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The North Carolina Mason
September/October 2013
PGM Simpson dead at 85
GREENSBORO — William Henry Simpson, 143rd grand master of Ancient, Free and
Accepted Masons of North Carolina died here
September 8. Marian, his wife of 61 years was
by his side. He was 85
years old.
Our mild voiced
Bill was born to Pearlie
and Addie Simpson in
Stokesdale, NC on May
14, 1928. He is survived by his wife, Marian Vaughn Simpson;
sister Peggy Harper of
Greensboro; sister Betty Shelton and husband
Powell of Stokesdale;
and brother Bob Simpson and wife Janice of
Stokesdale. Bill was
preceded in death by his
sister Frances Best.
He graduated from
Stokesdale High School in 1945 where he was
a lover of sports and a star basketball player.
In 1950 Bill graduated from The University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in
science and the following year returned to Chapel Hill to enroll in graduate school. Having
been an advocate of basketball all of his life and
his admiration for the Tar Heels combined to
add much pleasure to his life. His huge love for
UNC caused him to be affectionately known to
many as "Mr. Tar Heel."
Bill and Marian were married in 1952, he joined the
Air Force in 1953. He and
Marian came to Greensboro
in 1956 and joined West
Market Street United Methodist Church where Bill was
active in many capacities the
rest of his life.
Simpson was initiated
in Stokesdale 428 June 21,
1949; passed July 19, 1949;
and raised August 2, 1949.
He was a member of Wilkerson College 760 and honorary member of many lodges
across the state.
He was a past grand commander of the Grand Commandery of the Knights Templar of North Carolina, past worthy grand patron of the Order of
the Eastern Star of North Carolina, and a member of Greensboro Scottish Rite. Grand Master Jerry G. Tart appointed him to the Grand
Lodge line in 1989, and he was elected grand
master in 1996.
RALEIGH — Registration for Wilkerson
College opened October 1. Wilkerson College,
was founded in 2002 by the Grand Lodge and
NC Scottish Rite "to provide Freemasonry with
the best trained leaders possible. Today there are
more than 200 graduates of Wilkerson College
who are making a positive difference in North
Carolina Freemasonry and the communities
that they live in."
The class is limited to 36 students. Admission preference is given to lodge deacons. The
school includes three weekend sessions held
in the spring.
The 2014 sessions will be held at WhiteStone in Greensboro February 28–March 1, the
Masonic Home for Children in Oxford March
28–29, and at the Grand Lodge headquarters in
Raleigh May 2–3. Wives are invited to the final
weekend's events.
For additional information and registration,
visit Wilkerson College's website .
Wilkerson College registration opens
GM Preslar gives PGM Pervier his Montfort Medal.
Pervier named newest
Montfort Medalist
WINSTON-SALEM — At Annual Communication here, Past Grand Master Graham
W. Pervier was named the latest recipient of
the Joseph Montfort Medal, the highest honor
given by the Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of North Carolina. Grand Master Dewey
R. Preslar presented the award before the 1,000
assembled members of the Grand Lodge and a
circle of previous Montfort Medalists.
Pervier, a member of Forsyth 707, was grand
master in 2005 and has served on many Grand
Lodge committees and boards both before and
after being grand master. Before his retirement, he
was county manager of Forsyth County for more
than 20 years. His professionalism has proved an
asset to the fraternity on many occasions.
The Montfort Medal is presented at the discretion of the grand master for "distinguished
Masonic service or achievement." He is allowed
to give only three Montforts during his tenure.
The medal is named for Royal White Hart 2
member Joseph Montfort who was made "provincial grand master of and for America" in
1771, the only man ever to hold that honor.
Boot Camps expand to four locations
By Kevin Combs
The popular Officers' Boot Camps, designed to train Blue lege and those who would like a refresher of the Wilkerson ColLodge line officers in essential leadership skills as they move to lege program. Topics include "Masonic Education in the Blue
the master's chair, will expand to four sessions this fall. The forums Lodge," "Motivation," "Fundraising," "The Master's Toolbox,"
provide up-to-date and informative material on effective lodge and "Steps to Dynamic Lodge Leadership." Brothers scheduled
management and planning. The Boot Camps are one-day pro- to present at the boot camps include JGW Doug Caudle, Jim
grams, repeated across the state.
Medlin, Rick Smith, JGS Shaun Bradshaw, Larry Thompson,
DateLocation
Address
Ben Wallace, and Kevin Combs.
Oct. 19 Hiram 98
213 Fisher Drive, Clinton
Kevin Combs is a member of Statesville 27 and the Masonic EduNov. 9 Masonic Temple 427 W. Friendly Ave., Greensboro
cation Committee.
Nov. 16 Masonic Temple 80 Broadway, Asheville
Nov. 23 Skewarkee 90
610 N. Smithwick St., Williamston
These sessions offer lodges unparalleled opportunities for deIssue
Deadline
velopment. Each session stands on its own — a brother only needs
to attend one session to get the full Boot Camp experience. The
January/February...........................January 1
Boot Camps, now in their fifth year, are free and are co-sponsored
March/April................................March 1
by Wilkerson College and the Grand Lodge Masonic Education
May/June..................................... May 1
Committee. Participants receive a workbook and other material.
You are on your own for lunch.
July/August....................................July 1
While open to all Masons, Boot Camp sessions will be most
September/October.....................September 1
helpful to blue lodge line officers.
The Boot Camps were conceived as a way of providing leadNovember/December...................November 1
ership training for officers who could not attend Wilkerson Col-
NC Mason Deadlines
Master Brown and GM Preslar
New Knights of
Solomon instituted
JACKSONVILLE — Perhaps the fastest growing lodge in
our history was Knights of Solomon 764 based in Charlotte. As
expected, the lodge has already inspired another motorcycle affinity lodge. The new edition was granted a dispensation to operate
as a lodge May 30. They have chosen to continue the franchise by
also taking the name Knights of Solomon Lodge.
Forty-four Masons attended the institution of Knights of Solomon Lodge here at Semper Fidelis 680. Its beginning primary
officers are Beau Anthony Brown, master; Denny Norris, senior
warden; and Joseph Lynn Houle, junior warden.
Grand Lodge voted at Annual Communication to grant them
a charter, creating Knights of Solomon 766. The lodge will be
constituted in October. For more information on the lodge, contact lodge secretary Howard Kahn .
Members and guests at the institution.
The first officers are sworn.
Pope's really big year
FAYETTEVILLE — Thomas Pope, of Stedman 730, is having a big year. Pope has long covered motorsports for the Fayetteville Observer where he currently serves as sports editor. In
May, he received the Henry T. McLemore Motorsports Press
Award. It "is given in recognition of continued outstanding motorsports journalism in the field of writing, broadcasting, and
photography as carried on in the tradition of Henry McLemore,
a renowned journalist who helped put motorsports in the national spotlight. There are currently 22 living winners of the
award, and those winners nominate and vote for each new winner. The award is given only in years when there is a majority of
the votes cast for one individual."
Pope received the honor in Talladega May 2 at the International Motorsports Hall of Fame inductions. During the same
ceremonies, Dale Inman, Rusty Wallace, Rick Hendrick, and Don
Schumahcer were inducted in the Hall.
Earlier this year, Pope won the Russ Catlin Motorsports Journalism Award of Excellence for writing in daily publications. The
award recognizes the best racing story to appear nationally in a
newspaper in 2012. The story garnering the accolade was "Rock
of Ages" "which chronicles the passion with which fans follow
racing at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem." According to judges at Indiana University, "The reporter brings Bowman
Gray Stadium to life, revealing the culture of grassroots racing
with plenty of local color. Whether readers are racing fans or not,
they will recognize the passion and connection to place as universal human experiences."
Pope joined the Observer sports staff in 1978. He has won more
The
m i s s i o n o f F r e e m a s o n r y i n N o r t h C a r o l i n a i s t o r a i s e t h e m o r a l , s o c i a l , i n t e l l e ct u a l ,
tenets of B rotherly L ove , R elief , and T ruth , which are expressed outwardly through service to
NORTH CAROLINA
The Mason
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Carolina, 2921 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27608.
Third class postage paid at Oxford, NC 27565.
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Dewey R. Preslar Jr.
Board Of Publication
Thomas A. Pope Jr. (Chair)
Don E. Bolden
R. Kevin Combs
John A. Pea
John A. Sullivan
Editor
Ric Carter
and
G od ,
Thomas Pope, left, receives the McLemore Award
from Kenny Bruce of NASCAR.com as Miss Motorsports Hall of Fame looks on.
than two dozen writing awards, National Motorsports Press Association contests, and the NMPA's George Cunningham Award
as its writer of the year in 1994. He is also a three-time recipient
of the media award given by the International Hot Rod Association. He is a co-author of three NASCAR related books, and he
also helped select the top 50 drivers in NASCAR and NHRA
history. He is 17th District deputy grand lecturer, assistant secretary of Stedman 730, and chairman of the Board of Publication of
The North Carolina Mason.
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F atherhood
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