Mason Sikes, 84, of Gibsonton, Florida went home to be with God on Wednesday, December 4, 2013. Mason was a life long resident of Hillsborough County spending most of his life in the southeast part of the county. He was born on October 18, 1929 in Wimauma, Florida to General Gardner Sikes and Beatrice Judah-Sikes, just a few days before the Stock Market Crash of 1929. Most of Mason's youth was spent in the Church of God, in the vegetable fields of Ruskin and Wimauma, or on Tampa Bay eating fresh oysters and fishing with his father. In 1948 he enlisted in the United States Army as an infantryman and was one of the first soldiers that was sent into Korea at the start of the war. Mason never lost his family roots while in the Army, sending an allotment back home so that his mother could take care of herself and his younger siblings. After the war he returned to Ruskin, Florida and began a career as a tropical fish farmer and then in 1962 he married Florence Padgett. Mason and Florence became some of the first Tropical Fish Farmers in Hillsborough County, and soon established a thriving tropical fish farm in Riverview, Florida at the corners of Rhodine Rd and Sykes Rd. Mason raised some of the most beautiful tropical fish at the time and was the first farmers to breed the now very popular, Plecostomus Catfish. In the mid 1970's the Sikes' family sold their fish farm and moved to Lake Wales, Florida after Mason was injured in an accident. He continued to raise his family while selling fresh caught fish, canned mullet and crab meat, and by taking odd jobs over the years. In the late 1970's Mason moved his family back to Gibsonton, Florida where he and his wife raised their two sons and for the next thirty-seven years they lived on Bliss Rd. Mason was a member of The Loyal Order of the Moose, Veteran's of Foreign Wars, American Legion, and The Disabled American Veterans organizations. He was also a dedicated member of the Hackney Cemetery Trust, Inc., a cause that was very near and dear to his heart. Mason is survived by his loving wife of fifty-three years Florence Padgett Sikes of Gibsonton, Florida and, his two sons, Mason Sikes, Jr. of Riverview and Troy Allen Sikes of Riverview. Mason also had two children by a previous first marriage Randy M. Sikes of Texas and Janis Sikes-Boscarello of Virginia. He is also survived by two sisters Gillie Baker of Gibsonton, Florida, Maxine Dozier of Zephyrhills, Florida and one brother Alfred Sikes of Gibsonton, Florida. Mason has seven grandchildren, five great grandchildren, and vast number of nieces and nephews. Mason was preceded in death by his parents General Gardner Sikes and Beatrice Judah Sikes, one sister Myrtle Clark, one brother Edgar Sikes, one son James Wesley Sikes, one daughter-in-law Sandra Canaday Sikes, and two grandsons James Wesley Sikes, Jr. and Yancy Bo Sikes. Pallbearers will be Keith Sikes, Bryan Sikes, Junior Clark, Randy Sikes, Jr., Ron "Joey" Padgett, and Roy Bass. The Sikes Family wishes to extend a heart felt and humble thank you to Peggy Speece, Charlene Lopes, and to Lifepath Hospice for their attentive care and attention during Mason's illness. For almost a year Peggy has shown love that only a compassionate and caring person could show, there is no way to repay her for all of the kindness and support that has been shown by this wonderfully beautiful woman. Mason's funeral will be Saturday, December 7, 2013 at 2:00pm at Serenity Meadows Funeral Home, Riverview, Florida. He will then be interred at Hackney Cemetery, Riverview, Florida honored with a full Military Burial. The family will accept visitors an hour before the service and ask that in lieu of flowers donations be made to the Hackney Cemetery Trust, Inc., Care of: Sunshine State Federal Savings, 7459 US Highway 301 S, Riverview, Florida 33578.