Gordon “Bud” Leroy Mast was born December 21, 1933, to Lloyd Edward and Jane Katherine (Doan) Mast, in Eads. He went home to be with Jesus November 1, 2023, in Enid, Oklahoma, surrounded by his loved ones at the age of 89.

Bud graduated from Eads High School in 1951. He began welding at the age of 14 where he worked alongside his dad in the Mast Welding and Manufacturing shop located in Eads until his father’s passing in 1961. At that time Bud took over the welding shop full time by himself, and was later joined by his two sons when they were old enough. He made many horse trailers, implement carriers, a pontoon boat, and many other things, often designing the items himself. 

Bud married Beulah Jean Martin in 1952. To this union four children were born, Chester LeRoy, Julie Jo, Charles Edward, and Sondra Sue. They were happily married until Beulah’s untimely death in 1967.

Bud married Pamella “Pam” Sue Davis in 1968. From this union two children were born, Mark Anthony and Raymond Troutt. Both children passed shortly after birth.

In his younger days, Bud loved to hunt, bowl with his many friends, and fish with his family, especially his daughter, Julie. Bud was an avid gardener; he would plant a huge garden each year to provide food for his family. He would grow pumpkins and see how big he could get them each year, trying to surpass the year before. He grew pumpkins weighing over 400 pounds.

In his retirement years, Bud liked to work on woodworking and welding projects, such as making wrought iron sculptures for his friends and family members.

Bud was a great inventor of things. If you told him about a project that needed to be done, he would sit down and figure up what needed to happen for the project to get done. He had a brilliant mind. One man is quoted as saying “that man’s a genius.” He completed numerous projects for the Oakwood Bowl bowling alley in Enid, such as building twenty couch seats shaped like a bowling pin, raising the bowlers area floor to make it all one level, making wood paneling and wrought iron designs for the front desk and snack bar area, constructing an 11 foot tall bowling pin and two 6 foot tall bowling pins for the outside of the bowling alley, and making new locker fronts for the lockers out of oak that turned out beautifully.

Bud was a very hard worker who did what he could to provide for his family. He also took great care of his aging mother who lived next door to his family. Bud built a house for his mom around the existing house that she was living in until the last few months of the project before moving her in with Bud and Pam until the house was completed.

Bud went on trips with his son, Charlie. He especially liked the trip they took to Florida. In Bud’s last two and a half years of his life, he liked going to the casinos. He also took many trips with Sandy, her husband, Jim, and his brother, Gary. They called themselves the four amigos. Some of the places they visited were Hawaii, Utah, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, and New York.

Bud is survived by his children, Julie Bishop, of Enid, Charles “Charlie” Mast, of Eads, and Sondra “Sandy” Tate and husband Jim, of Enid; sister, Shirley Pfingston, of Colorado Springs; grandchildren, Rainy, Robert, Kira, Marcus, and Chandler; eight great grandchildren; many great great grandchildren; his care giver and friend, Sean Mathis; many nieces, nephews, and other family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Lloyd Edward and Jane Katherine Mast; maternal and paternal grandparents; first wife, Beulah Jean Martin; second wife, Pamella Sue Davis; sons, Chester Leroy, Mark Anthony, and Raymond Troutt; brothers, Robert and William Mast; sister, Lorna Holter; and best friend and brother-in-law, Harold Pfingston.

Graveside services celebrating and honoring the life of Gordon “Bud” Leroy Mast will be held Monday, November 6, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. at the Eads Cemetery with Pastor Paul Floyd officiating. Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. at Valley Memorial Funeral Chapel in Lamar.

Arrangements are under the direction Brown-Cummings Funeral Home in Enid and Valley Memorial Funeral Chapel in Lamar.