sidney 'Tony'

Sidney Anthony (Tony) Mason, 84, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, February 6, 2018 at Royal Victoria Hospital in Barrie, Ontario following a brief battle with cancer. He leaves his wife of 64 years, Margaret (Peggy, née Spragg); his sons, Gary (Christine), Nicholas (Lisa) and Ian (Michelle); and five grandchildren – Stephen, Spencer, Kaelan, Nicole and Duncan.

Born in Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire, England the son of Sidney and Gwendoline (née Waine) Mason, he spent his formative years in Coventry and Cheltenham, meeting his wife Margaret when he was only 14 years old at a village dance in Gotherington. Tony started his working life as a grocery delivery boy, subsequently moving into the developing electronics business as a radio and television repairman. He spent his two year national service as an aircraft mechanic in the Royal Air Force, based in Hullavington, Wiltshire.

He subsequently worked in electronic engineering for Smiths Industries in Bishops Cleeve, before taking a position with IBM in Birmingham in 1964. This position ultimately led to his involvement with the nascent IBM automated banking systems which would consume the remainder of his career. It was this which brought him and his family to Toronto, Canada in 1978 where he worked with IBM until taking retirement in 1988, when he started his own consulting business working with those same technologies. He finally retired completely at the age of 65.

An avid golfer, he regularly golfed at the IBM Club and then at the Glenway Golf and Country club in Newmarket where he was a member. His sense of humour, calm demeanour and a strong sense of righteousness will be dearly missed by all.

We would like to thank all of the staff at Royal Victoria Regional Health Center who helped Tony throughout his time there. A celebration of life will be held at Steckley-Gooderham Funeral Home, 201 Minet’s Point Road, Barrie, on Sunday, February 11, 2018 from 1:30pm until 4:00pm. Family would like to add that dress code is casual.In lieu of flowers, a donation to Hospice Simcoe or the Canadian Cancer Society would be greatly appreciated by the family.