Mason Andrews

Early LifeAndrews C. Mason was born on 19 April 1919 in Norfolk, Virginia. Andrews graduated from Maury High School and acquired a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Princeton. He received his Master’s from John’s Hopkins University and specialized in obstetrics and gynecology. Around 1950, Mason also taught Obstetrics and Gynecology at John’s Hopkins University and later at the Eastern Virginia Medical School.Andrews Community ServiceAndrews C. Mason began his community service in the early 1950s, providing services at the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce and also at the Health Welfare and Recreation Planning Council. He also appointed a bipartisan committee while he was the President of Norfolk County Medical Society so as to study the requirement for a medical school in the corresponding area. This study proved fruitful in convincing the Virginia General Assembly for a new medical school and in the year 1964, Eastern Virginia Medical Center authority took shape. From 1964-1970, Andrews was the chairman of the authority and his leadership resulted in the formation of a medical center complex. This was set up in an area which had been occupied by slums for long. Within the medical complex, one could find Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS), Norfolk General Hospital, Public Health Department, Medical Tower, Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters and Tidewater Rehabilitation Institute. Also, Andrews, during his chairmanship, brought Dr. Howard and Dr. Georgeanna Jones, infertility specialists, to Norfolk. They gathered much recognition when, in 1981, a baby was conceived by the process of in-vitro fertilization in the US. This further gave way to the Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine in 1983. During the period from 1974 – 2000, Andrews aided the Norfolk City Council and also served as the mayor of the city during 1992-1994. It was during this time that his remarkable contributions took place which led to the renovation of the downtown waterfront. His contributions to the city were highly appreciated and some projects that he promoted include Mac Arthur Center Mall and the Norfolk campus of Tidewater Community College. When re-election for the city was being held in 2000, Mason Andrews declined participation.AchievementAndrews continued to give his esteemed contributions to his native for about 26 years as a part of the city council and, during this period, he directed most of his efforts towards development of the city. Although he had attended the birth of over 5,000 babies in Norfolk, the delivery of Elizabeth Carr, his first test-tube accomplishment was always special and remarkable to him. Elizabeth Carr was born on 28 December, 1981, and was America’s first in-vitro baby. It was declared to be the beginning of a technological era and sent glimmer of hope to all those thousands of women who were facing immense problems in conceiving.Personal LifeAndrews C. Mason married Sabine Alston Goodman and fathered two daughters: Jean and Mason. The marriage Andrews was 87 when he passed away on 13 October 2006; he was admitted in hospital for pulmonary fibrosis.