Dr. Daniel MAsson

DR. DANIEL JOHN MASSON

Tucson, Ariz.

Dr. Daniel John Masson, 90, of Tucson, Ariz., died Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020, at

the Tucson Medical Center. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 29, at Jones & Eden Funeral Home with Father Bernie Weir officiating. Calling

hours will begin at 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28, at the funeral home where the family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday. Interment with military honors will be held at Elm Grove Cemetery in Washington. Memorials have been established for the American Heart Association. Online condolences may be sent for Daniel's family through the web at www.jonesfh.com.

Daniel was born April 21, 1929, in Washington, Iowa, the son of Daniel Victor and Marcella Virginia (Zdarsky) Masson. He graduated from the University of Iowa with a master's in mechanical engineering in 1956 and received his doctorate of philosophy in industrial engineering from Minerva University. Dan was married to Grace Evelyn (Garner) Masson on May 8, 1960. He later married Lavina Eagle on Aug. 17, 1982, in Titusville, Fla.

He served in the Army Corps of Engineers as a first lieutenant during the Korean War. He was awarded the Korean Service Medal with one Bronze Service Star; the United Nations Service Medal; and the National Defense Service Medal. He served as reserve commissioned officer of the Army and was honorably discharged in 1963. After the war, he returned to the University of Iowa to complete his education in mechanical engineering.

He worked as a mechanical engineer for Trane HVAC in Lacrosse, Wis., from 1960 to 1962, Sandia National Laboratory in Livermore, Calif., from 1962 to 1964, Atomic Energy Commission in Macon, Ga., from 1964 to 1967, then transferring to NASA at Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the Apollo Program in 1967.

He worked at NASA for 28 years, retiring in 1995. His tenure with NASA spanned the space flight programs from Apollo, Skylab, Apollo Soyuz Test Project (ASTP), and into the shuttle era. He was part of the team that designed the deluge system for the Saturn 5 and Space Shuttle mobile launchers. Daniel was a major contributor to the mission of the Kennedy Space Center in the areas of corrosion control and refurbishment projects at the launch pads as well as the processing of shuttle vehicles. Following his retirement, Dan and Lavina moved to Green Valley, Ariz.

While in Florida, Dan and Lavina made many beautiful quilts, some of which were gifted to several members of the family. They enjoyed going on cruises around many parts of the world especially the Bahamas, Alaska and South America, playing cards with friends and brief trips to neighboring casinos. He enjoyed annual summer trips back to Iowa for family reunions and visiting family around the country. He was an active member of Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church in Green Valley.

Dan is survived by his son, John J. Masson of Colchester, Vt., and wife Debra M. Masson and their two sons, Brian and Seth; daughter, Amy Robinett of Nashville, Tenn., and her son, Nathan, and daughter, Abigail; son, Daniel B. Masson of Tampa, Fla.; stepchildren, Barbara (David) Kemery, Sandra (Harmon) Harris, Bill Mellecker, Bob Mellecker, Dennis (Paulette) Mellecker and Mary (Fred) Muzer; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Jean Cordry; his wife, Lavina, in 2011; and his step-daughter, Carolyn Cool, in 2019.