Earl Mastin, of Canadice, passed away January 26, 2011 at the age of 98. He is survived by his wife Helen Hilliard Mastin of 68 years, a woman he dearly loved and attributed to his long and successful life.

Earl is also survived by his sister, Irene Rowley McPherson of Honeoye, brother Ivan (Virginia) of Springwater, sister-in-law Grace Mastin of Honeoye, his dear cousin Wilson and Sylvia Mastin and their family, many nieces, nephews, good friends and wonderful care givers.

He was predeceased by his brothers and their wives, Elwin(Emeline), Otto(Lottie), his brother Harold and his sister and her husband Onolee(Amos) Jenks.

Earl was born March 31,1912, the third son of Lemon and Clara Mastin. All together, there were 5 boys and 2 girls. He attended the Gull school house in Honeoye for his first 8 grades. He would walk to school each day The first order of business each morning was health inspection checking the faces, neck and hands for cleaniness. Earl attended Honeoye High School for his 4 years graduating in 1930. His brother Otto and sister Onolee went to school with him in and horse and buggy and then in a 1917 Model T touring car.

After graduating from high school, Earl worked with his father on the farm and for the Canadice Telephone Co. installing poles and wires. In 1931, Earl went to Teachers Training Class in Canadaigua for 1 year. That enabled him to teach at the Gull School in Honeoye. After teaching for one year, Earl went to Geneseo Normal which is now the Geneseo State University. He drove a 1929 Model A Ford Coupe to Geneseo. He did practice teaching for 10 weeks at York Grade School. Earl then got a job teaching at Frost Hollow School where he taught for 8 years. He then went to Honeoye Grade School where he taught 7th and 8th grades.

Around 1942, Earl went back to work with his father on the farm. He married the love of his life Helen in 1942 and they worked the Huff farm just south of his father’s farm. In 1945, Earl and Helen bought the family farm from his father. Helen and Earl farmed together with Helen driving tractors and a 1945 Ford truck to plant and harvest crops. They had 25 dairy cows which were milked by hand twice a day. Earl also hauled milk in cans for 25 years. Helen had 700 laying hens. Eggs were washed and put into cartons and sold to people out of their house.

In 1959, Earl was elected Supervisor of the town of Canadice and also served on the Ontario County Board of Supervisors for 14 years. On Earl’s 95th birthday, the town of Canadice proclaimed March 31 of every year as “Earl Mastin” day.

Earl served on the Board of Review for the Canandaigua National Bank for 35 years.

For many years, Earl wrote articles for the Canadice Chronicle entitled “As I Saw It”. These included good times gone by in Canadice and the surrounding area as well as good friends he had met along the way.

In Earl’s later years, he would write poems. Some of his best poems were about his wife Helen. He has told us all many times how fortunate he was to have Helen for his wife.

The last year of his life was made easier by all of the care givers that gave him love as he reciprocated with his famous “Earl Smile”.

Earl was born in the same house he died in. He lived there all his life except for the 2 years Earl and Helen farmed the Huff farm. Everyone has been made a better person as a result of a relationship with Earl.

Friends are invited to attend services Saturday, February 5, 2011, at 11 AM in the Canadice United Methodist Church. Spring Burial, St. Bridgets Cemetery, East Bloomfield.Memorial contribuitions to the Richmond Ambulance Fund, PO Box 469, Honeoye, NY 14471 or Canadice United Methodist Church, 5949 Canadice Hill Rd. Springwater, NY 14560. Arrangements, Kevin W. Dougherty Funeral Home, Inc. Honeoye-Livonia. To send condolences or further information please visit:
www.doughertyfuneralhomes.com