He was born September 26, 1913 in Beaufort County to the late Floria Payton Mask and James W. Mask Jr.
He graduated from Capital Highway High School, Hamlet. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from St. Augustine College, Raleigh and a Master’s Degree in Education from A&T State University in Greensboro. Further study was done at Atlanta University, Columbia University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was inducted into Phi Delta Kappa Fraternity.
His period of service in the field of education, which spanned over 44 years, included the high school principalship of both Capital Highway and Monroe Avenue High School, Assistant Superintendent of Richmond County Schools and a member of the Board of Education. He was the first African-American to serve as President of the North Carolina Chapter of the National association of Secondary School Principals.
Church, civic, educational affairs and the needs of the people in his community was a must for “J.W.” A lifetime member of the NAACP, he held offices in both the local and state branches, a member of retired school personnel, the Brotherhood od Saint Andrew, a member of the Democratic party. He was a member of All Saint’s Episcopal Church in Hamlet.
He was married to the late Frances Louise Sampson of LaPorte, Indiana. His survivors include daughters Jane Mask of the home and Alyce Calmore of Chapel Hill; son James Washington Mask III (Linda) of Burtonsville, Maryland; brother George C. Mask (Barbara) of Sarasota, Fla., and sister-in-law Gloria Mask of Hamlet.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, June 19 at 1 p.m., Waymon Chapel Faith Center, 415 Osborne Road, Hamlet, N.C. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to All Saint’s Episcopal Church or Scotland County Hospice.
Nelson Funeral Home of Hamlet is in charge of arrangements.
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