Ed Mason, the man who kept Edmontonians informed for decades at Corus radio stations has died. He was 75.
Mason retired in 2014 after nearly 50 years on air, almost 40 of that in the morning on CHQT and 630 CHED.
“Even though I haven’t met someone of you, and even though I can’t hear most of you, this is the best place on earth and I’ll miss you,” Mason said to colleagues after his final newscast.
“Ed Mason was the ultimate newsperson,” former Corus Edmonton radio news manager Bob Layton said. “I say that not because he is gone, but because it is true.”
Layton remembered staff joking that Mason should take an extra day off every week “just to have the phone surgically removed from his ear.”
“When he finished one of his always creatively written newscasts, he never seemed to relax,” Layton said. “He would immediately be back on the phone, looking for something fresh for the next hour; maybe an update, a clarification, or just to ask what else was happening.”
Layton praised Mason for his mentorship of newer journalists in the newsroom, saying Mason taught them to write for CHED’s audience, while still being accurate and fair.
He shared one final memory of Mason’s time with 630 CHED:
“Ed was always creative on-air, and although it feels odd to tell this story at the time of his passing, I feel confident he would approve. We had just received word that Canadian country music icon Stompin’ Tom Connors had passed away.
“Ed opened the mic and told 630 CHED’s audience that, ‘Stompin’ Tom Connors has kicked the plywood bucket!’
“If there were patron saints for a newsroom, Ed Mason would be one of them.”
Mason was in the news earlier this month when he was one many Albertans who had a surgery rescheduled due to the current ICU capacity issues. The surgery that was scheduled to take place on Sept. 12 to repair damage after cancer radiation was cancelled just a few minutes before it was scheduled to begin.
Mason’s daughter Carlie said her father did get his surgery on Sept. 15, but had trouble breathing and was put on a breathing machine on Sept 17.
Over the weekend, his condition declined, but Mason decided against returning to the ICU.
He died with his family at his side the afternoon of Sept. 28.
“He passed away peacefully and on his own terms.”
“He did not wish to have a funeral or service but I hope to do up a detailed obituary discussing his extraordinary life.”
Mason’s final newscast was on Aug. 29, 2014.