Howard Wellington “H.W.” Mast Jr., a community icon in the Boone area and former owner and operator of the Mast General Store, died Saturday. He was 83.
It’s hard to capture the community’s love and respect for Mast, who was known as the honorary mayor of Valle Crucis. Here’s part of his obituary:
VALLE CRUCIS – Howard Wellington “H.W.” Mast, Jr., age 83, of Broadstone Road, Valle Crucis, died Saturday morning, March 21, 2009 at Glenbridge Health and Rehabilitation in Boone. Born February 28, 1926 in Watauga County to Howard Wellington Mast, Sr. and Anne Moretz Mast, he was a life member and served as superintendent of the Valle Crucis United Methodist Church. H. W. was the former owner and operator of the Mast General Store in Valle Crucis. He was employed by the Watauga County Sheriffs Department for a short time after volunteering at the department for a number of years. Always active in community affairs, H. W. served as Chairman of the Watauga County Democratic Party, as a member of the Watauga County Board of Education, on the Board of Trustees at Watauga County Hospital, and as a Watauga County Commissioner. He was an avid fisherman and golfer. Extremely well known and respected by all who knew him, H. W. was affectionately known by many as the ‘ Honorary’ mayor of the Valle Crucis community.
You can read about Mast’s family ties to Mast General Store here. See the Blue Ridge Blog’s tribute here. The all-seeing BooneWeb tipped me to the story.
Mast’s funeral, certain to be attended by hundreds, will be held at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 23, at Valle Crucis United Methodist Church, and will be officiated by the Rev. Robert “Bob” Roten and the Rev. Chuck Rowland.