Private services for Kenneth Wayne Mason will be held at 10:00 a.m., on Saturday, October 31, 2020. He passed away on Wednesday, October 21, 2020. Boone Funeral Home, Greenville is in charge of arrangements.
There are few people in this life that embody the spirit of joy more than Kenneth Wayne Mason did. More rare still, are those individuals that touched so many with that joy that the mere mention of their name brings laughter.
Ken Mason was born in 1968 in Greenville, Mississippi to Lovie Thornton and Jerry Mason. He grew up in Paris, Tennessee and graduated from Henry County High School in 1986.
Ken earned a BFA from the the University of Memphis in 1990 in Fine Arts with a focus on Theater. He moved to Boston after school to pursue acting and eventually moved to New York City where he continued to perform. Ken co-founded a sketch comedy company in New York City after 9/11.
Ken worked for several years with the Central Park Conservancy. He devoted thousands of hours to the Park, learning about horticulture and contributing his touch and care to the gardens. Such also was his passion for people and the most vulnerable with Ken becoming a tireless advocate to stop childhood abuse. In 2010, he co-founded the ‘Stop Abuse Campaign’ and helped craft legislation to fight childhood abuse.
In March of 2020 with the onset of the Covid lockdown looming, Ken had already laid plans to move back to Greenville to help care for his mom. He was also finishing an autobiography about his childhood in the south.
Ken is survived by his mother Lovie Rievley Thornton of Greenville, MS, sister Holly Mason of La Quinta, CA, niece Alex Reichle of Wellelsey, MA, nephew Eli Reichle of Oxford, MS, Brother Troy Mason (Pam Mitchell) of Dawsonville, GA, nephew Major Sean Mason USMC of Richmond VA, niece Shelby Courtney (Cameron) of Louisa, VA and Sydney Mason of Spotsylvania, VA. Preceding Ken in death was father Jerry Mason of Greenville, MS. Ken also leaves behind a host of aunts, uncles, and cousins and a larger family of those he touched, too countless to name.
Honorary pallbearers include Josh Jones, Willie O’Donnell, Andrew Williis, Dwayne Hill, Vince Kurz, Emil Varda, Kendario Crigler, and Kollin Carter.
In lieu of flowers the family asks that you please donate to the Stop Abuse Campaign at stopabusecampaign.org