Carl E. Graham received the T.S. Parvin Award for the 2015 year.

The spirit of the award is described in the following paragraphs written by John Harris Watts, Past Grand Secretary/Recorder of the Grand Chapter and Grand Council.

T. S. Parvin came to Iowa as a handicapped young man, and became one of the best-known Masons in the world. He was the first Mason in Iowa to hold the office of Grand Secretary, Grand High Priest, Grand Master of the Council, Grand Commander, and Grand Recorder of the Grand Encampment (National). As founder of the Iowa Masonic Library and the State Library of Iowa, he left his mark on both Freemasonry and his adopted state. He was one of the founders of the Iowa State Education Association and served as its president.

The T. S. Parvin Award, established in 1982 by the Iowa Conference for Masonic Cooperation is presented annually to an Iowa Mason, who has not previously been honored by having been elected or appointed to a Grand Office in any Masonic body. (Nor higher than the 32 degree in the Scottish Rite), and who best exemplifies the spirit of Masonry which was lived by our distinguished Brother who said, “I want to be remembered among Masons as one who gave the Fraternity the very best there was in him, not thinking of reward in dollars and cents.”

( Iowa Conference changed the rules for the T. S. Parvin Award.  The original intent is highlighted above.  That was as it was designed originally and I should know because I made the motion to establish the award.  It now reads: All Iowa Masons are eligible provided they have not been elected to any office in one of the grand bodies, have not been elected Potentate of and Iowa or Omaha Shrine Temple, and have not attained the 33rd degree.  Appointed grand officers and KCCH are now eligible.  This changes the award from the original intent but the Iowa Conference has the authority to do so. ) 


A committee composed of the Grand Master of Masons, Grand High Priest; Grand Master of the Council, Grand Commander, Sovereign Grand Inspector General 33° and Chairman of the Iowa Conference chose the recipient from nominations submitted from all parts of the state.

The recipients of the Award are listed below.

YEAR - RECIPIENT, LODGE NAME
1982 - J Kent Zickefoose, Capital Lodge No 110
1983 - Carl J Van Sickle, Otley Lodge No. 299 *
1984 - Stanley G Schreiber, Hiram of Tyre Lodge No. 203 *
1985 - C Warren Delk, Auburn Lodge No. 592
1986 - Donald R Hankens, Speculative Lodge No. 307 *
1987 - J Neil Chicken, Faith Lodge No. 179 *
1988 - Arthur D Alber, Southgate Lodge No. 657 *
1989 - Charles L Jones , Northern Light Lodge No. 266 *
1990 - Laurence E Kynett, Emulation Lodge No. 255 *
1991 - John W Mathes, Waveland Park Lodge No. 654 *
1992 - Delman L Bowers, Waterloo Lodge No. 105 *
1993 - Aaron L Lake, Davenport Lodge No. 37*
1994 - Rex L Brammer , Mosaic Lodge No. 125*
1995 - Paul K Mc Crea , Montague Lodge No. 117 *
1996 - Jerry F Monroe, Adel Lodge No. 80
1997 - George S Eichhorn, Acorn Lodge No. 601
1998 - Robert Lee Goeken, Grove Lodge No. 492
1999 -Howard H Geddes, Adel Lodge No. 80*
2000 - Frank C. Osdoba, Twilight Lodge No. 329
2001 - Orrin J Oliver, Charity Lodge No. 197*
2002 - Henry N Wallace, Mt. Olive Lodge No. 79 *
2003 - Melvin C Price, Kingston Lodge No. 676 *
2004 - Madison M. Tomfeld, Herman Lodge No. 273*
2005 - R. Wayne Stanfley, Dubuque Lodge No. 3,
Tri-State Morning Lodge No. 673,
Julien Lodge No. 551
2006 - Don Davis, Great Lights Lodge No. 181 *
2007 - Floyd W. Nesbit, Crest City Lodge #522 *
Vernon J. Van Sickle - Montague Lodge # 117 - Eldora *
2008 - Glenn Lockhart, Signet Lodge No 264 - Carroll
2009 - Herbert Franklin Ramsey * - Des Moines
Home Lodge # 370 & Capitol Lodge #110 - Des Moines

2010 - Rollen L. Phillips, Arcadia # 249 - Ames
2011 - Max E. Butler - Unit Lodge # 520 -  Baxter
2012 - Jack Smeltzer- Dubuque Lodge No. 3
2013 - Ben Harvey Ploof - Little Sioux Lodge No. 521 at Washta, Clarksville Lodge No. 668 at Coralville and Woodrow Morris Lodge No. 6890 at North Liberty.   
2014 - Ron Hicks - Des Moines

2015 - Carl Ellsworth Graham of Davenport