Debra Jay Westlake Mason

Debra Sue Jay Westlake Mason, 66, of Burlington, died at 1:25 AM Saturday, November 27, 2021, at her home.

Born December 5, 1954, in Burlington, she was the daughter of Franklin "Wacky" and Katherine "Kotzy" Hoschek Jay. On June 22, 1974, she married Kenneth Dale Westlake at St. Patricks Catholic Church in Burlington. He later passed on July 11, 1990. On January 29, 2001, she married G. Ed Mason at the Great River Klein Center. 

She was a 1973 graduate of Burlington High School, and attended SCC to get certificates in both their culinary program, and their recreation program.

She was the recreation director at the Great River Klein Center.

She was a member of Triker's of the Third Wheel, The American Legion, several card clubs, The Eagles Club and Hamilton-Walters Marine Corps League. She loved to play cards, some of her favorite games being Pinochle, Euchre, Phase 10, 5 crowns, and Russian Poker. She enjoyed riding her horses, Fantasy and Spud, and her horses also played a large roll in helping raise her grandkids. She never missed a Tri-State Rodeo. She was an avid gardener, and at one point had a garden as large as half a football field. Some of her favorite things to grow were pumpkins and gourds, but she also liked to grow flowers, especially sunflowers. 

She loved to play sports, she was a Burlington Tennis champ and also played racquetball. Debra was a center fielder in softball in high school and got to play with both of her sisters.  She pushed her love of softball onto her family, and she loved when they all got together to play. She was a wonderful cook, and was very happy that she got to make her last Thanksgiving meal for her family this year. She had a great sense of humor, was quick witted and always had a joke or a one-liner ready, and was very outgoing. She was slightly opinionated, but it was her siblings that were the stubborn ones. 

Most of all, her family was her life. She truly loved her family and friends, and was the definition of a mother bear. She was overly protective at times, but it always came from a place of love. She loved her grandchildren, and was elated that she was still able to see Kenna graduate in May of this year. She was lucky to be loved by two good men. Her first was her hunk, Kenny, whom she loved till his last breath. Her second was the traveler, the ornery one who kept her on her toes, Ed. She had a heart of gold, and even throughout her illness, she was happy that she could fight it herself because she would never want to see her family members in pain. She impacted a lot of lives, and there are so many family members and friends who will miss her dearly.

Survivors include her second husband, G. Ed Mason of Burlington; one daughter, Heidi Sue (Damon) Westlake of Burlington; one son, K. Kirk Westlake of FL; three grandchildren, Kaden Kenneth Westlake, Kenna Laine Westlake and Kenli Julianne Westlake all of Burlington; three siblings, Kathy (Steven Blint) Jay of Wever, IA, John E. (Diana) Jay of Burlington; and Julie Luttenegger of Burlington; several nieces and nephews; and her dog, Harley.

Besides her first husband, she is preceded in death by her parents.

Visitation will be from 10:00 AM until 12:00 PM Thursday, December 2, 2021 at Prugh~Thielen Funeral Home.

The funeral service for Mrs. Westlake Mason will be 12:00 PM Thursday, December 2, 2021, at Prugh~Thielen Funeral Home with her Nephew Ryan Luttenegger as the Master of Ceremony, and Chaplain Gwen Fratt officiating.  Burial will be in Aspen Grove Cemetery. A time of food and fellowship will be held in the community room at Prugh~Thielen Funeral Home following the burial.

A memorial has been established for her grandchildren.

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