HEART OF GOLD
HEART OF GOLD
As I was driving home from the hospital, trying to see through the tears, I knew this would be the last time I would see my Uncle Jake.
What a man he was, loved by so many who knew him, knew what a loving man he was. He would give you his shirt right off his back if he saw you with out one. He was there for you though thick and thin no matter how he felt. Such a giving man he was.
He was not just my uncle but also an uncle to many for he had such a large family. However, more then that he was our best friend. He always had a joke or two to play on you. Remembering the dribble glass he made, just a few months ago, I pulled it out on him, but he caught the joke and laughed with me for it almost worked on him.
Jake was more then an uncle; he was a son, brother and a father as well as grandfather and friend to many but he was also married to a wonderful wife who was at his side no matter what he was going through. He suffered much but he still laugh with all of us in spite of what he was going though.
He was the youngest of seven in his family, five sisters and a brother who loved him no matter what. He went on to be with those who went before him.
We all prayed for a healing for him and God gave him the healing to be home with him so he would never suffer in pain again. In addition, knowing Jake he is now playing his jokes on all that is with him in heaven and singing with the Angels.
Jake now lives on in Spirit in all our lives; he has touched the hearts of many who will never forget such a loving man with a heart of gold. If you were one of the lucky ones to know him, you know he gave a piece of himself to live on in your life to pass it forward to those around you.
All his family and friends will sadly miss Jake. We must remember that he is in a better place then we are he will never feel pain again for God has healed him when he took him
home with him.
“Copyright 2009”
Jacqueline L. Greek
Jacob H. Mast, 69, Oil City, died at 3:40 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30,2009, after an extended illness. Born March 1, 1940, in Titusville, he was the son of the late James and Virginia Miller MastHe was a 1958 graduate of Oil City High School.Jake was an E-5 in the local National Guard from April 1962 until April 1968.
Mr. Mast was a police officer in Oil City for 31 years,
retiring in 1995. He then worked for Turning Point in Franklin.
He belonged to the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP).
Jake was a great Elvis fan, enjoyed golfing and his time spent with the Men's Softball League.
Mr. Mast was a member of the Oil City First Church of God.
He was first married to the former Judith Ann Geesey of Oil City, who preceded him in
death in 1973. He was then married on Dec. 25, 1973, to the former Sharon L. Rankin,
who survives.
Survivors also include three children, David A. Mast and his wife, Kerry, of Tega
Cay, S.c., Jason A. Mast and his wife, Kimberly, of Oil City, and Cynthia K. Deep
and her husband, Jeffrey, of Harpers Ferry, W.Va.; and four grandchildren, Remi
Mast of Oil City, Peyton Mast of Tega Cay, S.c., Presley Deep of Harpers Ferry, W.Va.,
and Abram Deep of Harpers Ferry, W.Va.
Also surviving are three sisters, June Smith of EastLake, Ohio, Fran Harkless and her husband. Jim
of Oil City. And Jesse Macko of Oil City; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death ~ by two brothers, James Mast and his wife, Nancy Drake Mast, and Alfred Mast; two sisters, Virginia Aites and Leona White; and two brothers-in-law. Tom Smith and
Frank Macko and Charles Aites
Friends will be received from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 7 to
9 p.m. today in the Reinsel Funeral Home and Crematory,
and from 10 to 11 a.m. Tuesday in the Oil Citv First Church of God. .
Funeral Services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the
Oil City First Church of God with the Rev. Brenda Snedden,
pastor, presiding. Interment will follow in
Sunset Hill Memorial Gardens.
The family suggests memorials
may be made to the
Kirtland Cancer Foundation,
P.O. Box 108, Franklin, 16323
Jacob H. Mast
Born
March 1, 1940
Died
October 30, 2009
A POLICEMAN'S PRAYER
Dear Lord, be with me on my beat
This day and every day.
Grant that each weary block I walk
May ease a brother's way.
Let me be kindly to the old
And to the young be strong,
But let me triumph over those
Whose acts are cruel or wrong.
And when my own last summons comes
And I stand in Your Court,
Lord, may my rest with you be long,
My punishment be short.
Reinsel Funeral Home & Crematory
THE DASH
- by Linda Ellis
I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning to the end.
He noted that first came her date of her birth
And spoke the following date with tears
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years.
For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth .
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not how much we own;
The cars the house the cash
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.
So think abut this long and hard.
Are there things you'd like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
That can still be rearranged.
If we could just slow down enough
To consider what's true and real
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.
And be less quick to anger
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we've never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect
And more often wear a smile
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.
So when your eulogy is being read
With your life's actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?
In Memory Of
Jacob H. Mast
March 1, 1940 - October 30, 2009 So let us now write about the dash and fill in that empty space in our hearts. I will start this on my fond memory’s of my uncle who filled my heart with his love. Jake was eighteen when I was born in 1958. My first real memory of him was when I was about 5 or 6. I was at my grandparents home on the hill, yes we can’t forget that hill on Seldon Ave. The one if you run in the house the house will slide down the hill!
I was in the kitchen eating and Jake came in all dress for work in his police uniform. He put his foot up on the chair to tie his shoelace. I looked up at him told him he was not allowed to put his shoe on the chair. Picking up his police hat and putting it on. Then looking at me asked me “Now what are you going to do about it?” I just sat there afraid to move.
When he got married the first time and our family came in town to visit my grandparents. First thing on Sat morning was to run down that hill to Union street to see Jake and Judy, We just loved to spend our time we had with them.
As I grew older and we moved to Oil City from Eastlake Ohio. I was able to see my uncle as much as I want. So many times stopping in at the police station to just stop and say hi.
In the winter time on Saturday or Sunday we would all walk up the hill to go ice skating and then on over to Jake and Judy’s. We would have dinner with them play some cards then Jake took us home.
When we lost Judy I spent a lot of time at Jake’s watching David and Jason and helping him with the house. Then I met Sharon and soon she become a member of our family. It took me a long time to accept her I had to be sure she was good enough for my uncle Jake, I remembering grilling her and I know she was upset and told Jake to take me home.
But as time went by, Sharon became my aunt and I learned to love her just as much as I loved my uncle Jake, Sharon proved herself to me to be part of our family.
Now who don’t remember the school dances, basketball games and of the football games! I would loved to go to all of them with my friends and cousins. There was uncle Jake in his police uniform along side him was my grandfather as well as my dad.
It did not take long for me to realized that I was not allowed to walk around at those games or even the school dances. I was escorted back to my seat by my uncle Jake or another police officer if not my dad or grandfather would.
Then walking around the Northside of town on a Friday night and talking to the boys over at McDonalds was a big thing. Until I heard the loud speaker “ Jackie, Diane time to go home!” There was my uncle Jake and my dad in the police cruiser! Wow don’t we ever get a break! It’s a wonder I even had any friends left.
Then I started to date, then I would get a call from my uncle Jake, telling me that that boy was not someone I should be going out with. I knew he checked up on boy I was seeing. Jake would never tell me what this boy did. But I knew I could not date him.
My Uncle Jake got me out of so much trouble. My car one time was sitting on Interstate 79, the engine had blowen up and I could not get it towed in time after it was ticketed. I was on the phone with the State Police trying to find my car. I just could not find someone who knew where my car was towed to.
I no more then hung up when Jake called me. “Telling me I am coming out smelling like a rose in this one.” Here the state police could not find me since I had moved and not changed my car registration. I was a Mast so they called him.
My car had gotten hit and it was totaled, but somehow Jake got me out of the fine and towing as well.
Over the years I would go see my Uncle Jake and just sit out on the back porch and have a smoke with him and just talk. My daughter who was three loved to spend time with her great uncle and aunt. Jake would call me up tell me I am taking your kid for the weekend up to Buffalo NY and Niagara Falls. I want to take her to the zoo and my kids are too big for that. Jake was a kid at heart.
Out of the blue one day Jake called me and told me I had a warrant for my arrest! I thought he was joking, I had not done anything to be arrested for! He then told me, he was doing the parking tickets and got one with out any money in it and thought someone was pulling a joke on him.
So he ran the plate number and it came back to my car. I told him I put the money in there, it was a windy day the money must have blown out. I could not understand how I had a warrant so Jake asked me if I had gotten a speeding ticket when I was in Oregon. Oh my gosh, yes I did that was several years. I ran outside and there was the ticket in the glove box. I called Jake and told him I found it. He then told me to go and pay what I could on it so I had $5.00 went put that down on it.
I called Jake back and asked him about the warrant. He told me he called the Judge in Oregon it just so happen the State Trooper who pulled me over was there he remember me, all I did was cry. I was driving back home after my divorce with Ron, and I was not sure where I was going. I was so upset with everything, I just put the ticket in the glove box and forgot it. It took me eight days to drive cross county.
After talking with Judge and the state trooper Jake explained to them what happen. They drop the ticket and the warrant! How Jake does this I have no idea. But he always there for me not matter what it was. Not only was I in trouble with the speeding ticket, I had moved a year ago and had not changed my license or registration so Jake told me I needed to get that one done right away before he came and arrested me himself and he knew were I lived!
So when Jake needed me I was there for him. He would call me to help him with the fund raisers for MS. Or if he needed the yard mowed when my daughter was old enough she would do it for him.
When there was a death in the family over in Eastlake Ohio my cousin had lost her son, I had made plans to go the night before with my sisters and stay the night with my other cousin and her husband. This was December 19, 1995. Jake called me just before I was to leave and asked me to stay the night here and ride over in the morning with him. He had a friend that would be driving us. I said I would, since I knew were we were going and Jake needed my help on getting there.
At 6 am the car was there to pick me up. It was snowing so hard that we had to go slow. We did not get there until after the service ended at noon. I had gone into the restroom my Aunt June was there, she was surprised to see me there in this snow storm, I told her you came for my mom’s funeral this same day 20 years earlier for us. How can Jake and I not be here for you.
We did get to visit with the family and those who drove from Pa we went home in a caravan and stopping in Andover Ohio for a head count is how Jake put it. We all got coffee and something to eat, then the waitress told us if we are going the interstate we better leave before they close the road. Jake wanted every one to pull their money together to see if we had enough to get one room for about 15 of us. Laughing on who would get the bed. We all made it home safely and it was about 7 pm but we made it.
Jake spoiled my daughter, he would pay her for the work done then take her out to buy what she wanted but somehow she would come home with the gift as well as the money.
I can remember the time he would baby sit her, knowing she was hyperactive child, he would wait one half hour before I was to pick her up and then give her a Hershey’s candy bar! Laughing at me about trying to get her to bed.
This past year after losing my dad on December 11, 2008 I tried to get up to see Jake more, not just to pick up those boxes of goodies that Sharon would have for me. It was like Christmas every time I would come up to get it.
I wanted my grandson to spend time with my uncle Jake. I would get Vincent and take him to see Jake. Vincent was in the back yard looking for something to do when he spotted the tricycle. He loved it riding it down the ramp and out in the driveway. Then Uncle Jake would give him a treat and sit and talk to him and before he left Vincent would run back to him to give him one huge hug.
A few days later Jake called me to come get some things on the back porch and such enough there was the tricycle to take home to Vincent. The next day I picked Vincent up at the daycare and then took him to see Jake.
Vincent was looking everywhere for that tricycle, Jake came out on the back porch and Vincent ran over to him yelling at Jake with his hands on his hips and wanted to know where his bike was!
Uncle Jake looked at him and told him he gave it to another little boy who needed that. My grandson looked up at him and said I am that little boy who needs the bike!
Jake laughing at him and winked at me, it was just so funny seeing this little boy stand up to Jake and demand that bike.
I took Vincent back to my house as he got out of the car he seen the bike, running over to it and yelling that is my bike, I am that little boy!
The following week we went back up again to see Jake and as I got in the kitchen I seen food out all over the counter, I went into the living room there he was sleeping and holding a slice of pizza up to his mouth!
I woke him up and mention the food, he told me he was cleaning the fridge out and he got hungry. Vincent went over to him and gave him a huge hug and thanking him for his bike saying to him, I am that little boy! Vincent and I helped Jake get the fridge cleaned out and end up taking home about 4 bags of food.
One day in September Jake called me and told me he got my Elvis tape done and I told him I would be right up. He was in the den when I came in and Jake asked me to get him a glass of Ice. So I found this huge plastic Pepsi cup and filled it with ice so he can pour his Pepsi in. Jake looked at that cup and I asked him what is wrong with it, he showed me two small holes drilled in the cup. This was his dribble cup he used to play jokes on people!
He started to laugh and I was laughing with him and told him, that joke was almost all over you had you not forgotten those holes!
Every time I listen to the Elvis tape, I will be thinking of you Uncle Jake and how your joke almost was all over you!
I am just so glad I had that one day to go see him and tell him I much I loved him. He had such a heart of gold!
I filled in my most treasured memories of my heart of Uncle Jake, please if anyone else like to share and add to this their dash of Jake please email me with it so I can put it on here to share. Email me at gjackie@live.com
Jake Mast Through the years
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