Gary "Fred" Masters

Gary Fred Masters, of Thornton, passed away at Kindred Hospital in Mansfield on Monday, January 27, 2014, following his last battle with his health. He had spent over a month in Providence Hospital and the past few days in Mansfield. He had also suffered from other health problems for many years. He was 68 years old. Visitation will be Wednesday, January 29, 2014, from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. at Groesbeck Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Thursday, January 30, 2014, in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel, with Reverend Tracy Sims of the Central Baptist Church of Thornton and Sedric Thomas officiating. Burial will follow in the Thornton Cemetery. Pallbearers will be James Eakins, Flint McLean, Bubba Sullivan, Brian Cannefax, Anthony Wietzikoski, and Mark Roberts. Honorary Pallbearers will be Keith Masters, Shane McLean, Vance Rose, Sonny Lane, Marcus Ray Hannah, Joel Thomas, Danny Burleson, and Eric (Doc) Wietzikoski. Gary Fred was born February 27, 1945 to Fred P. and Betty Jo (Pollard) Masters in Mexia. He grew up in the Shiloh and Groesbeck area and was a football player for the Groesbeck Goats while in high school. He was a devoted Longhorn fan all his life. While living in Dallas and working for Mrs. Baird’s Bakery, Fred met his future wife who also worked there. Fred was united in marriage with Brenda Kinney on March 6, 1965 in Dallas. They moved to Groesbeck after their marriage, and made several other moves, including living back in East Texas a few years, before moving back to Groesbeck, eventually settling in Thornton. Fred was a truck driver – it was all he knew, growing up in a family of truck drivers. He drove many years for various enterprises, including driving for Hobbs for twenty years, on the East Coast route. For the last twenty years, he and Brenda owned their own truck and drove as a team on long-haul trips. Fred was gone on the truck for 3-4 days of every week for most of his life, but when he was home he was a workaholic who was always busy. He mowed his yard to perfection, kept his equipment cleaned to perfection and was “OCD” about the house and yard, and enjoyed keeping up his reputation for neatness and cleanness. He raised the kids to “do it right” or “do it again” (or he would redo it if he felt it still wasn’t right.) It was hard for him to become unable to do all the things he wanted and felt needed to be done. Fred loved his kids and was always there for their school and sports events. He dearly loved the grandchildren and great grandson – they were “his world.” Fred had a lot of humor, and loved picking on everyone. He always had a nickname for each of the kids, including nieces and nephews and neighbors. All their life, he called Lori “Dunes”; Dena was “Shrimp”, Steven was “Bept”, Staci was “Beezer”, and then the grandchildren were “Chip”, “Tooti-Booti”, “Porkchop”, “Squeekster”, “RanTan”, "Sumo”, “Shorty” and “Kourt.” If the kids heard their real name, especially the middle name, they knew they were in serious trouble about something. Fred had always been called “Scooter” by his mother. While the past few months were hard on him, his mother gave him her special love by baking him a pie (usually buttermilk) every day, and he ate of each one. The brothers and sisters gave him a hard time calling him “Mama’s Boy” but he gave the teasing right back to them. As one nurse during his hospital stay said, he was “a man of all men,” trying to stay independent to the end. Fred was preceded in death by his father, Fred Masters; brother, Larry Joe Masters; and great nephew, Bradley Noey. He is survived by his wife, Brenda Masters of Thornton; daughter, Lori Masters and partner, Kelley Sherrard of Corsicana; daughter, Dena Masters of Thornton; son and daughter-in-law, Steven and Melissa Masters of Groesbeck; daughter, Staci Masters and Alan Stinnett of Thornton; granddaughers: Kourtney Masters of Salt Lake City, Utah, Lauren Masters of Mexia, Kylee Masters of Groesbeck, Madison Masters of Groesbeck, Camden Masters of Thornton, grandsons, Tanner Masters and Jaxon Masters of Thornton, and great grandson, Corbin Grigg of Mexia. He also leaves behind his mother, Betty Jo Masters; brothers, Chesley Masters and wife Billie, Mason Masters and wife Debbie, and Mike Masters and wife Debbie; and sisters, Dianne Masters and partner, Scarlett Toliver, and and Debbie Minchew and husband Dennis; and many nieces and nephews.