Sandra Mason, 86, of Marietta, GA. passed away on April 6, 2023. A Funeral Service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, April 10, 2023 at Sandy Plains Baptist Church, Marietta, GA. Interment will follow at Sandy Plains Baptist Church cemetery.

Cassandra June Wornal Mason was born in Bluefield, West Virginia on November 14, 1936, the second child of Burns and Ruth Wornal. Before she started school, they moved to Princeton, West Virginia where her parents had started the Memorial Funeral Directory. She attended Knob School, Mercer School, and Princeton High School where she played in the school band and was involved in speech and debate activities. Her senior year, she attended and graduated from the Wheaton College Academy in Evanston, Illinois. She then attended Stetson University in DeLand, Florida. She was actively involved in Baptist Student Union activities and ministries. She was one of the founding members of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority on campus where she served as chaplain. She graduated in May 1959 with a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in sociology and a minor in psychology. Because of the health condition of her father, she returned to West Virginia and served as secretary and youth director of Grace Memorial Methodist Church in Bluefield. The following year, she attended Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky to study youth ministry. There, she met a second-year student, Don Mason. In December, they were engaged, and she returned home. In February, they were married. She worked for Jefferson County Social Services in Louisville as a social caseworker. She remained in that work until Don's graduation in 1963 when they moved to Tuscaloosa, Alabama while he was attending graduate school. She became the Youth Director at Calvary Baptist Church in Tuscaloosa. Following his graduation, they moved to Orlando, Florida where he was on the faculty of Orlando Junior College. Shortly after their move she gave birth to her first child, Arthur. She was a stay-at-home mom. They were in Orlando for two years and her second son, Jay, was born there also. Then they moved to Liberty, Missouri where Don was on the faculty of William Jewell College. In 1967, they were appointed missionaries of the Foreign Mission Board (now International Mission Board) of the Southern Baptist Convention. They went to Zambia, Central Africa to start the first Christian ministry at the University of Zambia. Then they were asked to come to teach at the Baptist Seminary of Zambia in Lusaka. She taught women's Bible classes, how to work with women and children, nutrition, first aid, childcare, sewing, cooking. She was responsible for the nursery for the students' children. She also worked with women's ministry in churches. In 1969, her son, Dale, was born. In 1971, they came home for furlough. While at home and living in Princeton, her daughter, Melita, was born. When she was about 6 weeks old, the family of 6 returned to Zambia where they continued to teach at the seminary. She also taught and worked with women's groups in churches. In 1975, they returned to the U.S. and lived in East Point, Georgia. Then they moved to Stone Mountain while they served at the Park Avenue Baptist Church in downtown Atlanta. She continued to speak on missions as she was invited. After her children started to school, she became a medical social worker at the Georgia Baptist Hospital. She worked there until they moved to Alabama where he was a pastor. During those years she was manager of a Diet Center in Montgomery. Then they moved to Marietta, Georgia to serve at Sandy Plains Baptist Church. In all these churches, she taught Sunday School, worked with women's ministry, visited, counseled, and built relationships with people. She again managed a Diet Center. In the years after retirement, they served as interim at churches and as chaplain on cruise ships.

At the age of 7, Sandra had accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior and committed to serve Him as Lord. As a child she taught younger children in churches planted by her parents. She loved her Lord and served Him as teacher, church secretary, youth director, choir member, soloist, missionary, prayer warrior, and a committed follower of Jesus throughout her life. When she sang "Take up your cross and follow me", she meant it not only in word, but in her life. She is survived by her husband of 62 years, Don Mason, her 4 children and their families (10 grandchildren); Arthur Burns Mason (Dianne), Jay Donald Mason (Kim), Allan Dale Mason (Lisa), Melita Lee Conrey (Chad), and grandchildren: Carrie, Ryan (Tanner), Brooke (Wesley), Paige (Caleb), Megan, Claire, Sarah, Allie, Chase (Ally), and Kayla and 2 great grandchildren and sister Marcheta Lund of Acworth, Georgia. Her caring, compassionate spirit and Christian commitment will be sorely missed by family and friends.

The Family will receive friends on Monday from 1:00 p.m till 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers you may make donations in her honor to the International Mission Board, designated for the Baptist Seminary of Zambia, www.imb.org/generosity/ or Sandy Plains Baptist Church, 2825 Sandy Plains Road, Marietta, GA. 30066.