Obituary

Fernand Salamon Masso, longtime resident of Plainview, died Sunday, July 29, 2012, at the age of 88. The Funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Alice Catholic Church with the Rev. Jim McCartney presiding. Burial will follow in Plainview Memorial Park under the care of Kornerstone Funeral Directors of Plainview. A vigil and rosary recital will be held at 7 p.m. today at Kornerstone Funeral Directors. Fernand was born in Jaffa, Palestine, to George and Suraya Salamon on Feb. 23, 1924. Fernand comes from an old established Christian family. Her grandfather was the Patriarch of Haifa Province where she grew up and graduated from a parochial primary and secondary Greek Orthodox School. In Jerusalem, Fernand met Jesse N. Masso and they were married on Feb. 23, 1941, at Mar Elias (St. Elijah). They lived there until 1952. Due to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, they lost their retail business and livelihood. At the urging of relatives, Fernand and Jesse decided to move to Matamoros, Mexico. In 1963, Fernand and Jesse pursued their long held ambition to move to the United States to live and establish Masso's Department Store in Plainview. Masso's remains family-owned to this day. Fernand was a dedicated Christian and community volunteer. For over 22 years, she and a faithful group ministered to the residents of several nursing homes including the Care Inn of Plainview where they lead weekly services and visited many residents individually. Fernand and her family attended St. Alice Catholic Church where she served as a Minister of the Eucharist, actively participated in the Altar Rosary Society, and for many years cooked and served in the Annual Turkey Dinner. Fernand is preceded in death by her husband Jesse, her parents George and Suraya Salamon, her sister Fadwa Khamis, and two brothers Solomon and Elias Salamon. She is survived by two sons Jacob Masso of Plainview, Robert Masso of Tampa, Fla., and four daughters Jacqueline, Georgette and Josephine Masso, and Irma Shackelford and her husband Larry, all of Plainview and four grandsons Philip Shackelford and his wife Kyndra of Bryan, Texas, Eric Masso of Tampa, Fla., Aaron Shackelford and Stephen Masso both of Lubbock, Texas. In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorials to St. Alice Catholic Church General Fund, 1114 Houston St., Plainview, TX 79072 or the Alzheimer's Association , 225 N. Michigan Ave., Floor 1, Chicago, IL 60601-7633. Online condolences can be made at www.kornerstonefunerals.com.