The North Carolina Mason

Page 6 The North Carolina Mason July/August 2009 WeLCome our new BroTherS BeneaTh The OakS By Allen Hughes Administrator Masonic Home for Children at Oxford The new/old St. John's Day NC Mason Deadlines Issue Deadline January/February .......................... January 1 March/April ............................... March 1 May/June .................................... May 1 July/August ...................................July 1 September/October ....................September 1 November/December ..................November 1 1 ......................Craig Lee Blasingame 1 ......................... Barry Allen Coburn 1 ........................Sean Patrick Hughes 1 ....... Ronnie Matthew Humphrey Jr. 1 .......................Steven James Kimbro 1 ............................... Terry Lee Kuhn 2 .............. Michael Douglas Bohanon 3 .........................Robert Ross Howell 3 ........... Anthony Raymond Montero 3 ...........................Jamie Leigh Player 3 ...................Gary Brian Strawbridge 3 ......Christopher Wayne Wainwright 5 ....................... Justin Garrett Byrum 8 ........................... Eric Eugene Fuller 8 ..................... Joseph William Heron 8 ......................... Ronnie Dean Lewis 8 ................................... Gerardo Lora 8 .. Marco Antonio Pastrana Marentes 8 ................................James Morris Jr. 8 .......................... Jimmy Dean Taylor 8 ......................... Jeffrey Ross omas 8 ............................ Christopher Velez 19 ...........................Alan John Forrest 19 .....................Brett David Horiuchi 19 .......Jonathan Christopher Penland 19 ....................... Timothy Ray Smith 31 ....................... Jeffrey Scott Brooks 31 ................... Jesse Austin Campbell 31 ...................... William Aaron King 31 ...................Charles Ernest Lilly II 32 ......................... Justin Alex Kessler 32 ........................ Joseph Glenn Plott 45 ............... Danny Richard Coleman 45 ................ omas Clinton Elledge 53 ..................William Francis Austin 53 ............... Stephen Darrell Swinson 59 ....................... Beau Patrick Daniel 59 ......... Jonathan Boutton Sawyer III 64 ....................James Fredrick Paxton 75 ..............Phillip Patrick Sansone Jr. 76 ...................Mark Edward Johnson 76 ................Robert Cameron Martin 81 ..................... George Ward Basden 81 ................... Shannon omas Bray 81 ........... Christopher Joseph Daniels 81 .......................... Danny Ray Heath 81 ......................... Donnie Gene May 81 ..................Donald Ray Murphy Jr. 81 ...................Malcolm Henry Smith 83 ..................... Joshua Denim Beeler 83 ............................. Tony Ray Frank 83 .................. John Allen Hansley III 83 .....................................Paul Morin 83 ................... Jason Michael Quiram 83 ............. Brian Christopher Raynor 84 .......... William Christopher Parker 90 ......................... David Nash Grant 90 ...........William Russell Mobley III 90 ............ Matthew Alexander Nihoa 90 ....... Maurice LeDrew Robinson Jr. 98 ................... Emory omas Brown 99 ........................... John Cole Sifford 102 ........Christian Monroe Campbell 102 .................... Brian Robert Glover 106 ................... Zeb Wilson Daneker 106 ..... Joseph Donald McDougald Jr. 113 ..........................Brian Lee Bowes 113 ............ Brian Coleman Whitfield 115 ......................Eric Kenneth Elder 115 .................... Jeffrey Alan Hatcher 115 ............. Mitchell Kevin Williams 123 ........................Bobby Joel Oakley 125 ....................... Gary Mac Herring 126 .................... Chance Allen Smith 127 .................. Cleo Forrest Burleson 129 ......................John Richard Stone 134 .................. James Carter Goforth 134 .........................Paul Kemal Ressa 137 ............Tommy Howard Angle Jr. 137 ......... Joseph Matthew Fincannon 137 .............. Donald Martin Mauldin 137 ............... Marion Eugene Paris Jr. 137 ....................... Larry Steve Turner 143 ........................ Kim Michael Beal 145 ................. James Carey Anderson 145 .................... Leon Michael Ditch 145 ...............Michael Bobby Gregory 146 ..................... Travis Jack Dockery 147 ................Christopher Ray Hayes 147 ......................... Chad Pace Smith 151 .........................Bryan Neill Allen 151 .............. Eddie Franklin Brannan 151 ...................... Kevin James Cleary 151 ..................... Charles Brian Estes 154 ................... Herman L. McIntyre 158 ............ John Edward Flamion III 158 .................. John Adam Whitfield 176 ..................Kevin Robert Schaffer 190 .......................Marty Allan Lewis 205 .......................Kris Deland Alling 205 ....................... Ronel Jason Alling 205 .....................Michael Reese Untz 207 ......................James Albert Bailey 207 ................Jeremy Neil McLelland 207 ............Christopher Alan Pridgen 214 ............... Teddy David Embler Jr. 218 .......................Daren Marvin Cox 218 ....................Alderson Neira-Arce 229 ..........................Joseph Phil Hehl 230 ......................Frank Leroy Hobbs 230 ....................Jeffery Scott Morgan 230 .................. John Curtis Simmons 230 ................Michael Dean Woolard 237 ............. Marcus Wells Hensley Jr. 244 ................ Patrick Joesph Cannon 249 ............... Logan Archibald Curry 249 ............................Jesse Lee Pierce 258 .......................Michael Alan Daly 261 ................. Brian Michael Karpiel 262 .............. Mark Anthony Burns Jr. 262 ....................... Jeff Walker Helton 262 ........ Samuel Kenneth Murphy Jr. 262 ................... Steven David Russell 267 ................... Leland omas Jones 267 ........... Keith Andrew Morehouse 267 ..................Steven Brad Woodson 267 ............ Steven Douglas Woodson 271 ...................James Alfred Bouldin 271 .......................James Randall Cox 271 ......................... Jeffrey Allen Cox 282 ..............James Harold Lassiter Jr. 283 ............... Jason Michael Peschock 289 ........ Jason Phillip Nifong Lackey 296 ..................Jason James Whitfield 299 ... Reuben Mason Zebulon Joyner 302 ......................Terry Wayne Chalk 304 ........................ Gary Vinton Byrd 304 ................. William Dean Elmore 304 .................omas Shane Tyndall 305 ............... Gary Segal Hutchinson 306 .....................John William Burris 314 ................... Jeremy Todd Clayton 314 ............James Alonzo Henning Jr. 314 ...............Richard Wade Hoffman 314 ........................ Charles Lee Nash 314 ......................Glenn Allen Weeks 317 .................Douglas Mercer Gibbs 317 .......Christopher omas Langley 319 .................... Adam Heath Moore 319 .......Patrick Robert Joseph Poirier 339 ................................. Mark Smith 343 .............. Daniel Stephen Guthrie 343 ....................Wesley omas King 344 ...................... Eric Jason Granillo 344 ...................... Jason Clifford Wall 348 ...................... Jason Luther Naves 352 ................. Robert Edward Carter 356 .................... Stevie Jason Flowers 356 ................ James Clifton Little III 357 ...........Dewayne Charles Gardner 357 .......................Brady Lane Gouge 358 ................Austin Taylor Brackney 358 ................Peter Robert Deveaugh 358 ..........Benjamin Joseph Green III 358 ........................ Phillip Tyler West 358 .....................Bobby Ray Willover 359 ................... James Warren Arthur 377 ................Timothy Warren Carey 377 .................... William Eric Mason 378 ....................Andrew Gene Taylor 379 ........ Christopher Gary Robinson 380 ................ William Steven Rogers 387 .....................Edward Scott Orrell 388 .................... Derek James Barkley 395 .................. Danny Wayne Morris 395 ........................James Brian Nunn 397 ............... Gary Marshall Gavenus 397 ......... Steven Karl Ignatius Scharf 401 .....................George Patrick Ellis 401 ................... Groce Scot Robinson 404 ................William Grayson Allen 405 ..... Rodney D. Rodriguez-Lebron 407 ......................... Alan Dale Brown 408 ...................... Joseph Pio Asterita 408 ...................... John Stephen Stalls 409 ................ Clyde Alvin Billings Jr. 409 ..................Clyde Eugene Kimrey 409 .....................Robert William Self 409 ...........Michael Lewis Wilburn II 427 ..................... William Paul Styles 429 ............James Edmund Gillentine 429 .......... Harvey Mack Grimmett Jr. 429 ................ omas Benson Peluso 429 ...................... Bobby Lee Trigleth 433 .....................Samuel Lea Bennett 433 .................... Dennis Arron Dixon 433 .................... Brandon Scott Feller 433 ........... Joseph Henry Midgette Jr. 433 ....................John Raymond Mills 434 ............... George Connell Powers 435 ............... Kenneth Marvin Crowe 435 .....................Jeffrey Michael Jolly 437 ...................... Jeffrey Ray Dorsett 460 ..................Jeffrey Francis Greene 460 .......................Steven Ray Greene 461 ................Mark Wayne Campbell 461 ............... Michael James Childers 461 .................Marvin David Johnson 461 ...............Curtis Rodney Johnston 461 ............................Barry Lee Jones 461 .............. Richard Alan Kratochvil 461 .......... Patrick Nicholas Marranca 461 .......Richard Arthur Schrecengost 462 .......... William Alexander Bryson 462 .................... Zachary Taft Bryson 462 ................ Matthew Noel Fallwell 462 ................ Dewey Huston Howell 462 ....................... Barry Jason Moore 462 .................. Joshua Venson Moore 462 .................. omas Bruce Moore 462 ..............Matthew Rhyne Stroupe 473 .......................Eric Scott Robbins 473 ...................Travis Lee Turrentine 483 ..................... Danny Lee Prevette 492 ............. Christopher Blair Adams 492 ..................... Todd Everett Smith 492 ..................Joseph Wiley Sykes Jr. 492 ....................... Stephen Roy West 499 ...........Adam Benjamin Hobgood 500 ............... Benjamin James Averitt 500 .......... Courtney A. John Chynces 500 .............. William Miller Gilmore 500 .............Geoffrey Aubrey Kercher 500 ......... Michael Ekwunife Okoli Jr. 501 ........................ Tyler Joel Hackett 515 ..................Terry Leonard Walker 519 ...................Jason Norbert Burkee 520 ....................Michael Allen Gibbs 520 ...............William Jason Williams 521 ............ Robert Forbes Reardon II 525 ..................... Mark David Boykin 525 ..................... Hubert Lee Cox III 525 ......................Johnny Lane Issette 529 .............. Jerry Douglas Kilpatrick 529 .............. James Allen Solesbee III 555 ................ Edwin Delaney Garner 556 ............... Harold Leonard Moore 571 .................. Michael Eythan Laws 571 ............. Matthew Harold Merritt 571 ............Kenneth Frederick Moore 571 ........ Matthew Raymer Redmond 573 ................ Dudley Merrill Barlow 573 ................. James David Simmons 583 .............. Joseph Russell Nobles II 594 ........................Jeffrey Allen Jones 598 .................... Robert Lee Braswell 598 ........................ Russell Joe Carver 598 ............ Johnathan Charles Harris 606 ..................... Daniel Louis Smyre 607 ................... Teddy Ray Bullard II 612 ....................Eddie Lynn Blizzard 616 ............................Cory Lane East 616 ............................ Tony Gray East 629 .......................Jeffrey Allen Hicks 629 .................. Austin Marler Walker 667 ............... Michael Glen Patraw Jr. 669 ..............Zackary Halley Hopkins 669 ................ Gregory Scott Norman 669 ....................Jerry Lydelle Redden 673 ................... Loran Alex Brown Jr. 673 .................James Lamar Powell Jr. 674 ................ Scott Raymond Woods 679 ........................ Robert West Byrd 680 ................ Timothy Wayne Bailey 680 ..................... Jason Lee Houchins 680 ....................... Jimmy L. Young Jr. 681 .................. Richard Lee Carleton 681 ............... David Andrew Tocheny 681 ................... Mark Stephen Wood 685 ......................Philip Kent Hamby 686 ................Jamie Dennis Measmer 686 ...................... Edward Gus Peters 687 ....................... Brian Mark Bondy 688 ........................... Jim Paul Adams 688 ...................Johnny Leo Austin Jr. 688 ................ Robert Edward Hamm 688 ............... Matthew Scott Wyandt 690 ............... Michael Matthew Bova 692 ................ Albert Andrew Pollock 694 ..................... David Scott Bowers 694 .................. Roger Lambert Coble 694 .........................Joel Brian Moody 694 .............Bradley Webster Sparrow 694 .........Robert Edward Winborn Jr. 699 .................... Freddie Lee Latham 699 .................... Jack Louis Steinberg 705 ..................... Jimmy Pierce Hurst 708 ......... Reginald Donald Bradshaw 708 .............. Scott Lamarr McLaurin 708 .............. Anthony Scott Williams 709 ....................... Brian Alan Cocker 712 ..................... William John Fardy 712 .........Fredrick Laverne Satterfield 713 ............... Cameron James Wilson 714 ................ Bradley Stephen Brady 714 ......... Gilbert Lenneth McGinnis 714 ....................Kevin Ryan Shoffner 714 ..........................David Ray Staley 715 .....................Jason Andrew Baker 715 ..................... Chad Mason Smith 715 .....................Joshua Reid Wallace 719 ........... William omas McClure 719 .................. Gregory Carl Spinella 720 .......... David Mark Bloomingdale 720 ...................... Larry Brian Heintz 722 ................Zackerie Tylor Dawson 724 .............. Clifton Howard Hinson 724 ..................... Jason Allen Watters 725 ........Travis Ray Masterson Miller 725 ................... Chad Everette Smith 727 .....................James Patrick Caton 727 ................Brandon Dale Fulwood 727 ................Michael Ryan Fulwood 730 ........................... Reed David Fail 730 .................Ronald Dion Stephens 733 ............... William Allen Brandon 733 ................ Lucian Harry Cook III 737 .................... Ronald Dean Peigler 739 ................. Rayen- Ayoub Chakra 741 .........................Cecil James Tosto 751 .................. Scott Lester Andrews 751 ......................Dale Lloyd Hughes 751 ................... Jason Dean Stoddard 751 ................ Charles Randall Young 757 .....................William Bixby Cork 757 ........................ Scott Joseph Wise 762 ........Rahul Padmakar Deshpande 763 .............. Jimmie Donald Bullis Jr. 763 ...................Joseph Todd Hinnant 763 ...................... John Charles Holly 763 .....................Henry Reid Morton St. John's Day 2009 has come and gone without the parade and free entertainment, and it appears from first glance that the revised format met its goal. Several guests were energized by their visit to the Home and expressed a desire to get involved more. e attendance was down, but attendance had been decreasing the past few years. If we consider the size of past crowds after the parade passed through the campus with many of the parade participants and their families leaving shortly thereafter, the num- bers were not much larger than they were this year. Instead of the complaints of past years concerning what attendees could not see or did not get a chance to do, most of the attendees were pleased that they could visit with the children and see and learn more about the Home. Several of the attendees said they felt the new format was more meaningful. e service in the chapel was one of special meaning and brought a more solemn expression of St. John's Day. It was not well-attended, but I would have been surprised otherwise. Just as with most of the national holidays set aside to commemorate special events – Memorial Day, Independence Day, Veteran's Day, etc. – St. John's Day had become one of festivity rather than focusing on the purpose of setting aside a special day of remem- brance. Grand Chaplain Alan Sasser's message, "e Marks of Maturity," was timely and quite appropriate. It was relevant to and well received by young and old alike. It was about making right decisions. At least for this year, I think the changed format was a right decision. Donations given as a result of the St. John's Day activities far exceeded those of previous years. Despite serving a free meal to our guests, the expenses for St. John's Day were decreased signifi- cantly from prior years. It was a day that focused on our Home and our children. We were able to reach out to new Masons and first-time visitors, as well as long-time contributors, and give them a sense of the true value of their support. It was a day that was eas- ily managed by the MHCO staff and a few volunteers. It was a special day in which all our children played a part in its success. e "Monday morning quarterbacking" also had a different slant. Instead of the usual complaints about the little things that went wrong, by mid-morning Monday after this St. John's Day celebration, we had received three calls from some of the visitors who enjoyed the event and asked how they could help the Home and the children. We wanted St. John's Day activities this year to benefit the children in our Home, and, from all indications, it did. We started planning for St. John's Day 2009 in August 2008 by asking two questions: (1) "Is there a volunteer who wants to take over the responsibility of organizing and coordinating all the activities for St. John's Day to keep the same format of years past?" and (2) "What is the purpose of St. John's Day?" Despite our ef- forts of trying to meet with the leaders of the Shrine Temples and other groups involved in St. John's Day, followed by writ- ten communications to the groups and the Craft as a whole, we got no positive answers and little constructive assistance. A lot of people complained about "St. John's Day being canceled" after the announcement was made that there would be no parade or musi- cal entertainment. A couple of brothers indicated a willingness to accept the challenge of handling the event, but, in the end, all the planning, coordination, and execution had to be done by the MHCO Board of Directors and staff, with very few volunteers showing up to help. Contrary to the misperceptions, preparing for a successful celebration for St. John's Day, even in it's scaled down format, involves organizing and coordinating numerous groups and activities. When our late Brother Lloyd Young was chairman of the St. John's Day Committee, he worked with the MHCO staff and volunteers across the state almost a full day every week of the year to organize and coordinate the activities. We no longer have a Lloyd Young to coordinate the events, and the MHCO staff is now too small to handle the responsibilities of St. John's Day celebrations without adversely affecting the ability to prop- erly care for the children. Six years ago, the MHCO Board of Directors began meet- ing with the leaders of all groups involved to address the chal- lenges of the St. John's Day celebration. Major concerns of the Home's Board of Directors and administration were the increasing demands placed on the smaller MHCO staff and the rising costs incurred by the Home for St. John's Day. Each successive year the same issues were addressed without reso- lution. This year we made a decision to address the problems head-on, but that decision drew a lot of complaints. However, the Board of Directors and I, as administrator, felt the change was in order. Yes, some guests said they missed the parade but almost in the same breath said they enjoyed the chapel service and the chance to meet the children. Should we go back to the way it was in recent years? Do we need a parade or big name entertainers to make St. John's Day a success? I don't know which way the wind will prevail, but if my vote counts, I say let's build on the change and make St. John's Day even more about the Home and the children we serve. Let's give the children an opportunity to put faces to some of the people who have helped change their lives, and let's offer more opportunity to those who have helped the children see the value of their support. I ask again, what should be the purpose of St. John's Day? On special occasions, such as St. John's Day, we tend to re- member and place importance on the things to which we become accustomed. e most recent 30 years or so, St. John's Day was synonymous with parade and entertainment, but for the 100+ years prior that was not the case. While I will readily admit to memory lapses, I recall only two events associated with St. John's Day during the ten years I lived "under the oaks." e first event was St. John's Day, June 24, 1955, on which the centennial cor- nerstone for the original St. John's Building was laid. e second was on June 28, 1958, when the cornerstone of the current St. John's Building was laid. Other than that, my childhood memo- ries did not include St. John's Day. However, I have many fond memories of occasional bus loads of Masons visiting the campus to share Sunday lunch with us and tour the campus. It gave me a true sense that the Masons really cared about the "faceless" chil- dren they supported, and it gave me a chance to say "thank you" to those I escorted around campus. I haven't heard any of our children complaining about not having the parade this year, but I have heard comments about getting to meet "the nice people who came to visit." Our visits with the children can make a difference to them and to us.

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