Tom Mason

When family, friends and the community gather on Wednesday to honor the late Ukiah attorney Tom Mason, there will be stories about his passion for the law, his community, and baseball. They were hallmarks of a life well lived.

A celebration of life for Mason will be held from 2-5 p.m. at Barra of Mendocino in Redwood Valley. 

Mason excelled at law from the beginning of his legal career in Mendocino County. When he arrived in Ukiah in the 1970s, he went to work at what was to become Redwood Legal Assistance, made up of a group of young lawyers determined to make the world a better place.

Mason was at center stage, and a major contributor to the camaraderie and hard work the legal aid center did on behalf of clients in need. Mason always had a big smile for people, but he was serious about his efforts. He successfully challenged state regulations that reduced financial aid for families when an ‘unrelated adult male’ was living in the household. Mason ended a county practice of reducing the amount of general assistance provided to indigent residents who also received food stamps. 

Attorney Mary Ann Villwock, who was director of the legal aid office at the time, recalls that when the then county counsel warned such changes in welfare eligibility standards would bring ‘hordes of backpackers’ into the county, Mason stood up for legitimate recipients. 

“They need help. They are human beings, and we are going to help them all we can,” pledged Mason.

Through it all “Tom was always the master of good will. He had a humorous comeback to everything, and he never stopped smiling,” said Villwock.

For Villwock, and Tom’s close circle of friends who include fellow lawyers and judges in the county, Mason’s passing on Nov. 5 at age 73 “points to the ending of a golden era in our legal community.”

Mason was born in San Francisco and grew up in San Carlos on the Peninsula. His family ties to Northern California are deep. Mason spent summers at his grandparents’ retreat on the Russian River in Sonoma County, and holiday time at a family cabin in Nevada County.

While Mason earned deep respect in the legal arena, he scored big outside the courtroom with his smile, dedication as a community political adviser, and his years of service as a baseball coach for local youth at all levels: Little League, Pony League, and Babe Ruth. 

Mason enjoyed all Bay Area sports teams, the Giants, 49ers, and Warriors at the top of his list. Baseball was his passion, however.

Locally, Mason served as president of the Babe Ruth League during a community overhaul of Anton Stadium, the iconic 1950s-era landmark that is Ukiah’s ‘Field of Dreams.’

Dave Poma, whose family for four generations has played local baseball at Anton, recalls one summer evening sitting with Mason in the stands at Anton after a chance encounter. 

“It was calm and warm. Not a breeze stirred. At one point, Tom and I set in silence for several minutes, listening to the sounds of play and watching action on the field.”

Poma said “Tom finally turned to me, and said, ‘What a perfect night for baseball. It doesn’t get any better than this.”

People like Poma who knew Mason well never just thought of him as a lawyer. “He was such a nice guy. I really enjoyed his company, and his attitude. Tom was a good man, and a real asset to our community.”

Kelvin Chapman, a local baseball legend who played for the New York Mets from 1979 to 1985, remembers Mason’s coaching abilities, and his love of the game. 

“Tom was a great coach who always supported me. I liked asking Tom to coach with me because I got his son Matt too!” said Chapman.

Mason shared his baseball passion with sons Matt and David, and the boys of family friends.

One of Mason’s personal coaching triumphs came when he and his assistant coach Dave Fatch guided their Pony League team to the local championship one summer night at Anton. Over a pitcher of beer after at the Ukiah Brewery, Mason flashed his trademark big smile, and quipped, “There’s joy in Mudville tonight.”

Tom rallied more than 100 local Babe Ruth supporters in 2009 to host a regional Babe Ruth tournament at Anton Stadium for championship teams from Guam, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, and California. The tournament was the last step before the Babe Ruth World Series. Tom and his crew had only three weeks to pull it together after a previous site fell through.

Tom proudly told sportswriters, “The setting is beautiful, and the field is so well maintained it’s like playing at a professional ballpark.”

Mason in his day was a good baseball player himself. He played a year of college ball at Chico State University, where he graduated with a degree in political science. Mason earned his law degree from the University of California College of Law in San Francisco.

Following his experience at the local legal aid office, Mason opened a private practice with longtime friend and fellow attorney Tim Morrison. Mason & Morrison became one of the county’s preeminent criminal defense firms. 

The law firm eventually located in the historic Republican Press building across School Street from the Mendocino County Courthouse. Upstairs was the firm of Nelson & Riemenschneider before both partners David Nelson and David Riemenschneider became Superior Court judges. Mason & Morrison remodeled the downstairs and expanded to include office space for attorney Jan Cole Wilson. For years the office became a center of afterhours social gatherings, especially during the holidays.

Tim Morrison met Mason at Chico State University and became not only law partners but lifelong friends whose families and children were close.

“Tom was the best partner, and confidante. When illness forced Tom to end his legal career, the fun was gone for me. It was never the same,” said Morrison.

Judge John Behnke was also one of Tom’s closest friends. 

“Our families were tight. Tom and I played sports together. Our kids grew up together. We traveled together. We fished together,” said Behnke. “Our lives were woven together.”

Behnke said “Tom was the kind of guy you could tangle with in the courtroom, and then go out and have a beer or two after.”

Even as the cruel Parkinson’s Disease closed in on him, Mason remained positive. He enjoyed regular lunch outings with longtime friends Nelson, Morrison, Villwock, and others. Later as the illness progressed, group lunches were held in a neighborhood park in good weather. 

“The Covid pandemic presented challenges, but we kept at it. We even did virtual lunches with Tom toward the end,” said Judge Nelson.

Nelson said Tom enjoyed the conversations even when he couldn’t engage himself as the disease deepened. “It seemed Tom liked hearing the courthouse gossip, and laughter about all of our past experiences. He seemed to relish our presence.”

Mason’s wife Sue remembers his passion for helping others in all aspects of life.

“He enjoyed working with kids whether it was coaching his own sons’ teams, engaging in Mock Trial Competitions with Ukiah High School students, being president of various local baseball leagues, or serving on the board for the building and development of the Alex Rorabaugh Recreation Center.”

“Tom loved it all. He was happy to contribute.”

Mason is survived by Sue, sons Matt Mason of Ukiah and David Mason of San Jose, sister Pat Mason of San Francisco; and sister-in-law Christine Alloo and husband Chuck of Los Altos, and brother-in-law Rich Slade and wife Steph of Redwood City.