Doris Jean Newcomb Mason

Doris Jean Newcomb Mason, 80, went to her eternal home in Heaven on January 27, 2016.
She was born on April 13, 1935, in Joplin, Missouri to Ithamar Claiborne Newcomb and Hazel Leah Brown Newcomb. As a child, her family moved her to Miss. She grew up in Handsboro, then settled in Woolmarket in the early 1960's, where she lived for the remainder of her life. She worked with Coastal Drilling & Service Co. for most of her adult life. Later in life she became an LPN and cared for the elderly.
Doris was an avid nature lover and was active in the Audubon Society. She loved bird-watching, especially Humming Birds. She took a special trip to Arizona once to the Humming Bird Sanctuary at the Sonoran Desert Museum, where she was surrounded by Humming Birds in their natural habitat. The highlight of the trip was when she witnessed a Humming Bird building her tiny nest. She prided herself on knowing the species of all birds she watched.
Doris was a gifted seamstress and made most of the clothes she and her children wore. When grandchildren came along, she was all too happy to sew clothing for them. She also loved quilting and attending quilt shows. Her quilts are special reminders of her handiwork.
In addition, she enjoyed her vegetable garden and preserving veggies for the winter months. But, Doris' favorite pastime was getting away from it all and driving down to the beach at all hours of the night to gig flounder. She loved the excitement of seeing the flounder, gigging them, and the ensuring splashing of water that took place while she attempted to get the flounder on the stringer. She loved telling the stories of her floundering experiences and how, more than once, she could barely drag the stringer full of flounder across the sand to the car, for the trip home. She actually won First Prize in the flounder division of the Miss. Gulf Coast Fishing Rodeo at one time, which was so thrilling to her.
Doris was preceded in death by her parents and son, Glendel Perry Madden, Jr. of Woolmarket. She is survived by her children, Deborah Bynum of Woolmarket, Dawn Norton of Cedar Park, TX, Darla (Joey) Hanson of Woolmarket, and Ronnie Mason of Woolmarket; her grandchildren, Laura (Mark) Sprecker of Woolmarket, Jennifer (Scott) McNeal of Woolmarket, Glendel (Kari) Madden III of Woolmarket, Amy Madden of Woolmarket, Kendrick Norton of Austin, TX, Kyle Norton of Austin, TX, Jacob Henley of Woolmarket, Preston Simpson of Saucier; her great-grandchildren, Danielle Husley of Woolmarket, Liberty and Anna McNeal of Woolmarket, Lyla Madden of Woolmarket, Devin Hernandez of Woolmarket, and Jacob Henley's two sons, Dillion and Dylan. Doris is also survived by her sister, Mary Evelyn (Tony) Firmature of Bay St. Louis, and two nieces, Colette and Annette. We also want to acknowledge her special friends and long-time neighbors, the Husley Family of Woolmarket, who cared for her throughout the years and went out of their way to supply her with fresh seafood and home grown vegetables.
No services are planned at this time.
Donations may be made to National Audubon Society in memory of Doris.
Riemann Family Funeral Home, 11280 Three Rivers Road in Gulfport, served the family.
For more information, please call (228) 539-9800.