Biography
Throughout his military service and during his long post military retirement, Colonel Masters participated in a wide range of hobbies and activities and served as a role model for many. In addition to being a lifelong sportsman, enjoying hunting and fishing, he was an enthusiastic coin collector and successful gentleman farmer. He was actively involved in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) since childhood. After his scoutmaster was drafted during World War II, he took over as scoutmaster of Troop 63, St. Augustine, Florida, while still a high school student. His mentorship while serving in BSA leadership roles encouraged both of his sons, John Jr. and Burton to achieve Eagle Scout rank. He also started several new BSA troops during his military career. His exemplary role model as an Army officer also led his three children to follow in his footsteps and pursue successful military careers. Burton and Elizabeth both retired as Army colonels and John as a lieutenant colonel. By his side, and playing a leading role contributing to his career success and through retirement, was his loving and supportive wife, Cleo Sampson, a teacher he met while serving as an ROTC instructor in the Atlanta, Georgia, public schools.After retirement and return to his hometown of St. Augustine, he was a charter and lifetime member and president of the city’s German American Club; playing a leading role in procuring land for and building a permanent club facility. As Graves Committee Chair for the Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV), Florida Division, he initiated and maintained a first-ever automated database of over 9,000 Confederate soldiers buried in Florida. This work aided hundreds in ancestor research and identifying graves and he facilitated the placing of Veterans Administration gravestones and markers on graves which had none. He was a local camp commander in both the SCV and Military Order of the Stars and Bars, and in 2002, was awarded the Gov. John Milton Leadership Award, one of the highest awards in the SCV’s Florida Division.
Colonel Masters was a proud life member and active participant in the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the 26th Infantry Regiment’s Blue Spaders Association and member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart.