VERO BEACH, Fla. — The deaths of Stacie Mason and Danny Ooley have left a profound impact on loved ones and employees in Indian River County, with officials noting the significant loss of institutional knowledge to the community.
WATCH BELOW: 'Stacie was just so upbeat and generous. She always had a smile,' John Titkanich tells WPTV's Cassandra Garcia
One week after a double homicide shook the area, community members gathered Wednesday to remember Mason, a longtime public servant, during a memorial service that highlighted her life and legacy.
“From the day she started I felt like I had a new best friend,” said Kari Cundiff, Mason’s best friend.
Overcome with emotion, Cundiff shared memories of their time together, both at work and beyond.
“I got to see her smile every workday and lots of off days,” Cundiff said. “The many times we were stuck together at the emergency operations center during hurricane season, we had a blast.”
Friends and colleagues described Mason as having a warm personality.
“She nurtured everything and everyone and she had an ‘absolutely’ attitude, with a smile every time,” Cundiff said.
“Stacie was just so upbeat and generous. She always had a smile,” said Indian River County Administrator John Titkanich.
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Mason spent 12 years working in the county’s Public Works Department, beginning in customer service and advancing to a traffic analyst technician role.
“Her expertise and her experience allowed her to excel,” said Deryl Loar, chairman of the Indian River County Board of County Commissioners.
Colleagues said Mason built a reputation as a dedicated employee committed to both her work and those around her.
“She was always looking to better herself and better her colleagues and her workers and just really dedicated to the public,” Titkanich said.
While the community continues to process the loss, officials acknowledged the ongoing sense of shock.
“I think we’re still all in shock,” Titkanich said.
Despite the grief, the memorial offered a chance to reflect on Mason’s influence and example.
“Her kindness and her care for her fellow employees, her coworkers, and even her customers is something that we can all take and model our behavior after,” Titkanich said.
Portions of this story were assisted by artificial intelligence tools and reviewed by a WPTV journalists to ensure accuracy, clarity, and adherence to editorial standards.
