Martha Mason: May 31,1937--May 4, 2009

Sandbox Buddies.Left to right: Libby, Peggy Jean, Martha, Pat, Ginger (her caretaker) and Shirley.

Today would have been Martha Mason's 75th birthday.  Martha was one of my sandbox buddies, a group of us born in 1937 that started school together and that have remained friends for life.  Martha contracted polio in the summer of 1948 and spent the rest of her life in an iron lung.  But she lived a more fruitful life than most of us, graduating at the top of her class at Lattimore High School and Gardner-Webb College.  A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Wake Forest College, she was again at the top of her class.

In April 2003, her memoir Breath: Life in the Rhythm of an Iron Lung was published, and her friend, Jack Hunt of Lattimore, threw a big barbecue to celebrate.

Jack Hunt with Pat (left) and Beth Spitzhoff Jones (right).

Martha's friends from far and wide attended this party, and the town of Lattimore honored her with a sign on the town caboose.

The town Caboose .

Martha's caretakers, left to right, Melissa, Ginger, Judy.

Dan at the party with Cindy Hunt Martin.

Ginger with the Westmoore Pottery plate commerating Martha's book.

Friends, George Hamrick (center) and Jim Fite (right) chatting with Marty Whaley Cornwell.

Polly Fite (center) long-time friend of Martha.

Table of desserts prepared by friends in the little town of Lattimore.

 It's just not the same when I go back to Lattimore without having Martha to visit.  We sandbox buddies miss her very much, and we're thinking of her today on her birthday.