William J. Mollere,
33°, Appointed Deputy In Louisiana
Effective
on October 13, 2003, SGC Seale appointed William Jules "Bill"
Mollere, 33°, as Deputy of the Supreme Council in the Orient
of Louisiana. Ill. Mollere, was born on March 8, 1946, in Baton
Rouge, Louisiana and graduated from Louisiana State University
with a degree in Political Science. His work with a research
and development company dealing with health care, traffic safety,
and environmental science led to his joining the staff of the
Governor of Louisiana in 1973. For seven years, he worked on
developing an environmental technology and policy group that
became Louisiana's Department of Environmental Quality in 1980.
Appointed Administrator of the Waste Management Division, he
fulfilled this role until 2000 when he was named the Senior
Technical Advisor for the Depart-ment of Environmental Quality.
In 1993, he was honored to receive the statewide Dunbar Career
Service Award for Distinguished Public Service.
A former Sunday School Teacher, Deputy Mollere
belongs to the First United Methodist Church of Baton Rouge
where he has served on various Boards and Commissions. His interests
include archeology and anthropology, he has served as President
of the Louisiana Archeological Society, and he has been on "digs"
throughout North and Central America.
His fraternal life began with DeMolay membership
at age 14, serving his local Chapter, District, and State before
becoming a Member of the International Supreme Council in 1975.
He was Louisiana Executive Officer for 15 years and held the
office of Grand Master of DeMolay International during the Order's
75th Anniversary in 1993-94. Following that, he was elected
Grand Secretary of DeMolay International (1995-2001) and a member
of the International DeMolay Board of Directors (1989- 2001).
He currently serves as an Advisor at Pelican Chapter of DeMolay
in Baton Rouge.
Ill. Mollere's Masonic career began in 1967 at
age 21 in Baton Rouge Lodge #372 (Master 1980). He also belongs
to East Gate Lodge #452 in Baton Rouge where he is an Honorary
Past Master. He has served as President of his High Twelve Club,
Illustrious Master of his Council, Sovereign Master of his Allied
Masonic Degrees Council, Potentate of ACACIA Shrine Center,
Venerable Master of the Baton Rouge Lodge of Perfection, Director
of his Jester Court, and he is an active member in his Chapter
and Commandery. He belongs to Eastern Star, Grotto, York Rite
College, Rosicrucians, Red Cross of Constantine, Royal Order
of Scotland, and many of the Allied Masonic groups.
His Masonic interest has been mainly in research
areas, he served as the Charter Master of the Louisiana Lodge
of Research, and he belongs to a number of Masonic research
organizations including the Scottish Rite Research Society (Life
Member).
Joining the Scottish Rite of Baton Rouge in 1968,
he has served as an Associate Director of Reunions, Kitchen
and Wardrobe Helper, Stagehand, and Degree Director. In recognition
of his many services, he was invested with the KCCH in 1977
and coroneted a 33° in 1991. He has served as Personal Representative
for the Orient of Louisiana since 1996.
Thomas
E. Payne III, 33°, Appointed Deputy In New Mexico
Effective
November 1, 2003, SGC Seale appointed Thomas E. Payne III, 33°,
to replace Don L. Helberg, 33°, as Deputy in New Mexico.
Born on December 29, 1944, in Lubbock Texas, Ill.
Payne is a fifth-generation, self-employed cattleman with a
ranch, started in 1938 by his wife's family, near Santa Rosa,
New Mexico. He and his wife, Norma Kay, have three sons.
Deputy Payne graduated from New Mexico State University,
B.S. in Agricultural Economics, and has served on various New
Mexico boards and commissions including the Soil and Water Conservation
Board (Secretary/Treasurer), New Mexico Cattle Growers Association
(Board of Directors), and Private Lands Committee (Chairman).
He is a six-year veteran of the New Mexico Army National Guard.
Having served in many posts in the First United
Methodist Church of Santa Rosa, he is presently attending the
First Assembly of God, Santa Rosa, and is a Volunteer Chaplain
and Prison Fellowship Coordinator at the Guadalupe County Correctional
Facility; Past President of the Mesa Redondo Cowboy Camp Meeting;
and a member of the State Council Kairos Prison Ministry.
Raised a Master Mason in 1976 in Liberty Lodge
#51, Santa Rosa, he was Lodge Secretary for 15 years. In the
Grand Lodge of New Mexico, he served as a District Deputy Grand
Master (1983-84), was appointed to the Grand Line in 1987, and
served as Grand Master, 1994-95.
A member of the Valley of Santa Fe since 1980
and the Chairman of its stage crew as well as Preceptor in the
32°, Deputy Payne was recognized for his service to the
Rite with the KCCH in 1997 and 33° in 2001.
His membership in other Masonic groups includes:
Ballyud Abyad Shrine, Albuquerque; York Rite Bodies, N.M.; Order
of Eastern Star, Sunshine Chapter #44; George Washington Masonic
National Memorial (Board Member and Life Member); National Sojourners
(Life Member); Soceitas Rosicruciana; Scottish Rite Research
Society; Conference of Grand Masters (Time and Place Committee,
Chairman); DeMolay Legion of Honor; and Order of Rainbow for
Girls (Grand Cross of Color).
Rear
Admiral James M. Walley, Jr., 33°, Honored
Rear Admiral James M. Walley, Jr., was coroneted
a Thirty-third Degree Inspector General Honorary on November
8, 2003, during a special ceremony in Shreveport, Louisiana.
His father, MW James M. Walley, Sr., 33°, PGM, had the proud
privilege of "white capping" his son. Admiral Walley
had been invested with the rank and decoration of Knight Commander
Court of Honour in 1999 for his exemplary service to America.
| In the Valley of Shreveport, Louisiana,
on November 8, 2003, Ill. Ronald A. Seale was pleased to
witness Rear Admiral James M. Walley, Jr., receive his 33°
cap from the hands of his father, James M. Walley, Sr.,
33°, PGM of Louisiana. |
|
Recently, Admiral Walley also received the Legion
of Merit from the Secretary of the Navy for his "outstanding
service, visionary leadership, and relentless energy."
This honor specifically noted the period from March 1999 to
2002 during which Admiral Walley "brilliantly guiding 850
military and civilian employees in executing over one billion
dollars worth of quality facilities engineering support"
for Operation Enduring Freedom. The Secretary of the Navy concluded
the commendation saying, "Rear Admiral Walley's exemplary
direction, keen judgment, and inspiring devotion to duty reflected
great credit upon him and were in keeping with the highest traditions
of the United States Naval Service."
Radford
University Hosts "Partners In Excellence"
On October 10, 2003, Radford University, Radford,
Virginia, held a "Partners in Excellence" celebration.
The event pairs scholarship recipients with their benefactors
or the benefactor's representative. All of the students pictured
above are attending Radford University with the assistance of
a Scottish Rite member or through the support of the Scottish
Rite. Ill. Bro. George E. Dewese, 33° (left, back row) with
his wife Matsue (third from left, front row) were pleased to
meet with the several scholars they support at Radford University.
Judge Louis K. "Kerry" Campbell, 33°, Personal
Representative in Roanoke, was also present (front row, far
right) with his wife, Marsha (to his right), to represent the
scholarships funded at Radford University by the Valley of Roanoke
and the Supreme Council, 33°. Every year, Radford University
recognizes a corporation or organization as its "Partner
of the Year." The Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction,
received this honor in 1996.
Wyoming
DeMolays Donate To RiteCare Center
In Casper on October 18, 2003, members of the
Wyoming Scottish Rite and the new Wyoming Honor Men received
a pleasant surprise when the DeMolay State Master Councilor
presented them a check. Each year the Wyoming State Master Councilor
chooses a charity for the Annual DeMolay Charity Ball to support.
This year, Bro. Lee A. Blount, 32°, State Master Councilor,
a member of Valley of Lander, Wyoming, chose the Lander RiteCare
Center, which is currently in the advanced planning stages,
as the recipient.
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| Receiving a large-size check from Wyoming
DeMolays in support of the RiteCare Center planned for Lander,
Wyoming, are (l. to r.) Bros. Paul R. Blount, KCCH and State
Chapter Dad; C. Richard "Dick" Jackson, 32°;
Dr. Alvis L. Barrier, MD, KCCH; Lee A. Blount, 32°,
State Master Councilor; Scott A. Biggs, State Junior Councilor;
and Jera L. Irick, State Senior Councilor.
Photo: Ill. William H. Smith |
At the Charity Ball formal banquet, a check in
the amount of $2,241 was presented to Bro. Alvis L. Barrier,
KCCH, Valley of Lander, who had been invested with the honor
of KCCH earlier that day. Bro. Barrier, in turn, carried the
check across the street to the Honor Men Banquet where he presented
it to the surprised and delighted members of the Wyoming Scottish
Rite. Over 200 Wyoming DeMolays, Job's Daughters, DeMolay Advisors,
and Job's Daughters Council Members attended the 2003 DeMolay
Charity Ball.
Later that evening, Illustrious Brothers Jack
E. Nixson, SGIG in Wyoming; Charles H. Moore, Valley of Cheyenne;
William H. Smith, Valley of Cheyenne; and several other Scottish
Rite Free- masons joined the DeMolays and Job's Daughters at
their formal ball.
Illustrious
Sidney S. McMath, Grand Cross, 1912-2003
Illustrious
Sidney Sanders McMath, 33°, Grand Cross, passed away on
October 4, 2003, in Little Rock, Arkansas. Born in Magnolia,
Arkansas, on June 14, 1912, Ill. McMath had a truly outstanding
military, professional, public, and Masonic career.
During his military career with the U.S. Marine
Corps, 1940-46, he served in the Southwest Pacific at Guadalcanal
and Bougainville, and had two active duty trips to Vietnam.
He received a battlefield promotion to Lt. Colonel at Bougainville
and was decorated with the Silver Star and Legion of Merit.
After being promoted to Major General, USMC Reserve, in 1966,
he was appointed to the Reserve Policy Board for a three-year
term.
A distinguished attorney, he was the senior member
of the McMath law firm in Little Rock; Past President, International
Academy of Trial Lawyers; member, Inner Circle of Advocates;
and member of the Arkansas and American Bar Associations.
In public life, he was elected Prosecuting Attorney,
Arkansas 18th Judicial District, in 1946, and he served two
terms (elected in 1948 and 1950 for two consecutive two-year
terms) as Governor of Arkansas. Inspired by his leadership,
the Arkansas legislature approved the funds to build the University
of Arkansas Medical Center, which is now world famous for its
cancer treatment. Also, among his many other accomplishments
in public service, Governor McMath implemented the greatest
highway program in the history of Arkansas. In 1987, he received
an honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of
Arkansas in recognition of his many contributions to Arkansas
and America.
A member of Sumpter Lodge #419, Hot Spring, Arkansas,
he became a high-profile member of the Valley of Little Rock
in 1949 and was honored for his many services to Freemasonry
with the rank and decoration of KCCH in 1987 and the 33°
in 1991. In 1997, he was elected to the Scottish Rite's highest
honor, the Grand Cross. Ill. Sidney S. McMath's passing is deeply
mourned by all Scottish Rite Masons in Arkansas and throughout
the Southern Jurisdiction.
