Letter of the month: July 2000

Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2000 15:07:49 -0400 (EDT)
Message-Id: <200007281907.PAA10788@pellenes-shoshonensis.mit.edu>
Reply-To: <dgshaffer@theriver.com>
To: dryfoo@mit.edu
Subject: Freemasonry Guest Book (Yes) dgshaffer@theriver.com
-------

       Name:: Diann Guthrie
     E-mail:: dgshaffer@theriver.com
   Location:: Tucson, AZ
      Lodge:: 
Lodge Loc'n:: 
     Office:: 
       RQFC?: Yes
  RQFC-topic: Information for my father.

Message:: I'm trying to locate some information for my father. His name is John William Guthrie and he became a Mason in Kansas. Newton, KS I think. He has lost his York-Rite ring. I want to replace it for him but I don't know where to start. He said he thought he qualified for a York-Rite "level". My terminology may not be correct. How do I accomplish this request? Dad's in a nursing home and I would like to do this for him while he still can appreciate getting his ring back. Thank you very much for your assistance. Also he mentioned because he was a Mason that there might be some facilities that he could go to, instead of the nursing home he is in currently. How do I find information regarding all of this? Lastly, I strongly believe that when the time comes my father would like the Masonic Temple to be involved at his funeral. Performing a ceremony. One more thing-It would be a good idea if Tucson Masonic temple got an answering machine........

Diann

To: <dgshaffer@theriver.com>
Subject: Re: Freemasonry Guest Book (Yes) dgshaffer@theriver.com
In-Reply-To: Your message of "Fri, 28 Jul 2000 15:07:49 EDT."
             <200007281907.PAA10788@pellenes-shoshonensis.mit.edu> 
--------

dear Ms Guthrie,

You should contact his lodge. That is absolutely the first step.

You might be able to find some of your dad's old lodge notices -- which would have the phone number of the secretary and many other members, which might be all the info you need to start with.

The lodge is the place to go for help. Every member of his lodge has promised to help and assist their brother and his family. They are the ones who know him.

If you can't find the lodge yourself, you can contact the Grand Lodge of Kansas and ask for the office of the Grand Secretary. They should have your father's records, and can give you contact info for his lodge, probably addresses and phone numbers for the master and secretary. The Grand Lodge will also have his complete records, the York Rite stuff, for instance.

Regarding the funeral, bless you for thinking of this ahead of time! Most lodges get requests for Masonic funerals with very little advance notice.

In your case, it's unlikely that the Kansas Masons will be able to help with his funeral, although you should talk to the lodge secretary about how to notify him when the time comes -- at least they will want to know so they can have a memorial service in their lodge, and for their records. Also, there may very well be other members of that lodge closer to your area.

While you're speaking with someone in the office of the Grand Secretary in Kansas, ask them how to approach the Grand Lodge of Arizona for advice about assistance with a Masonic funeral ceremony. They should be able to give you contact info for some lodges in your area that can arrange the service at your notice. (They will certainly appreciate being contacted ahead of time, so they can get all the appropriate information, and help you make arrangements -- for instance, you'll need to find his "lambskin" apron.)

I wish more Masons would talk to their families while they are able, to explain matters like contacting the lodge for assistance, funeral ceremonies, disposition of their apron and regalia, et cetera. All Masons know that there is an end to our days as workmen in this earthly temple -- why they do not take a few minutes to discuss arrangements with their own families I will never never understand.

Regarding the ring: there are any number of companies that sell Masonic jewelry, and if you get a catalog, one of the members of his lodge should sit with you and help you identify the proper emblems for a ring. To find Masonic jewelers, go back to my website, to the Pointers section, you will find a "Commercial" section that contains several jewelers, supply houses, and ring makers.

Best wishes to you and your dad, Ms Guthrie. If you have any problems contacting either Kansas or Arizona, please let me know.

(And regarding an answering machine at the Masonic apartments you tried to reach, they may have their reasons for not using an answering machine. But you'd have to ask them about that.)

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