I was looking thru the Chapter Grand comments and I noticed that Brother Horace Mast had no comments about his life . Horace passed away in 1970 after a motorcycle accident avoiding a dog in Nacogdoches . Not only was Horace a Fraternity Member , but he was also a good friend of mine as well . We had a Business Math class together in the spring semester of 1970 . I went to his home many times that semester and knew his mother Patricia very well . Horace was a person who really had it all in life . He was a handsome young man that the college girls adored , He was very athletic and could do a flip from a standing position . He played on many of the Phi Delts intramural championship sports teams . Horace had a magnetic personalty and never met a stranger . His family was one of the most prominent families in east Texas . His death in the summer of 1970 was a severe shock to all who knew him . Every time that I pass by the Presbyterian church that his funeral service was held in Nacogdoches , the hurt in my heart that I felt over 50 years ago comes back . I still miss him and can only wonder what fine things he would have achieved had he been able to live a long life . Horace was one of the finest people that I ever knew . Rest in Peace my good friend and know that you are still missed by many of your Brothers from Phi Delta Theta . I will see you soon when I get to the Chapter Grand myself .
What a fine tribute for one brother/friend to pay to another. I did not know Horace but I did know his older brother. I am sorry that I did not get to know Horace also. Your memories and remembrance of him is moving.
Marty gave a great tribute to Horace. He died right after I graduated. The telephone pole he hit was in the front
yard of an old friend of mine, who was with Horace as he died (broken neck). Horace now has a nephew with the same name living here in Nac. who is in the motorsport business. The summer Horace
died his dad had him mowing a field with a tractor on one of his farms, and he specifically told Horace to drive the tractor into a dry creek bed when he finished, because if someone could see the tractor unattended they could steal parts off it. Just before Horace finished mowing the tractor motor started smoking, so Horace cut it off, but he had to leave the tractor where it was to avoid further damage. A few minutes later his dad drove by and saw the tractor exactly where he told Horace not to leave it. He got fuming mad....jumped on the tractor and drove it quickly into the dry creek bed which completely burned up the motor.
Thanks for sharing those stories and tribute. I obviously did not know Horace, but there was the Horace Mast bowl that was around the house all 5 years I was a PDT at SFA. I didn't know, or recall how he died and how young he was.
It is a miracle that during my time we didn't have a tradegy befall one of our brothers, for a variety of reasons. We should never take our time here for granted, if for no other reason than for people like Horace who didn't get that opportunity.
Thanks to Marty and Ricky and Jerry for your remembrances of Horace! His full name was Horace Roberdeau Mast (his middle name coming from his mother). I remember that tragedy so well! I was in summer school getting ready to graduate in Aug 1970. The Mast Family was a solid rock and pillar of the Nacogdoches community! Horace's older brother Trey had gone to school at Swanee and was a Phi (I'm pretty sure) because he often attended our social events etc. His sister (also named Patricia ?) was gorgeous and younger brother John also became a Phi! In early summer Mr Mast needed help bailing hay on one of his farms, so Horace a I bailed together for a week or so after morning classes. 5 cents a bail! We loaded them on a trailer in the field then into the barn! My arms we like spagetti ! I was soooo sore! Horace's grandmother offered to take the 3 older grandkids to Europe for a summer vacation; but Horace couldn't go because of summer school. So she bought him a motocycle instead (at least that's what I remember). Nobody wore helmets back in those days; and Ricky's description of the event of his death are consistent with mine. We were all in shock when we heard the news! We all immediately gathered at someone's house (one of our brothers) to grieve until late in the night. Then we decided to go visit with the Mast family at their home. I remember Mrs. Mast asking why we all hadn't come earlier? We were her comfort in that time of tremendous grief! In the next couple of days, the funeral services were planned (I recall it was the Episcopal Church at the corner of Mound and Starr, but i could be wrong). Horace's casket was delivered to the church the day before the funeral, and the PDT Brothers set up a List of brothers who would attend to the casket all thru the night and morning before the services, switching out every couple of hours! We wanted to make sure Horace was never alone at the church! At the conclusion of the services we all followed the funeral prosession out to Sunset Cemetary on North Street. This was my first experience having a Phi Delta Theta funeral service after the main services. We all found evergreen leafs and branches to place of his casket before it was lowered into the ground! In Cuelo Quis Est! Until we are reunited in Heaven! A few years ago when i became active at SFA on the Board, i made an afternoon trip out to the Cemetary. I wanted to find Horace's gravestone. I had a memory of where we held the services and where he was interred. Sure enough, i was able to find Horace's gravesite with little difficulty, even though the Cemetary had grown considerably! May God's grace continue to abound on Horace! --Tommy Mason #159
Wonderful recollections by you guys about a brother who was lost far too soon. He came from a great family and it sounds like he was a great guy.....his future was obviously very bright. This sad tragedy only shows that none of us know what tomorrow brings, except the man upstairs, and, IMO, that is why it is important for us to keep in contact with our brothers if and when we can. This page has been a wonderful assistance in doing that and we owe Bro. Joel Moore a great debt of gratitude for setting it up.
Just as a point of clarification I believe Trey was a Fiji at Sewanee....but, if he had attended SFA he would have been a Phi. I believe he may be a physician in 'Doches now....Rick Still would know for sure.
Thanks Brother Leboeuf! I knew my memory was going to be a little off! But your message is right-on! Too much time has passed, too little time ahead! Let's make the most out of it! Looking forward to seeing you soon! --tm #159
1968- Some how Horace was a lone pledge caught by the Magnificent 7 living in the two story house on North Street. For whatever reason and it didn’t take much, we decided to take a little starch out of phikiea Mast. There was a Robo Car Wash close by, so he was tied up and put in a pickup bed and run through the Robo. There was a concern that he might drown, especially when the colored attendant kept running circles around the pickup deeply concerned. It didn’t effect Horace a bit, he yelled for more! Never did I expect to be attending his funeral so soon. He had it all going for him and no doubt would be in leadership today in so many ways. YITB
The Mast family were close friends of my wife's, Susan(Phi sweetheart 1965-66), family, Henry and Mildred Schmidt. So, I got to see them often at the Schmidt's house. Both A.T. and Pat were always gracious and their children were very well mannered. Someone was right in their comment about young Patricia Mast - she was beautiful. It seems Brother Brawner dated her. showing his usual good taste.
The Masts acquired a large amount of timber acreage and it seems they even acquired thousands of acres in New Mexico, but time may have failed my memory on that location. One of my favorite stories about A.T. came from one of the employees at Schmidt's, Susan's family's store. The employee was older and said that decades ago her family had to sell their land and it was bought by the Mast's. Years later the family's children did better financially and approached A.T. about buying it back. He very politely said, "Oh honey, we don't sell-we just buy!" Funny what stays in your mind. Pat and A.T. were two of my favorite people during those years.
Marty D. Thurman #214
I was looking thru the Chapter Grand comments and I noticed that Brother Horace Mast had no comments about his life . Horace passed away in 1970 after a motorcycle accident avoiding a dog in Nacogdoches . Not only was Horace a Fraternity Member , but he was also a good friend of mine as well . We had a Business Math class together in the spring semester of 1970 . I went to his home many times that semester and knew his mother Patricia very well . Horace was a person who really had it all in life . He was a handsome young man that the college girls adored , He was very athletic and could do a flip from a standing position . He played on many of the Phi Delts intramural championship sports teams . Horace had a magnetic personalty and never met a stranger . His family was one of the most prominent families in east Texas . His death in the summer of 1970 was a severe shock to all who knew him . Every time that I pass by the Presbyterian church that his funeral service was held in Nacogdoches , the hurt in my heart that I felt over 50 years ago comes back . I still miss him and can only wonder what fine things he would have achieved had he been able to live a long life . Horace was one of the finest people that I ever knew . Rest in Peace my good friend and know that you are still missed by many of your Brothers from Phi Delta Theta . I will see you soon when I get to the Chapter Grand myself .
Robert L Leboeuf #84
What a fine tribute for one brother/friend to pay to another. I did not know Horace but I did know his older brother. I am sorry that I did not get to know Horace also. Your memories and remembrance of him is moving.
Thank you..........and, best personal regards.
Yours In The Bond.....Bro. Robert LeBoeuf #84
John Rick Still #149
Marty gave a great tribute to Horace. He died right after I graduated. The telephone pole he hit was in the front
yard of an old friend of mine, who was with Horace as he died (broken neck). Horace now has a nephew with the same name living here in Nac. who is in the motorsport business. The summer Horace
died his dad had him mowing a field with a tractor on one of his farms, and he specifically told Horace to drive the tractor into a dry creek bed when he finished, because if someone could see the tractor unattended they could steal parts off it. Just before Horace finished mowing the tractor motor started smoking, so Horace cut it off, but he had to leave the tractor where it was to avoid further damage. A few minutes later his dad drove by and saw the tractor exactly where he told Horace not to leave it. He got fuming mad....jumped on the tractor and drove it quickly into the dry creek bed which completely burned up the motor.
Rick Still #149
Craig Moritz #432
Marty and Rick,
Thanks for sharing those stories and tribute. I obviously did not know Horace, but there was the Horace Mast bowl that was around the house all 5 years I was a PDT at SFA. I didn't know, or recall how he died and how young he was.
It is a miracle that during my time we didn't have a tradegy befall one of our brothers, for a variety of reasons. We should never take our time here for granted, if for no other reason than for people like Horace who didn't get that opportunity.
May God bless you all and our country.
Yours in The Bond,
Craig W. Moritz #432
Jerry Russell #196
Great memories of Horace expressed by Marty and Rick of both fun and deep sadness!
Horace was the embodiment of Texas ETA, Phi Delta Theta!
M. Thomas (Tommy) Mason #159
Thanks to Marty and Ricky and Jerry for your remembrances of Horace! His full name was Horace Roberdeau Mast (his middle name coming from his mother). I remember that tragedy so well! I was in summer school getting ready to graduate in Aug 1970. The Mast Family was a solid rock and pillar of the Nacogdoches community! Horace's older brother Trey had gone to school at Swanee and was a Phi (I'm pretty sure) because he often attended our social events etc. His sister (also named Patricia ?) was gorgeous and younger brother John also became a Phi! In early summer Mr Mast needed help bailing hay on one of his farms, so Horace a I bailed together for a week or so after morning classes. 5 cents a bail! We loaded them on a trailer in the field then into the barn! My arms we like spagetti ! I was soooo sore! Horace's grandmother offered to take the 3 older grandkids to Europe for a summer vacation; but Horace couldn't go because of summer school. So she bought him a motocycle instead (at least that's what I remember). Nobody wore helmets back in those days; and Ricky's description of the event of his death are consistent with mine. We were all in shock when we heard the news! We all immediately gathered at someone's house (one of our brothers) to grieve until late in the night. Then we decided to go visit with the Mast family at their home. I remember Mrs. Mast asking why we all hadn't come earlier? We were her comfort in that time of tremendous grief! In the next couple of days, the funeral services were planned (I recall it was the Episcopal Church at the corner of Mound and Starr, but i could be wrong). Horace's casket was delivered to the church the day before the funeral, and the PDT Brothers set up a List of brothers who would attend to the casket all thru the night and morning before the services, switching out every couple of hours! We wanted to make sure Horace was never alone at the church! At the conclusion of the services we all followed the funeral prosession out to Sunset Cemetary on North Street. This was my first experience having a Phi Delta Theta funeral service after the main services. We all found evergreen leafs and branches to place of his casket before it was lowered into the ground! In Cuelo Quis Est! Until we are reunited in Heaven! A few years ago when i became active at SFA on the Board, i made an afternoon trip out to the Cemetary. I wanted to find Horace's gravestone. I had a memory of where we held the services and where he was interred. Sure enough, i was able to find Horace's gravesite with little difficulty, even though the Cemetary had grown considerably! May God's grace continue to abound on Horace! --Tommy Mason #159
Robert L Leboeuf #84
Wonderful recollections by you guys about a brother who was lost far too soon. He came from a great family and it sounds like he was a great guy.....his future was obviously very bright. This sad tragedy only shows that none of us know what tomorrow brings, except the man upstairs, and, IMO, that is why it is important for us to keep in contact with our brothers if and when we can. This page has been a wonderful assistance in doing that and we owe Bro. Joel Moore a great debt of gratitude for setting it up.
Just as a point of clarification I believe Trey was a Fiji at Sewanee....but, if he had attended SFA he would have been a Phi. I believe he may be a physician in 'Doches now....Rick Still would know for sure.
YITB
M. Thomas (Tommy) Mason #159
Thanks Brother Leboeuf! I knew my memory was going to be a little off! But your message is right-on! Too much time has passed, too little time ahead! Let's make the most out of it! Looking forward to seeing you soon! --tm #159
Kenneth (Kim) Brimer #144
1968- Some how Horace was a lone pledge caught by the Magnificent 7 living in the two story house on North Street. For whatever reason and it didn’t take much, we decided to take a little starch out of phikiea Mast. There was a Robo Car Wash close by, so he was tied up and put in a pickup bed and run through the Robo. There was a concern that he might drown, especially when the colored attendant kept running circles around the pickup deeply concerned. It didn’t effect Horace a bit, he yelled for more! Never did I expect to be attending his funeral so soon. He had it all going for him and no doubt would be in leadership today in so many ways. YITB
Paul Poston, Jr. #82
The Mast family were close friends of my wife's, Susan(Phi sweetheart 1965-66), family, Henry and Mildred Schmidt. So, I got to see them often at the Schmidt's house. Both A.T. and Pat were always gracious and their children were very well mannered. Someone was right in their comment about young Patricia Mast - she was beautiful. It seems Brother Brawner dated her. showing his usual good taste.
The Masts acquired a large amount of timber acreage and it seems they even acquired thousands of acres in New Mexico, but time may have failed my memory on that location. One of my favorite stories about A.T. came from one of the employees at Schmidt's, Susan's family's store. The employee was older and said that decades ago her family had to sell their land and it was bought by the Mast's. Years later the family's children did better financially and approached A.T. about buying it back. He very politely said, "Oh honey, we don't sell-we just buy!" Funny what stays in your mind. Pat and A.T. were two of my favorite people during those years.
Yours in the Bond,
Paul Poston #82