This month we profile an outstanding Scottish Rite Brother whose significant bequest has given strong support to the RiteCare Childhood Language Program.

Photo: Ill. Henry Yaskal, 33°, Hall of Honor Portrait by Jean Pilk

This month we feature the late Ill. Henry Yaskal, 33°, who recently left a $1,250,000 bequest to the Scottish Rite Foundation, S.J, U.S.A., Inc., for the support of our RiteCare Childhood Language Program. Ill. Bro. Yaskal was born on a leap year, February 29, 1924, in New York City, New York. He had five siblings, fours sisters and one brother. His surviving sister still resides in New York. Brother Yaskal attended New York City public schools and graduated from the prestigious Bronx High School of Science. After graduation, he took engineering courses for two years in New York, and then, in 1944, he enlisted in the United States Army.

After basic training, Ill. Yaskal joined the Signal Corps. While in the Signal Corps, he was transferred to Manila and then to Japan. When the war ended in 1945, he stayed in Japan in the employ of the United States Government and worked in the Far East Network as a radio and television engineer. He traveled all over the Far East and was instrumental in setting up television facilities on all of the military bases there. While in Japan, Bro. Henry Yaskal was raised a Master Mason in Tokyo Masonic Lodge No. 2 on June 25, 1959, later serving as its Secretary and, in 1965, Worshipful Master. Appointed Chairman of the Education Committee, Grand Lodge F.&A.M. of Japan, he also was the Grand Representative of the Grand Lodges of the District of Columbia and Piaui, Brazil, near the Grand Lodge of Japan.

On April 29, 1960, he became a 32° Master of the Royal Secret in the Tokyo Scottish Rite Bodies. His dynamic leadership in the Rite was evident as Venerable Master of the Tokyo Bodies and in his participation in the Advisory Council of the Valley. Ill. Yaskal also was an active member of the Tokyo Masonic Association for over 30 years and was its Secretary for several years. He was responsible for administration of the organization, including its charity budget of over 80 million yen (over half a million dollars). Brother Yaskal was personally responsible for the opening of a toy library in the Tokyo Masonic Center. The toy library enabled handicapped children from the local area to visit the library, play with and take a toy home, and then return that toy to check out another. In addition, when the Tokyo Masonic building had to be replaced, Brother Yaskal was one of the key Masons who negotiated with the developers for the present impressive Tokyo Masonic Center. In recognition of his many services to Freemasonry and America, he was invested with the Rank and Decoration of Knight Commander Court of Honour on October 18, 1993, and was coroneted a 33°, I.G.H., on November 28, 1997.

Eventually, Ill. Yaskal retired from his job in the government, but he remained very active by setting up his own consulting business and using his expertise as a communications engineer to help private enterprises with their communications systems, including satellite communications systems. While in Japan, he became fluent in Japanese and married a Japanese woman. They were married more than 20 years before she died of cancer. Several years after her death, Henry Yaskal married another Japanese woman who also died of cancer.

Ill. Yaskal was an avid scuba diver. During dives in the warm waters of the Pacific, he retrieved fish for the aquariums he kept in his home, a house on the seashore south of Tokyo, where he spent a lot of time scuba diving. Also an avid skier, he favored the slopes of the mountains in northern Japan and the western United States, particularly Utah and Colorado. He regularly visited America every two years, staying in Florida for the winter and visiting with his family in New York during the summer months. Brother Yaskal died in Asaka-shi, Japan, on May 18, 1999, and his final wish was to support our Order's RiteCare Childhood Language Program. We will deeply miss Illustrious Brother Yaskal. His contributions to Freemasonry and to children with language problems form a legacy that will benefit the Scottish Rite and America's children for generations to come.

To learn more about the Scottish Rite Pooled Income Fund, click here. For a chart illustrating Scottish Rite Foundation, S.J., USA, Charitable Gift Annuity Rates–Single Life, please click here. Note: The rates shown here are subject to change and not available in all states.

Scottish Rite Foundations, Southern Jurisdiction Pledge Form

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Scottish Rite Foundations, Southern Jurisdiction Pledge Agreement

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Barbara Golden is the Director of Planned Giving for the Development Office of the Supreme Council. 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 fundraising, grant writing, and program operations.

Ill. Thomas M. Boles, 33°, G.C. (left in photo) has worked extensively in fund-raising for children's programs throughout our Fraternity. For more information on planned giving, call Bro. Tom at 562–691–4227 (Fax 562–691–5327) or the Scottish Rite Foundation, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A., at 202–232–3579, ext. 143. Ill. Earl E. Ihle, Jr., 33°, is our development team's Director of Major Gifts. He has been a member of the Fraternity for 25 years and served in 1978 as Master of Lafayette Lodge, No. 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. You can reach Bro. Ihle toll free at 1–800–486–3331, ext. 143.