William's obituary
Two incredible people, Johanne “Jody” Germaine [Massie] Mastic and William “Bill” Mathew Mastic, left this earthly place to be among the stars on January 31 and September 25, 2002, respectively. Our family is saddened to lose these two souls, but know they are together during the greatest journey there is. If you knew Bill and Jody, you’d know they were inseparable from the day they met.
Bill was born in Canonsburg, PA on August 14, 1918, to parents, Paul and Rebecca [McShane] Mastic, and Jody was born in Flint, MI on July 4, 1927, to parents Clarence and Germaine [Preville] Massie.
Bill enlisted in the US Army in 1941, served in WW II in Europe for 4 years, was honorably discharged in 1945 as a Technical Sergeant with the 759th Tank Battalion, and was awarded the Bronze Star. He then attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor under the GI bill, graduating with a degree in Chemistry.
Jody attended Mercy College in Detroit, MI, graduating as a registered nurse. Jody went to Ann Arbor's St. Joseph's Hospital for her practical training. Jody went on to obtain her school nurse-teacher certification in Cornell, NY, and began a career that she enjoyed until retirement.
They met in Ann Arbor at a school dance and fell in love immediately. They were married in Flint, MI on November 13, 1948, moved to Syracuse, NY where Bill was employed as a lab chemist, eventually rising to a senior management position before retiring. They went on to have and raise two boys: Lawrence and Matthew. Starting when Larry and Matt were in elementary school, Bill acquired his first of three St. Bernard dogs, that he enjoyed training and taking them to dog shows with the family. He also coached Little League baseball and instilled a love of baseball and other sports in the boys.
After retiring in 1977, Bill and Jody moved from Syracuse to Tucson, AZ to escape the winters and be closer to the boys who were both residing in AZ at the time. In retirement, they both enjoyed playing bridge with their friends, visiting with their sons’ families, travelling on trips and cruises, and going back to Michigan to visit their families every summer. Jody also developed a passion for genealogy and tennis upon retiring, doing quite well in the Senior Olympics tennis events.
Jody was predeceased by her parents. Clarence and Germaine [Preville] Massie, and had two younger sisters, Shirley Montpas (spouse, Earl) (d. 2020), and Margaret Miller (spouse, Cliff) (d. 2013).
Bill was predeceased by his spouse, Jody, and by his parents Paul and Rebecca [McShane] Mastic. He had two sisters, Ellen Francis Frontz (spouse, Robert) (d. 1977), and Mary Simballa (spouse, Paul) (d. 2007).
They are both survived by their two sons, Lawrence (spouse, Gloria Ann and daughter, Tracey), and Matthew (spouse, Gracie and son, Wesley), who are still alive.
Inseparable even in death, they are interred side-by-side at East Lawn Palms Cemetery in Tucson, AZ. Recorded July 2025