A man of strong conviction and single-mindedness, Bro. Leba held the Fraternity in very high regard. It was the Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction, however, of which he was particularly proud.

This article, written by guest author, John Vergalla, 32°, KCCH, profiles the late Bro. Theodore Leba, Jr., 32°, who left a generous bequest to the Scottish Rite Foundations.

Our latest portrait in the Pillars of Charity Portrait Gallery features Bro. Theodore Leba, Jr., who was born August 16, 191

In 1937, Bro. Leba began his military career as a Reserve Officer in the U.S. Army, and he retired as a Lt. Colonel in 1952. He served on active duty during World War II and was stationed with the Army Corp of Engineers in the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. There, he helped to coordinate a large military base construction program throughout Alaska. In his professional career, he worked as a structural engineer for the Army Corp of Engineers, the Veterans Administration, the Atomic Research Laboratory, and the United States Coast Guard. Prior to entering private practice, he was manager of the Washington Office of the National Concrete Masonry Association and served as consultant to numerous federal government agencies on the use of concrete masonry in federal construction programs. Later in his life, he worked as a forensic and private engineering consultant. He loved engineering and, in particular, bridges. He used to view bridges whenever he traveled. The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco was a favorite, and he had a painting of it above the fireplace in his home for many years. This is why the Golden Gate Bridge is featured in the background of his oil portrait in the Pillars of Charity Portrait Gallery.

Theodore Leba, Jr., 32° Pillars of Charity Portrait

Bro. Leba’s interest in Freemasonry was piqued while he was stationed in Alaska during WWII. It was there he met and became friends with Bro. Kermit Roosevelt, the son of former President Theodore Roosevelt. Bro. Kermit Roosevelt talked to Theodore Leba about Masonry and its positive effects. Upon Bro. Leba’s return to Washington, D.C., in 1951 after the war, he sought out the fraternity and became a member.

Theodore Leba was a life-long family friend. He had grown up with my mother, Vera Bartosh, in Newark, N.J., attending the same schools and church for many years. I met him as a young man, when he would come to Newark to visit his brother and sister, who still lived near my mother. When I was living in Washington and expressed interest in becoming a Mason, my mother recommended that I contact Bro. Leba about it since he lived in the area. My Masonic career began when he sponsored me to join Justice-Columbia Lodge No. 3 in Washington, D.C., in 1986.

A man of strong conviction and single-mindedness, Bro. Leba held the Fraternity in very high regard. It was the Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction, however, of which he was particularly proud. He thought highly of the fraternity’s efforts in spreading Freemasonry in Eastern Europe and was proud of the charitable work of the Foundations. For these reasons, Bro. Leba decided to make a very generous bequest to the Scottish Rite Foundation, S.J., and The House of the Temple Historic Preservation Foundation, Inc. in his will. To help him with this bequest, Bro. Leba turned to his fellow lodge member and good friend, Bro. Claire Ducker, Esq. The two had met later in life at a lodge meeting and had become good friends. Bro. Ducker helped draft the last will and testament, and after Bro. Leba passed on, Bro. Ducker helped with the probate of the estate. On September 6, 2005, Bro. Ducker presented a check from the estate to Grand Commander Ronald A. Seale.

ation, Inc. in his will. To help him with this bequest, Bro. Leba turned to his fellow lodge member and good friend, Bro. Claire Ducker, Esq. The two had met later in life at a lodge meeting and had become good friends. Bro. Ducker helped draft the last will and testament, and after Bro. Leba passed on, Bro. Ducker helped with the probate of the estate. On September 6, 2005, Bro. Ducker presented a check from the estate to Grand Commander Ronald A. Seale.
I was extremely proud to count Bro. Leba as a brother and friend. His legacy is a role model for us all. To download a donation form, please click here. To visit the Mandatory Charitable Solicitation Disclosures page, click here. To download a form for a free analysis of a contribution to the Scottish Rite Foundation Charitable Gift Annuity Program, click here. If you do not have Adobe® Acrobat® Reader™, you can download it for free by clicking here.

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Please Note: This information is distributed with the understanding that the authors are not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional service. If legal advice or other expertise is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. From: A Declaration of Principles jointly adopted by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers.

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- Our Development Team -

Barbara G. Golden, Esq., is the team's Director of Planned Giving. Barbara is an attorney with experience in tax, corporate, and commercial real estate law. She managed a non-profit legal services organization for several years and has extensive experience in fund-raising, grant writing, and program operations. Contacts: Tel. 202-777-3163; Fax 202-884-0183; or call 1-866-GIVESRF (448-3773) Toll Free; bgolden@srmason-sj.org.

 

Earl E. Ihle, Jr., 33°, is the team's Director of Development. He has been a member of the Fraternity for 30 years and served in 1978 as Master of Lafayette Lodge, #111, Baltimore, Maryland. He is also a member of Boumi Shrine Temple in Baltimore, the York Rite, and a dual member of the Scottish Rite Valleys of Baltimore and Washington, D.C. Contacts: Tel. 202-777-3143; Fax 202-884-0183; or call 1-866-RITECARE (748-3227) Toll Free; eihle@srmason-sj.org. Dr.Thomas M. Boles, GC, is the team's Advisor on Philanthropies. A member of the Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Santa Ana Valleys, he has worked extensively in fund-raising for children's programs throughout our Fraternity. Contacts: Tel. 562-691-4227; Fax 562-691-5327; or call 1-800-SRMASON (776-2766) Toll Free; tboles@srmason-sj.org.