R.I.P John Harris (Jack) Watts

Addendum:

Visitation for John Harris Watts will be from Monday the 14th from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. with the family present at the Slininger-Rossow Funeral home 119 W. Lincolnway in Jefferson, IA with a Masonic Service at 7:00 p.m. 

Funeral Service will be Tuesday at 2:00 at the First United Mehodist Church in Grand Junction, IA 

Burial will be in Jefferson Cemetery Jefferson, IA.

Masonry world-wide has lost an icon today.  John Harris Watts, Past General Grand Master of the General Grand Council Cryptic Masons International departed this earth to take up residence in the Celestial Lodge above this afternoon (November 11, 2011).

I have known Jack for most of my Masonic Life and counted his friendship as a jewel of great value to me.  Through him I have met Masons from all over the world.  I have traveled with him, had lunch with him and enjoyed many conversations.  He always had a joke to tell and he loved the double entendre jokes as did I.  He always told at least one joke during our conversations and while he was e-mail challenged he knew how to use the postal authority and most of his letters came with a Masonic article or a few jokes or cartoons enclosed.

On his 80th birthday in 2007 we surprised him (and that was not easy to do) with a party at the Ames Masonic Temple.  I wrote about it here. Jack lived his Masonry.  Besides being the Grand Secretary/Recorder of the Grand Chapter, Royal Arch Masons of Iowa and Grand Council Royal and Select Masters as well as a Past Grand Master of the Grand Council he was active in so very many Masonic Organizations in the nation and the world.

He went through the 9 year line to become and serve as the General Grand Master, Cryptic Masons International.  He was he Great Chief of the Grand Council Knight Masons (1994) and the Senior Grand Master General (1982-83) of the Knights York Cross of Honour. Past Grand Preceptor of the Holy Royal Arch Knights Templar Priests (1994). He was Past Great Prior of CBCS ( Chevalier Bienfaisant de la Cité Sainte. Knight Beneficient of the Holy City).  A Sovereign of St. Ignatius Conclave, Red Cross of Constantine, a Frater of the Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis. He was an Associate Regent (OPC) of the Sovereign York Rite College and was a 32° Knight Commander Court of Honour in the Scottish Rite.  He not only belonged to these organizations he was active in them and also in his local bodies.

Jack was a great friend and he was a wonderful and loving husband to his wife Jacqueline. His mother and brother survive him as well as many members of the Head Family who were researched by and written about as he was the family genealogist.

Jack would have been 84 at his next Birthday. (November 27)  Here he is with Barb who shared his birthday but as Jack said not the year.   Soft and Safe to you my brother,  We leave you with these words:

"Something has spoken to me  in the night,

Burning the tapers of the waning year;

Something has spoken in the night,

And told me I shall die, I know not where.

Saying:

"To lose the earth you know, for greater knowing;

To lose the life you have, for greater life;

To leave the friends you loved, for greater loving;

To find a land more kind than home, more larger than earth-

"Whereon the pillars of this earth are founded,

Toward which the conscience of the world is tending-

A wind is rising, and the rivers flow."

Brother Ernest Borgnine Receives Life Achievement Award

"Know Thyself,  You can be handed the greatest script ever to see your hands but if you don't know what love, life and you are all about its not going to be on the screen."  

Brother Ernest Borgnine

Ernest Borgnine honored with Life Achievement award at SAG Awards

Actor Ernest Borgnine  received the Life Achievement award at the 17th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday for over 70 years of work on film and television.

Borgnine is known from roles in Hollywood classic films like "From Here to Eternity" and for his Oscar Award-winning role in the 1956 film "Marty." He was recently seen in "Red" opposite Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, Morgan Freeman and Mary-Louise Parker."Whether portraying brutish villains, sympathetic everymen, complex leaders or hapless heroes, Ernest Borgnine has brought a boundless energy which, at 93, is still a hallmark of his remarkably busy life and career," Screen Actors Guild National President Ken Howard said in a statement. "It is with that same joyous spirit that we salute his impressive body of work and his steadfast generosity."

The actor has also had a slew of television work including starring in "McHale's Navy," which earned him his first Emmy nominations, and guest roles on "ER," "JAG," and "Touched By An Angel."

Go here for an article about his Masonic connection.

For Oliver - R. I. P. my Brother

OLIVER V. BOYINGTON

Clarion

Oliver V. Boyington, 85, passed away Saturday. A full Masonic funeral service for Oliver Boyington will be held on Friday, at 10 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in Clarion. Jay Cole Simser Past Master Arcadia Lodge #249 will officiate over the Masonic service. Burial will be at Evergreen Cemetery in Clarion. Visitation will be held on Friday one hour prior to services at the church.

Brooks & Dunn - Believe (Official Music Video) - Click here for another funny movie.

A Story about George

I have written about the T. S. Parvin Award in the past. It was my very great pleasure to run into the 1982 recipient of this award at George Carr's Funeral - J Kent Zickefoose, Capital Lodge No 110.

Kent was the first person ever to receive this award - I had fun seeing him again and even though it was 26 years ago I recognized him. I stopped him as he was walking by me and called him by name and it was really fun to be able to see him and visit with him. But this post is not about J. Kent. It is about the man who got him to the award ceremony and sat with him while he waited for the award to be presented.

That man was George R. Carr. Kent told me that in 1982 George arranged for him to have Credentials at Grand Lodge to get him there. Our friend Jerry Marsengill was behind it all but George did the actual work to get him the proxy vote and take him to Grand Lodge and sat with him until he was asked to come down to the podium so that the Grand Master and I could present him with that award.. He had no idea what was happening. But he was the first to get this award and George made it happen.

There were a lot of us who could have talked about George at the funeral. Every person there had at least one "George" story. Some people could tell about a kindness George performed for them. We would still be there a week later telling stories about George. I am honored to have known him. There was nothing artificial or phony about him. He had no axe to grind and he sought no title or pin to wear on his lapel. Perhaps that is why he was the recipient of the highest honor which can be given in the Scottish Rite.

I was having an e-mail conversation with someone about George. We mentioned that we missed George and that we really wished that more people had shared stories about this incredible man. We talked about how some criticize our Gentle Craft. And I made the point that it really didn't matter to me that George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Harry Truman or Earnest Borgnine were Masons but it did matter to me that George Carr was a Mason. His character exemplified Brotherly Love and relief and that is the Truth. 'Nuff said. Thanks for stopping by. ARTYAL, Hugs. jcs

The Last Degree

In Loving Memory
George R. Carr, 33° G.C

August 1, 1922 - August 12, 2008

Pastor Ramon Runkel of St. John's Lutheran Church described George as his primary Mentor and Friend. He said that George at the bottom had a deep respect and love for you as a person. He did.

He was described at the Masonic Celebration of his life in the same way with the addition of the word Brother. That was George. We will carry him with us in our hearts. His "Last Degree" was flawless. George would probably have told us that we should have said less and laughed more. But it was a wonderful tribute to a man and a Brother who we should all emulate.

A Scots Farewell

When I come to the end of the road
And the sun has set for me
I want no tears in a gloom-filed room
Why cry for a soul set free?

Miss me a little but not for long
And not with your head bowed low
Remember the love that we once shared.

Miss me -- but let me go.

For this is a journey we all must take
And each must go alone.
It's all a part of the master plan
A step on the road to home.

When you are lonely and sick of heart
Go the the friend we know
And bury you sorrows in doing good deads

Miss me -- but let me go.

Gary Sissel 33° also described George as a mentor. He added the words "wise teacher."

Nothing more needs to be said. Godspeed, George - We're glad we knew ya!

Iowa's Grand Master

Don Mosier is our Grand Master and I am going to pay tribute to him. I am not "sucking up to him" I just really admire this man and what he is doing for Freemasonry in Iowa.

Don is not alone in what he is trying to do this year. In fact he would be the first to tell you that the Grand Master's who have gone before him contributed to his programs and ideas and the Grand Master's who will follow him will also have a similar philosophy about the direction we are taking here in Iowa. But, Don is leading us and he is leading us well.

If you want to get to know Don you can go to his Web Site and read his bio. You can also read about him on the Grand Lodge Web Site here.

What I want to pay tribute to is his willingness to spend a lot of time trying to figure out how he, as Grand Master, and his officers can be of service to the Lodges of Iowa. He does not just go around making the same old after dinner speech. Don has established a program unique to Iowa. Through New Master Mason Forums he is meeting with members of the craft who have not been in Masonry for more than three years and asking them the questions which may be found here.

( Members are asked to go to the page linked above and fill out answers to the questions being asked of new members. You do not have to be a new member to do this.)

The reason for these forums was the number of suspensions for Non-payment of dues which Iowa had last November. Don decided to find out why so he and Jack Butler (Next year's Grand Master and the one I should be sucking up to) and the Grand Secretary have been meeting with these Masons. Because of those meetings Don has scheduled 19 Iowa Masonic Membership Retention Forums which will be held in April and May and has issued Summons for people to attend them.

He describes them in this way:

...we are having 19 meetings or forums across the state over the next two months to talk about this. The figures will be presented. Opinions will be asked for. Discussions will be held. And we will talk about HOW TO MENTOR NEW MASONS. The Master, Wardens, and Secretaries of each Iowa Lodge will receive a letter inviting them to these meetings. They will each be expected to attend one of them. They will also be asked to bring others from their lodges. All are welcome, Young, Old, New Mason, Seasoned Mason. Here are the dates for the meetings.

For a Grand Master to act this way is unusual. I have never seen it in all of my Masonic experience. Don has seen a problem and is acting immediately to address the problem and help correct it. I have liked and admired all of the Past Grand Masters of my Grand Lodge. They are the cream of the crop. Don is one of the best. His (and my) friend John Klaus and I discussed him and his programs via e-mail No one could have said it better than John who has given me permission to quote from his e-mail to me.

We were discussing Don's schedule and his ability to work at a full time job and still put in the schedule he does in the Grand Master's office.

I wrote:

I think he also is enjoying himself. I mean what other position can you have where you have to make trips that will keep you up until 2:30 in the morning and have the satisfaction of having helped save a Lodge. I am glad it is him in that position and I am also impressed with the things he is doing with the Grand Master's New Member Forums and the mentoring meetings. I put his dates on the All-Iowa Calendar and it is a killer schedule.

John wrote back:

Oh, ALL of that is exactly true! He is a man of almost stupefying intelligence, remarkable ideas, and nearly superhuman stamina. That became very clear when we traveled a lot during his year in the Grand South. Gosh, we talked about everything from heavy metal music to medieval philosophy--and a LOT about European and American literature. It tickles me to see him put some of the ideas that were very much on his mind in 2002-2003 into practice in 2007-2008. There's NO question he's enjoying himself.

Bear in mind, though, that he is, by at least a decade, the youngest Grand Master we've had in a long time…

Since I rarely go through a week without running into Don a time or two, I'm well aware of his schedule. In fact, it makes me tired even to think about it!

Not the least of his accomplishments is his serious involvement in regional and national Masonic affairs, and that has only reflected well on the Grand Lodge of Iowa.

So this tribute is to our Grand Grand Master. He may not know it, but I admire him for the example he is setting for all of us. He is not doing the things he is doing alone (as he would tell you) but, as I said, he is our leader and he is very worthy of the Excellence Award I now bestow upon him (Not only that he is reading War and Peace.) I would never have known him if not for my fraternity. That is enough for now. ARTYAL, Hugs, j

Now, Go fill out the questionnaire.

Harry S Truman

This picture of Harry S Truman hangs in the Lodge Room of Arcadia Lodge. It hangs in many Lodge rooms. Harry S Truman was Grand Master of Masons in Missouri in 1940 - 41. He went out of office in October of 1941.

He was active in Masonry all through his life, practicing his ritual as he plowed and served as Master of his Lodge as well as Grand Master. He was a 33rd Mason, having first turned the degree down until an injustice to his friend was corrected,

His White House biography does not mention his Masonic connection but every Mason knows of it just as they do that George Washington was a Mason.

Truman appointed Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of Freemason Franklin D. Roosevelt, as his representative to the newly formed United Nations. Both Mrs. Roosevelt and Truman worked to support civil rights for all. Truman called her the "First Lady of the World." Together these giants worked to improve the betterment of all mankind. I salute them both.