Stephen Carl Mason, beloved husband, father, father-in-law, and grandfather, passed away on Monday, June 15th, in Lincoln, Nebraska, from complications of pneumonia and Parkinson's disease. He was 76 years old. He was surrounded by family and friends in his final days.

Stephen was born on August 24, 1949, in Chillicothe, Missouri, to Frank Mason and Martha Deaton, who both predeceased him. Stephen was a devoted husband to his wife, Nora E. D'Croz. Stephen and Nora met while studying for their master's degrees at Purdue University. They married in Colombia in 1979, and in 1984 moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, where they built their lives together. Stephen and Nora were true partners in every sense. They raised a loving family, sweated in the field collecting data together, tended to their garden, and explored the world together. He was a loving father to two sons, Daniel and Michael, and a beloved father-in-law to Lisa and Ximena. He was a proud grandfather to Gabriela and Camila, who brought him endless joy.

He is survived by his wife, Nora D'Croz; his son, Daniel Mason-D'Croz, and daughter-in-law, Ximena Alvis Gonzales; and his son, Michael Mason-D'Croz, daughter-in-law, Lisa Mason-D'Croz, and their daughters, Gabriela and Camila. He was the eldest of five children, and is survived by his brothers, Mark and Larry Mason, and his sister, Ann Bach. He was predeceased last year by his sister, Linda Dale.

Stephen earned his B.S. in Agricultural Education from the University of Missouri in 1971, followed by his M.S. and Ph.D. in Agronomy from Purdue University in 1976 and 1983, respectively. He went on to build a distinguished career as a Professor of Agronomy at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Throughout his career, Stephen worked to improve agricultural practices and teach the next generation of agronomists. He supervised more than 20 graduate students and authored more than 100 publications over his career. He built an extensive network of collaborators and friends through decades of international work in West Africa, Latin America, and Europe. He was patient and generous, giving freely of his time to others, including volunteering with the Mennonite Central Committee in Haiti, always interested in how agriculture could contribute to improving the lives of others.

Stephen loved basketball. He played through high school and continued playing pickup games with fellow professors at UNL until his shoulders no longer allowed him to keep playing. He was also a passionate Nebraska volleyball fan cheering on the Huskers at nearly every home game since the mid-1990s. An avid traveler, few things brought him more joy than planning the next family globetrotting adventure.

Stephen will be remembered for his curiosity, his dedication to his students and colleagues, and most of all, for the love and care he gave to his family. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

A celebration of life will be held on August 24th at the Arbor Suite in the UNL East Campus Union from 2-4 PM.