M W Grand Lodge of F.& A.M. of Washington Biographical Sketches of Our Pa Grand Maers Biographical Sketch of Billy R. Bill Wood th 137 Grand Maer of Washington 1999-2000 By: R W John D. Keliher, Grand Secretary This Biographical Sketch is hyperlink to our Grand Lodge Library and Museum website for the year 1999-2000: http://mwglofwa.phanfare.com/pa-grand-maers/5340326 Grand Maer Bill R. Wood was born on March 19th, 1944, in Gassville, Arkansas, a small town on Highway 62 between Harrison and Mountain Home, Arkansas, on the ea side of the White River. Shortly after he was born Bill s family moved from Gassville to Flippin, Arkansas, a larger metropolitan center seven miles away on the we side of the White River. There the family ran a dairy farm for the next eight years. In 1952, Bill s father changed his vocation to heavy conruction. He helped build the dam at Bull Shoals and then the dam near Branson, Missouri, and Bill s Dad worked heavy conruction on hydro-electric projects in Texas, Missouri and Washington State. Between conruction projects the Wood family returned to Flippin, Arkansas, where Bill graduated from high school in 1962. Then he came we to work on Wells Dam in Azwell, Washington, as a cement Mason. For the next sixteen years Bill worked on numerous reclamation projects, moly on the Columbia River in Eaern Washington. And the process he moved to Brewer, Washington. It was in Brewer that Bill met Sue Dietrich, and in 1964 they were married. Bill and Sue have called Brewer home for the pa 36 years. In 1978, Bill and Sue bought a craft ore and flower shop which they ran until 1986. Their family includes a son and a daughter: Robert Wood, who lives in Selah; and daughter Tina, who lives in Brewer with children Chris, Brandy, Ellie, and Mac. Bill Wood was skilled as a cement Mason by the time he became a Speculative Mason in Columbia Lodge, No.193, in 1980. Three years later, in 1983, he served as Worshipful Maer of his Lodge in Bridgeport. Subsequently he was elected Treasurer and served as Maer a second time. He is presently a member of Okanogan Lodge, No.169, and Paleine Lodge, No.214. His concern for Masonic Youth activities has always been self evident. He was Rainbow Dad for eleven years. He served on the Rainbow Advisory Board for ten years, and he has served on the Rainbow Dads Scholarship Fund for Grand Assembly. Bill s activities in Concordant and Appendant Bodies have been extensive. A Pa Worthy Patron of Puritan Chapter, No.44, Order of Eaern Star, in Bridgeport he is also a member of Okanogan Valley Chapter, No.41, Royal Arch Masons; Charles B. Reed Council, No.14, Royal and Select Maers, Wenatchee; Columbia Commandery, No.14, Wenatchee; Valley of Wenatchee, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry; Okanogan Valley Shrine Club, and El Katif Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Myic Shrine. In Grand Lodge Bill Wood served on the Youth Committee, Religious Awareness Committee, Housing Chairman for Arrangements for Grand Lodge. He was appointed Junior Grand Steward, Junior Grand Deacon, Deputy of the Grand Maer in Dirict No.22 for two years, and served as Grand Marshal. His year as Grand Maer was marked by rong, positive leadership, and the Craft responded to him with affection. Grand Maer Bill R. Wood provided that good and wholesome inruction, but more than that, by his example of Brotherly Love, Charity, and honor he demonrated what Masonic virtue truly means. Grand Maer at the end of the Twentieth Century, Grand Maer Bill R. Wood Part 4-137 Page 1 of 7
led the Grand Lodge of Washington into the Twenty-fir Century with confidence in the future of the Craft. 2, Vol. LXXVIII, 2000, pg.. iii Grand Maer s Message (Given at the One Hundred Forty-Third Annual Communication, Wenatchee Washington, June 2000) To the Mo Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Washington: Good Morning, Brethren, and welcome to the beautiful city of Wenatchee, Washington, the rd Apple Capital of the World, and the 143 Annual Communication of your Grand Lodge. I hope your ay with us will be comfortable and happy and it is my hope that you return to your homes safely and with the feeling that your journey was well worthwhile. May our Heavenly Father be with us and guide us during the next three days as we work together to make those decisions which will lead our beloved Fraternity into the 21 Century. A special welcome to our Diinguished Gues who have taken time from their busy schedules to be with us during our Annual Communication. We hope your ay with us will be rewarding, and if any us can be of assiance in making your ay a more enjoyable one, please call upon us. Our theme this year was Do Good Unto All, and I have witnessed this theme being put to use all over this Grand Jurisdiction. I have witnessed programs arted by Lodges to help others less fortunate in their communities. Shoes for kids, bikes for kids, coats, caps, and mittens for kids; a Lodge buying a freezer for an elderly lady whose freezer broke down and she didn t have the money to fix or replace it; needy families being helped with food baskets and monetary gifts; and the li goes on and on. Masons have always and will continue into the 21 Century to help their fellow man and to Do Good Unto All. Good men in our communities are taking notice and want to be a part of an organization that makes a difference in people s lives and ask for nothing in return. They want to be a part of a Fraternity that gives them the opportunity to practice and teach brotherly love, relief, and truth. They want to be Free Masons and it is up to each of us to tell good men about our gentle Craft. As my travels this year have taken me to all four corners of our ate and all points in between, one important item has ood out: Lodges that are active in their communities, in their schools, and in their churches are growing. Lodges that are having intereing Stated Meetings are having good turnouts of the Brethren. Lodges that have accepted and are using the New Candidate Educational course in place of rote memory work are proving up more of their candidates, and these new Brothers are better educated about Freemasonry. Yes, Lodges that have accepted change are growing in membership and are active in their communities. I have heard Deputies of the Grand Maer in their Dirict reports ate that their Diricts have experienced an increase in membership. Unfortunately, these Diricts are ill in the minority, but we are making progress on our membership problem. For those Lodges and Diricts willing to accept and make changes in the way their Stated Meetings are conducted, who actively use the Friend to Friend program and have Friend s Night, who use the Alternate Proficiency Program to educate and prove up their candidates, the future looks bright. But for those Lodges who refuse to change, who insi that every word in the cipher mu be memorized letter perfect in proving proficiency because if I had to memorize it then they have to memorize too, the future for these Lodges is not so bright. But every Lodge has the right to set its own course. Every Lodge has the right to resi change. Every Lodge has the right to die. We may not like it, but the Lodge has this right. I, like many of my Brethren, have never been more optimiic about the future of our Fraternity. Your Elected Grand Lodge Officers have worked together to develop a 5-year long-range plan for our Grand Lodge and Lodges. We know where we are going and we know how we are going to get there. The be way to predict our future is to create it, and that is exactly what your Grand Lodge Officers are in the process of doing. Grand Lodge has support teams to assi those Lodges that are ruggling, give those Part 4-137 Page 2 of 7
Lodges ideas and programs that have worked for other Lodges that were ruggling. We had a public relations campaign this year consiing of newspaper ads placed in the regional newspaper throughout our ate telling good men about Freemasonry. A good number of Lodges ran this ad in their local newspaper and the responses to these ads were encouraging. Yes, Brethren, we have made progress in emming our membership losses, but we have much work left to do. Working together we can and will turn our losses into gains and Freemasonry will continue to grow into the 21 Century. Dirict meetings were held in all 31 Diricts, and attendance was, in mo cases, outanding. Several of the Dirict Meetings were opened on the E.A. Degree so our new Brothers could attend. My thanks go out to the Deputies of the Grand Maer for all their hard work and efforts in putting together their Dirict Meetings. I am also quite pleased to report that at not one of the Dirict meetings was fish served at the dinner, although one Deputy did try and sneak in some pickled herring and lutefisk. He is now a Pa Deputy of the Grand Maer. Workshops were done on a Dirict-wide basis, with some Diricts choosing to combine their workshops. The content of the workshops was left up to the Deputy of the Grand Maer, thereby assuring the Lodges would receive inruction on what was mo needed in their respective Lodges. I am pleased to report that mo Diricts had a workshop and the format was well received. Your Grand Lodge team was called on to perform two dedication ceremonies for signs sponsored and erected by Lodges, one at a school and one at a little league ball field. We also performed three re-dedication ceremony for Lodges celebrating 75- and 100-year anniversaries. Your Grand Lodge team also was invited to perform nine cornerone ceremonies. One of my fonde memories of being permitted to serve as your Grand Maer will be of the cornerone we were invited to lay at the Northwe United Proteant Church in Richland in Augu 1999. It has been several years since this Grand Lodge has received such an invitation, and the Paor, along with the members of the congregation, made us feel mo welcome. A videotape of this special day is available at the Grand Lodge Office, and I would encourage the Lodges to make use of it. Many thanks to the Brethren of Richland Lodge for their efforts in securing this cornerone ceremony for your Grand Lodge team. Grand Lodge Lapel Pin 1999-2000 Do Good Unto All Upon invitation, your Grand Maer and his lady, or his representative, attended Annual Grand Lodge Communications of several Grand Lodges: British Columbia, Idaho, Oregon, California, Montana, Alaska, Utah, Nevada, Arkansas, and M W Prince Hall of Washington and Jurisdiction. In all our visits we were warmly received. In February of this year all five of your Elected Grand Lodge Officers traveled to Savannah, Georgia, to attend the Conferences of Grand Maers and Grand Secretaries. Your Elected Officers played an active role in this year s conference. Our Senior Grand Warden, R W Robert L. VanZee, hoed the Junior/Senior Grand Wardens luncheon, and our Junior Grand Warden, R W Jimmy Reid, was asked to prepare a paper on the advantages and disadvantages of conducting business on the E.A. and Fellowcraft Degree. Your Elected Officers came away with some new ideas, new programs, and with the knowledge that the Grand Lodge of Washington is the forefront of those progressive Grand Lodges that are inituting change to ensure the future of Freemasonry in their respective Jurisdictions. I inructed our Grand Lecturer, V W Norm Watts, to schedule two One Day Conferrals, one to be held at the MRC in Des Moines and the other in Yakima. Both were well attended and the Degree work in both was excellent. Part 4-137 Page 3 of 7
In April, four of your Elected Grand Lodge Officers and their ladies were accompanied by 17 Masons and ladies and visited our three Lodges in SE Alaska. We were warmly received and made to feel mo welcome in Ketchikan, Petersburg, and Juneau. I wish to thank R W Tom Waggoner, DDGM in Dirict 3, for his assiance in putting together a mo intereing and fun program for those who traveled to Alaska. A special thank you to W Herb Miller and his lady Leona for acting as our tour director and making sure everyone knew where they were supposed to be and no one was left behind. RECOMMENDATIONS Recommendation No.1 Our Grand Lodge Scholarship fund has not had a fund raiser in several years. In order to present more than our usual ten $1000.00 annual Scholarships to deserving Junior and Senior udents we mu increase the Scholarship Endowment Fund. I therefore recommend that every Lodge pays $5.00 for each petition approved for the conferral of Degrees to be deposited in Masonic Scholarship Endowment Fund. This co would, or could be, added onto the fees charged by the Lodges for the Degrees of Masonry. Recommendation No.2 Our Code presently permits a Lodge to fill a vacancy by ballot at any Stated Communication in the office of Treasurer or Secretary without a dispensation from the Grand Maer. The Worshipful Maer, Senior, and Junior Wardens cannot resign nor can a special election be held to fill their office unless all three offices become vacant. If a Junior or Senior Warden becomes ill, moves from the area, or is called to the celeial Lodge above, the Lodge then mu protem their ation for the remainder of the year. This causes a break in the elected line, disrupts planning and programs for the Lodge, and in some cases a Brother is placed in the ation that is not prepared to assume the duties required of an elected officer of a Lodge. I therefore recommend that Sec. 17.11 and Sec. 17.12 B.L. WMC be amended to allow a vacancy in the office of Warden, Secretary, or Treasurer to be filled by ballot at any Stated Communication, after due notice to members. Recommendation No.3 When a man joins our Fraternity, he is entitled to the be Degree work a Lodge can perform. His fir impression of Freemasonry is based upon the proficient manner in which the members of a Lodge confer his Degree which concludes with the lecture of that Degree. Unfortunately, a large number of our Lodges no longer have Brethren in their Lodge that can recite the lectures from memory. Brethren from other Lodges, and in some cases from other Diricts, mu be called in to deliver our lectures. The majority of Lodges no longer have anyone who can coach a new Mason in memorizing the lectures. I therefore recommend that the lectures of the Three Degrees be videotaped in their entirety and these videos be made available to Lodges who wish to use them in their Degree work or for coaching purposes. The videos could only be shown at a tiled meeting of the Lodge or in a secure place for inruction. The purchase price would be based on actual production co. Recommendation No.4 Up until 1947 this Grand Jurisdiction allowed a newly made Maer Mason to sign his Lodges By-Laws, pay his dues, and be issued a dues card on the night he was Raised. He could not hold an office in his Lodge until he proved up on the Third Degree. This method has some advantages for the Lodge. Fir, it allows a newly made Maer Mason to become a member of his Lodge and take an active part right away while working on his proficiency. Secondly, if the Brother does not become active in his Lodge and does not pay his dues the succeeding year, the secretary of the Lodge may drop this member NPD, thereby removing him from the books of the Lodge. I therefore recommend that Sec. 21.10 B.L. be amended to permit a newly made Maer Mason to sign the By-Laws of his Lodge, pay his yearly dues, be issued a dues card and become an enrolled member of his Lodge on Part 4-137 Page 4 of 7
the night he is Raised to the sublime Degree of a Maer Mason. In order to hold an elected or appointed office in his Lodge, he then mu return his Third Degree proficiency. Recommendation Number 5 Because of the co of producing and diributing the Proceedings of Grand Lodge in an electronic or optical format is at lea one-third the co of printing the Proceedings in their present form, it is my recommendation that the Washington Masonic Code be changed so that the Grand Secretary be allowed to do so. Technology keeps changing and it would be a miake to specify in the Code what the format or media ought to be in which the Proceedings mu be reproduced. At present a CD ROM disc appears to be a readily available andard which could be used but five years from now something better, less expensive, and more widespread may be available and the CD ROM devices may have joined eight track tape recorders and long playing records. Recommendation Number 6 Consolidation of Lodges is often unavoidable. Every year a few Lodges decide to join forces with another Lodge in order to save money, or to preserve the Standard Work, or to heal internal divisions, or because at lea one of the Lodges has simply run out of energy and youth and cannot field officers. But when the only Lodge in a small town consolidates with another Masonic Lodge in another locality, one of those towns has lo its Masonic presence for a long time, perhaps forever. At that point Masonry ceases to be a factor in the life of a community. We become that group over there or worse yet, a whole generation grows up never knowing we were ever part of their community. The Washington Masonic Code does not presently permit the new Lodge, the consolidated Lodge, from continuing to meet on a regular basis in both localities, alternating Stated Meetings, and keeping the Masonic presence alive in both communities. At be, the new Lodge can ask the Grand Maer for permission to move its charter for a special meeting but this is cumbersome, time consuming, and does not lend itself to reviving or suaining a Masonic presence in small communities. It is my recommendation that the Code be amended to allow a Lodge to amend its by-laws to permit it to meet in more than one locality following consolidation. We have to provide for the revival of Masonry. Consolidation of Lodges may be necessary but we need to look to the future and make it possible for Masonry to grow, to reclaim its place in our communities. Recommendation Number 7 I recommend the adoption of a syem of financing Grand Lodge that reinates a management fee to recapture cos to Grand Lodge for its ewardship. The Committee on Finance has written a Resolution upon which they will report later. APPRECIATION The office of Grand Maer can sometimes be almo overwhelming. There is no way I could have made it though the la four years without the help and support of my wife and family, the Brethren of this Grand Jurisdiction, our Grand Lodge Team, the ladies in the Grand Lodge Office, our Grand Secretary, and the three other Elected Grand Lodge Officers. When I was elected Junior Grand Warden four years ago, I accepted by ating, with the support of my Brethren and the good Lord a hold of my hand, I will do the be I can for our Fraternity. Thank you my Brethren for all your support, the kindness and respect you have shown to Sue and I, and for allowing me to serve you and our Fraternity as your Grand Maer. It has been a mo rewarding and humbling experience. I have done the very be I could, and I hope I have not let you down. To the members of our Grand Lodge Team, you have my heartfelt thanks for all your hard work, your support, and for overlooking my miakes. Every Grand Maer believes he has assembled the be team and I am no exception. No finer group of Masons were ever assembled, and you can look Part 4-137 Page 5 of 7
back on your year of service with pride and a sense of accomplishment. You were on a Team that took our Fraternity into the 21 Century. To the aff in our Grand Lodge Office, who in four years never once ated they were too busy to lend me a hand. Our Fraternity is very fortunate indeed to have such dedicated ladies working in our office. I would ask that sometime during the next three days each of you op by the table manned by our Grand Lodge Office aff and personally thank each of these ladies for all they do for our Fraternity. Brethren, money cannot buy the dedication and loyalty our aff has for our Craft. To the Deputy Grand Maer, Junior and Senior Grand Wardens who have never once let me down or failed to support me this year, you have my deepe appreciation and respect. We worked as a Team this year, we discussed issues facing our Lodges, Masonic Retirement Center, and Grand Lodge, we didn t always agree on the course of action to be taken but once the decision was made by the Grand Maer you gave your full support. No Grand Maer could ask for more. Our Fraternity is in good hands for the next several years and will prosper under your leadership. To our Grand Secretary, R W John Keliher. How can I find the words to properly thank you. For the support, advice, counsel, phone calls when you knew I was having a bad day, the countless letters written on my behalf, for watching my back, and for ju simply being my friend, you have my gratitude and respect. I simply could not have made it through this year without you R W John, and you have my deepe thanks. To my wife and be friend, Sue. In all the years we have traveled together in Grand Lodge, never did I hear her say, do I have to go but rather, what time do we leave. Sue has been my greate critic and my ronge supporter, reminded me when I need to be reminded that I was trying to be Grand Maer inead of Bill Wood, and that the top hat might be getting a little tight. You have my undying love. And finally to the Great Architect of the Universe, who held my hand, kept all the team safe in our 2, Vol. LXXVIII, 2000, pg.. 15 travels, and gave me good health and guidance: my praise to Him now and forever. Respectfully submitted, Bill Wood Grand Maer Poscript / personal remarks from M W B Bill R. Wood, December x, 2012: This Biographical Sketch is hyperlink to our Grand Lodge Library and Museum website for the year 1999-2000: http://mwglofwa.phanfare.com/pa-grand-maers/5340326 See M W Bill R. Wood s video interview, available at our Grand Lodge web site: http://www.freemason-wa.org/ Part 4-137 Page 6 of 7
(Left > Right) R W John D. Keliher, Grand Secretary R W Robert L. VanZee, Junior Grand Warden M W Bill R. Wood, Grand Maer R W Richard A. Mecartea, Deputy Grand Maer R W James N. Reid, Jr., Senior Grand Warden Grand Lodge Officers For the year June 11, 1999 to June 9, 2000 Grand Maer............... M W Billy R. Bill Wood (169-214) Deputy Grand Maer........ R W Richard A. Mecartea (9) Senior Grand Warden........ R W Robert L. VanZee (42) Junior Grand Warden........ R W James N. Reid, Jr. (98-216) Grand Secretary............. R W John D. Keliher (290) Grand Chaplain............. V W Willard F. Shenkel (2-190) Grand Lecturer............. V W Norman A. Watts (243) Grand Orator............... V W Harry S. Archer (306) Grand Hiorian............. W T. H. Dick Dickason (92-189) Grand Marshal.............. V W Edward A. Wall (25) Senior Grand Deacon........ V W Kenneth G. Callahan (248) Junior Grand Deacon......... V W Dennis L. Robins (176) Grand Standard Bearer....... W Hite E. Bright (133) Grand Sword Bearer......... W R. G. Butch Rogahn (214) Grand Bible Bearer.......... W Lowell W. Spry (71-91) Senior Grand Steward........ V W Scott A. Muchmore (38) Junior Grand Steward........ W Steven L. Guffy (112-285) Grand Organi............. V W Gerald O. Stinnett (58) Grand Tyler................ V W Clarence D. Weitman (214) Assiant Grand Secretary..... V W Karl S. Reith (235) Assiant Grand Secretary..... W David P. Owen (18) Part 4-137 Page 7 of 7