Jackson Jambalaya

Earth lost an angel as heaven gained one.  Kandy Sanderson Mason passed away earlier this week.  She was one of those sweet souls who made the world a better place and touched everyone around her. 

She managed the Lakeland Courthouse for many years.  The Blacks may have owned the Courthouse but Kandy was the Courthouse.  She fit the classic definition of a Southern woman: a bulldozer disguised as a powder puff.  She had nary a cross word to say about anyone and brightened many a day with her infectious smile. If she had to give you bad news, you could tell doing so pained her to no end.  Some took advantage of her but she always bore the slight with a patient look. 

She could take a joke and give a joke in return.  The March of Dimes once held an annual jail & bail fund-raiser every year.  A um, certain someone signed a warrant for her and two deputies went and took her into custody while she was working at the Courthouse.  They took her down to the March of Dimes "jail."  Oddly enough, her husband was a HCSO dispatcher at the time and was quite surprised when he radio the deputies on something else and found out his wife riding downtown in the back seat.  Once in jail, the imprisoned had to seek donations from friends to raise money for their "bail."  Naturally, she raised the money in one phone call while the other employee arrested spent several hours in custody before he made bail.  Intuitive as always, she figured out pretty quickly who the culprit but no well-deserved revenge was taken (thank goodness) but instead she laughed even more about the prank. 

Never blessed with children, she made everyone else her child. She was a mother or sister to all.  Her Facebook page is a scrapbook of the many people who started that precious first job under her watch. She had a talent for picking the right people. If the Courthouse needed someone to work, she had a cousin or someone's kid stuffed somewhere she would just hire.  The kids were always polite, hard-working, and rarely fired. The kids usually turned out to be pretty successful in life.   Oddly enough, UMC suffered major turnover problems despite its battery of background checks, drug tests, physical exams for what were cashiers and towelboys.  The fancy-schmancy HR Department somehow couldn't match her nose for people.   

Then there were the animals.  She had a special place in her heart for animals.  Her land was a sanctuary of sorts for goats, rabbits, pigs, chickens, ducks, and of course, dogs.  She was always rescuing a littler of puppies or some dog on the side of the road.  She cheerfully took care of all as they knew she was their friend. 

However, all good things end one day, such is the certainty of life. She received the discouraging news she suffered from breast cancer a few years ago.  She took it on as everything else in life: head-on with no excuses. The treatments may have taken away her hair but they never dulled her eyes nor quenched her spirit. 

She made that regular trip to MD Anderson so many have made and at one time, it was in remission.   Unfortunately, the cancer came back a few weeks ago with a vengeance.  The doctors told her she had at most ten months to live but she bore the news with the grace that was her code, knowing the pain would soon end.   Ten months was not to be as she survived a little more than a month. 

Kandy Sanderson Mason ran her race.  Now she takes a rest as she enjoys the fruits of the spirit that so defined her soul.  Farewell old friend, you will be missed. You meant more to many than you will ever know.