Cheryl Mason, 70, of Cape Coral, died June 27.
Mrs. Mason graduated from Griffith High School in 1961 and kept in close touch with her many close friends over the years. After completing her undergraduate education at Indiana University and obtaining her master’s at Purdue University, she taught high school English for six years before becoming the media specialist at Munster High School for 28 years. After retiring in 1999, she was a seasonal Florida resident until 2002 when her husband, Ted Mason, died. She became a permanent Florida resident in 2006, and her parents lived with her until their deaths in 2012.
She loved to sing, dance, travel and read. She was a choir member and cantor at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Schererville, Ind., for 30 years and at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church in Cape Coral after joining the church in 1999. She was a devoted daughter, sister, wife, mother and friend.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Ralph and Betty Beiriger; sister, Betsy Christenson; husband, Dr. Theodore (Ted) D. Mason; and fiancé, Adolph “Buddy” Traurig.
She is survived by her brother, retired Lt. Col. Richard A. Beiriger (Karen), of Plant City; daughter, Tonya Sears-Brokop, of Duluth, Minn.; son, Jon Joseph, of Lafayette, Ind.; step-daughters, Anne Mason-Jacobs (Matt), of Fairfax, Calif., Thea Mason-Koehler (Brian), of Encinitas, Calif., Cate Mason, of San Francisco, and Merree Mason, of Portage, Ind.; grandchildren, Joshua Sears, of Merrillville, Ind., and Andrew and Nina Brokop, of Hobart, Ind.; nieces, Stephanie Pawlowski (Dennis), of Plant City, Jennifer Mathew (Tim), of Valparaiso, Ind., and Heather Bayer (Tim), of Winter Park; nephews, Cass Christenson (Nicole), of Bethesda, Md.; Kent Christenson, of Palm Beach Gardens; and Matthew J. Beiriger III (Mary), of Oakton, Va.; as well as many cousins and extended family.
Funeral arrangements are pending through Burns-Kish Funeral Home in Indiana. There will be a Mass of Christian burial at St. Michael’s Catholic Church, in Schererville, Ind., and interment will be held at St. Michael’s Cemetery, also in Schererville, at a later date. A memorial Mass will also be held in Cape Coral at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church.
