Mason, Florence

Florence Gerken was born to Mattie (Craker) and Wilbert D. Gerken in Reedsburg, Wisconsin, on August 31, 1896. She received her B. A. from the University of Wisconsin in 1921. Mason worked in the library, Extension Division, University of Wisconsin at Madison from 1919 to 1926. In 1929, she became a librarian at the American Standards Association in New York and worked there until becoming librarian at the Consumers Union in Mount Vernon, New York, in 1939. Mason became the assistant to director there in 1959. In 1961, she became assistant to the President of International Organization of Consumers Unions (IOCU), The Hague, Netherlands. In 1963, Mason was appointed IOCU special correspondent to the United Nations.

She was married to Howard Hastings Fuller from October 6, 1920, until his death in June 1930. She was married to William A. Gluesing from November 17, 1937 until they divorced in January 1949. She married Alphonso Linwood Mason on February 12, 1949. She died in September 1990 at the age of 95.

Original biographical note likely composed in 1990. Death date, maiden name, other marriages, and minor editing by Cliff Hight in August 2024.