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March 24, 1962 - April 2, 2026.
This morning (4/3/26) at about 0250 I received word from
EOCostello that our mutual friend, 
Major Matt Mason, had died of heart failure on the evening of Thursday 4/2/26. This information was passed on to Eric by Mitch's sister Amy.
Born in Philadelphia and a resident of Springdale, Arkansas, Mitch attended Drexel University and held a pilot's license, training on an Ercosair. He recalled waking up at his family's home to find folk singers asleep on the living room couch. Mitch was a non-practicing Jew, known for having ham and Swiss on matzoh for Passover.
As a furry, Mitch was a member of the First Fandom, writing stories for zines and computer bulletin boards over dial-up modems in the mid-1980s. He was a writer, colorist, bon vivant and raconteur, with a ready memory and sketchbooks that are practically a history of furry art. He ran the Art Jam at Mephit Fur Meet for many years.
He was a friend. I'll miss him.
The picture of Mitch posted above is from 2010, during MFM that year.
(shades his eyes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luk85AVuHCg
This morning (4/3/26) at about 0250 I received word from
EOCostello that our mutual friend, 
Major Matt Mason, had died of heart failure on the evening of Thursday 4/2/26. This information was passed on to Eric by Mitch's sister Amy.Born in Philadelphia and a resident of Springdale, Arkansas, Mitch attended Drexel University and held a pilot's license, training on an Ercosair. He recalled waking up at his family's home to find folk singers asleep on the living room couch. Mitch was a non-practicing Jew, known for having ham and Swiss on matzoh for Passover.
As a furry, Mitch was a member of the First Fandom, writing stories for zines and computer bulletin boards over dial-up modems in the mid-1980s. He was a writer, colorist, bon vivant and raconteur, with a ready memory and sketchbooks that are practically a history of furry art. He ran the Art Jam at Mephit Fur Meet for many years.
He was a friend. I'll miss him.
The picture of Mitch posted above is from 2010, during MFM that year.
(shades his eyes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luk85AVuHCg
Category Photography / Portraits
Species Human
Size 1280 x 960px
File Size 121.9 kB
my dad died of heart failure too. well, actually he had a heart attack at 1 AM or so after standing up too fast from the toilet, fell and hit his head on the dresser, pissed himself, groaned weirdly for a couple minutes, and had to get 8 firefighters to lift all 295 pounds of him to the hospital where he died a couple hours later. he was a month away from turning 50 and this was a couple days before thanksgiving and the way it happened would be really funny if it wasn't absolutely horrible and that sort of morbitity really sticks in my head 6 years later.
my dad, like your friend here, also had the build of an ex-strongman who gained a bit of weight. heart attacks seem really common for a stocky muscular build combined with decreased activity but maintaining a stronglifter diet. i knew it was heart issues before i even read your post, just from the photo alone. i'm very sorry, the worst part is it being preventable with the right body care.
my dad, like your friend here, also had the build of an ex-strongman who gained a bit of weight. heart attacks seem really common for a stocky muscular build combined with decreased activity but maintaining a stronglifter diet. i knew it was heart issues before i even read your post, just from the photo alone. i'm very sorry, the worst part is it being preventable with the right body care.
Yeah, but it's the sugar that gets dumped into everything that's hard to track and adds up quickly.
The added salt too, for those fighting high blood pressure.
It seems that the food industry in the US is determined to poison their customers just to make a little profit.
The added salt too, for those fighting high blood pressure.
It seems that the food industry in the US is determined to poison their customers just to make a little profit.
Oh, I don't remember reading about Ko-Ko passing. I've got three and I'm hoping I outlive all three of them because I don't know how well they'd take to being re-homed, especially my oldest one who I got when he was 1 after his previous owner had been placed in an assisted living facility that wouldn't allow him to bring his cat with him. My other two haven't ever had another home but with me.
Oh no, that is terrible news! I did not know him personally, but I have seen lots of his work around and enjoyed looking at his artworks and stories, and the few times we spoke on FA.
My deepest condolences to his family and friends. He will certainly not be forgotten.
My deepest condolences to his family and friends. He will certainly not be forgotten.
I never had the chance to meet the "Major", but he was one of the most active and well-regarded members of the original fandom by all who were there at the time, such as myself. A writer with wit and good-natured humor alike who contributed to most of the early furry fanzines and amateur press associations. He will surely be missed.
Godspeed, Mitch, and may you rest in the peace of Heaven.
Godspeed, Mitch, and may you rest in the peace of Heaven.
Oh, man, this was wholly unexpected news. I knew Mitch from way waaayyy back in the day. I hung out with him at the cons like ConFurEnce... I still have some of his TaliVisions books that I participated in. Holy shit.
Damn, him, Ted Sheppard, Mark Merlino... all my old homies are fading into history.
Damn, him, Ted Sheppard, Mark Merlino... all my old homies are fading into history.
I'm gonna miss that fat boy, known him over 40 years. The stuff we did, saw, pulled off, enjoyed together.....it sucks that as we age, we lose our dear friends too.
Say hi to McMoo, Shep, Willie, Tugrik, Vickie for me.
Yes, Mitch's memorial is in the works. Just keep checking my page.
Say hi to McMoo, Shep, Willie, Tugrik, Vickie for me.
Yes, Mitch's memorial is in the works. Just keep checking my page.
So...it is true.
Damn.
I'm gonna miss him.
Despite his health challenges, he always kept his chin up. He was fun to talk to. And I wasn't done talking to him yet.
Please, someone memorialize him by sending an official (newspaper) obituary to the Fur Affinity staff.
Because He Was Here.
Damn.
I'm gonna miss him.
Despite his health challenges, he always kept his chin up. He was fun to talk to. And I wasn't done talking to him yet.
Please, someone memorialize him by sending an official (newspaper) obituary to the Fur Affinity staff.
Because He Was Here.
One of the OG's. I remember having the privilege of meeting him on the regular back in the end of the Nineties through the early 2010s at conventions. Great guy, always smiling, always having something good or fun to say. He even would occasionally surprise me by coloring some of my older pics, just out of kindness. The whole fandom is lessened by his passing. Safe journey Matt.
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