 Steele Creek No. 737 Grand Lodge Of North Carolina, A.F. & A.M. |
Greetings From The East
I hope this letter finds you all healthy and eager to continue our journey of friendship, morality, and brotherly love. As you know in September our principal officers, along with 2 past Masters, and your Senior Stewart all attended the 237th Annual Communication in Winston-Salem. We arrived on Thursday in time to attend a town hall style of meeting, where we were given an opportunity to ask any question that we wanted. We also attended breakout sessions, that were like a miniature version of Wilkerson College. We all gained a lot of knowledge in these sessions and were able to meet and talk with a lot of like brothers from all over the state. Please keep in mind that while we were there, hurricane Helene was wreaking havoc to the whole state. Some of the brothers we were with were directly impacted by the storm and didn’t know what to expect when they returned home. On Friday morning prior to opening the Grand Lodge, Acting grand Master Robert W. Rideout addressed those assembled to explain the circumstances of Grand Master Kehler’s disability from office. You can find his statement in the letter he sent out on October 1st, along with a Synopsis of the rest of the meeting. I encourage everyone to read it. While most of the business went on as usual, I want to mention that for the first time in history following the election, a motion was made, seconded, and unanimously consented to by the delegates assembled to consider the installation of the Grand Master-elect and Deputy Grand Master-elect immediately following the completion of all the business of the Annual Communication. This passed and we were all witness to the installation of our new Grand Master and Deputy Grand Master. It was a great experience and I’m glad to say we were there for it. October is going to be another one of those crazy months. Our Stated was on Oct. the 7th and the Board of Elections started moving in on the 10th to prepare for the upcoming elections. They will be using our dining hall from the 17th of October to the 3rd of November. We are still able to use the Lodge room for coaching or anything else that we choose, just keep in mind that voting goes until 7:30pm. and they are expecting a record turnout. Because of this we only have one Monday night to use the Lodge before the election starts, so please pay close attention to the location changes for activities this month in the Trestle Board. You all should be getting the emails not just from our Lodge, but from Grand Lodge about the devastation in the NC mountains that I spoke about during the meeting. The pictures and videos coming in daily remind us that we are not promised tomorrow and that we should cherish the time we have with each other and lend a helping hand to people in need. We have opened our lodge up as a collection point for supplies to help the folks in the NC mountains. If you have anything you would like to donate, please bring it by the Lodge. If you have any questions about what to donate, for the churches, Lodges, and Shrine Clubs, please reach out to Brother Eddie Baker. He is coordinating with the churches in the mountains and can give you a better idea of what is needed. Mark Ledford Worshipful Master Steele Creek Lodge #737 The October Trestle Board is as follows: Oct. 7th Stated Communication Oct. 10th Visit Phalanx Lodge #31 Oct. 14th OSW Master Masons Class Oct. 21st. Fellow Craft Degree Practice (Red Fez Shrine Club. 16600 Red Fez Club Rd. Charlotte, NC 28278) Gate code for this practice ONLY is #0737 This code will only be active the day of. Oct. 28th Officers meeting Killington’s (Baxter Village Fort Mill SC. |
Steele Creek No. 737 Grand Lodge Of North Carolina, A.F. & A.M. |
| Good Afternoon Brethren, It is with a heavy heart that I report the passing of Freida Lazenby Jackson, mother-in-law of Brother Donnie Wrenn, and Grandmother of Brother Jordan Wrenn. Mrs. Jackson passed away on October 3rd peacefully, surrounded by her family. Services will be at McEwen Funeral Home, 10500 Park Rd. Charlotte, NC. 28210. Visitation from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM, and the funeral service at 2:00 PM. A graveside service will be immediately following at 3:30 PM at Forest Lawn East Cemetery, 3700 Forest Lawn Dr. Matthews, NC 28104 Freida Jackson Obituary Fraternally, Mark Ledford (Master Steele Creek Lodge) |
Steele Creek No. 737 Grand Lodge Of North Carolina, A.F. & A.M. |
Brethren, I trust this message finds you in good health and spirits. As you are well aware, the western part of our state has been devastated by Hurricane Helene in ways few of us could have ever imagined. Now, more than ever, it is the time for each of us to measure the strength of our Cable Tow and rise to the aid of those suffering in the aftermath. While we may not be able to fully comprehend the pain and suffering of those who have lost everything, we know that our thoughts and prayers alone are not enough. It is our actions that will embody the true spirit of brotherly love and charity. Our Masonic bonds call us to act—not just with words, but with deeds! The Oasis Dune Cats will be loading at least one of their large trailers with critical supplies for our distressed brethren and neighbors in the mountain areas. We are using our Lodge as a collection and staging point. Every contribution, no matter how small, will make a difference to someone in need. However, we ask that you consider focusing your donations on essential items that are in high demand:
While water is essential, it’s more practical to send it in bulk by pallet, so individual cases might not be as helpful—but rest assured, no offering will be turned away. This is a plan in progress, and more details will follow soon. The trailer will be loaded early next week, and we will continue accepting donations through at least Monday. In times like these, it’s important that we unite, shoulder to shoulder, and work together. Let Steele Creek Lodge No. 737 be a beacon of hope and brotherhood in this time of need. Let’s be proud to a part of OUR awesome fraternity! Together, we rise. Fraternally, Charlie Anderson Steele Creek Lodge No. 737 |
Steele Creek No. 737 Grand Lodge Of North Carolina, A.F. & A.M. |
| Brethren, your principle officers are back home safe and sound from The 237th Annual Communication. While there, we were surrounded by brothers from all over the State that had no idea what to expect when they returned home. Although the meetings were all great and we have a lot of knowledge to share with you when we meet again, we need to keep all of those brothers and their families in our thoughts and prayers. One of our brothers that we had the priviledge to be in several meetings with over the years, shared with us that his Lodge was actually under water, and he was unsure about his home. That's just one of the many stories that we heard while we were there. I sent a GroupMe out to all of the officers offering freezer, and or refrigerator space to any brother that might need it due to not having power. If you are in need of either of these, please reach out to one of your officers. Brethren, we also need to keep all of the first responders that are out there trying to rescue trapped victims in our thoughts and prayers. I have already heard of 2 firefighters that were killed while responding to a call for service when a tree feel on their apparatus. Our first responders will be working countless hours, with little or no sleep and putting others first while their own property is in question, also dealing with no power and storm debris. Friends and family near and far are affected by the current state of emergency. Mark Ledford Master Steele Creek #737 |
Steele Creek No. 737 Grand Lodge Of North Carolina, A.F. & A.M. |
| The funeral services for Christopher John Tsoulos will be held at 11:30 AM on Friday, September 13, 2024, at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral. The family will receive friends from 10:00 AM until the time the service at the church. Interment will follow at Evergreen Cemetery. https://www.kennethpoeservices.com/obituaries/1952-christopher-john-tsoulos |
Steele Creek No. 737 Grand Lodge Of North Carolina, A.F. & A.M. |
| Brethren please keep our Brother's John, and Michael Tsoulos, and their famies in you thoughts and prayers. Chris Tsoulos, John's son, and Michael's brother passed away unexpectedly early Sunday morning. At this time there have not been any arrangements made. I will post about them as soon as I have them. Mark Ledford Master Steele Creek #737 |
Steele Creek No. 737 Grand Lodge Of North Carolina, A.F. & A.M. |
| Brethren, The Mecklenburg County Board of Elections is hiring workers for the upcoming early voting at our Lodge (10/10 - 11/3). The hours should be pretty flexible and you can expect $15+/hr. As an added benefit to the Lodge it would be nice to have some Brothers on staff keeping an eye on the Lodge while pocketing some extra change. If you are interested, contact Becky Faircloth @ 757-636-2866. She is hiring NOW. Fraternally, Charlie Anderson Senior Warden |
Steele Creek No. 737 Grand Lodge Of North Carolina, A.F. & A.M. |
Dear Brethren, I hope that you all enjoyed some good refreshment for the Labor Weekend. As we navigate the final third of this year here at Steele Creek 737, it is crucial that we reflect on our strength and support within the lodge. Together, we can ensure that no brother goes away dissatisfied. This is a time to reaffirm our dedication to better communication, spreading brotherly love, and fostering genuine affection among us all. I encourage each of you to reach out and engage with brothers who do not regularly attend our meetings. Let us extend our hands and hearts to those who may need encouragement or support, reminding them of the fellowship and connection that bind us together. Does everyone know that by using the Grandview App you have access to all lodge members contact information? Call a Brother. Thus far we have had excellent Masonic Education at every Stated Communication. We are all more fulfilled when walk away from a meeting knowing that we have expanded our Masonic knowledge. Don’t we always say, we get out of it what we put into it? And we are all her to Learn! More good topics to come… Additionally, I want to take a moment to celebrate our recent breakfast fundraiser. For those who attended, you know it was more than just a meal—it was a wonderful opportunity for fellowship with our brothers and the community. If you were unable to join us, you missed a truly special time of camaraderie and connection. Brethren let us commit to finishing this year strong, with renewed dedication to our Masonic values and to each other. We can also look forward to some degree work coming up, so let us polish up our ritual work. Together, we can continue to build a lodge where every brother feels valued and supported. I look forward to seeing you at our next Stated Communication on Tuesday, September 3, 2024. Fraternally, Charlie Anderson |
Steele Creek No. 737 Grand Lodge Of North Carolina, A.F. & A.M. |
Greetings from the East
I hope this letter finds you all healthy and eager to continue our journey of friendship, morality, and brotherly love. My year as Master of Steele Creek Lodge is flying by. It seems like just yesterday I was opening the lodge for our first Stated Communication of the year. I am happy to say that in my opinion we have already accomplished a lot this year, but we are not done. We have not been blessed with a lot of new candidates this year, but we have still managed to stay busy practicing the ritual and having some excellent Masonic educations. With the help of some eager Brothers, and some very knowledgeable past Masters, we have started an OSW/ Master Masons Catechism class. This class has already been a success and I hope it continues to grow. We did receive notification, via Facebook, that we will be awarded the Platinum level certificate for all our hard work on Lion and Pillar this year. Again, thank you for all your hard work to accomplish this. At the time of the report being published, we were the only Lodge in the 32nd district to receive such level. On July 22nd Steele Creek Lodge had an Entered Apprentice degree, with Br Bryan Burroughs in the East. Br David C Elderbroom was initiated and has already begun his journey to becoming a Master Mason. I was on vacation and unable to attend this degree, but from what I was told it was a great degree. Br Elderbroom and his wife have already expressed an interest in helping out with our upcoming breakfast fundraiser, so I have no doubt that he will be a hard worker, and an asset to our Lodge. Speaking of breakfast; our Lodge will be having a breakfast fundraiser on August the 24th. The proceeds will be going to the Masonic home for Children in Oxford. I don’t have to tell you how many Brothers it takes to put on such a fundraising event, so please come out and give a lending hand for a few hours on that Saturday morning. This is a great opportunity to fellowship with your Brothers and offer up a nice breakfast to the residents of Steele Creek and the surrounding area. Your Junior Warden, Br. Bryan Burroughs, is in charge of this fundraiser, so please reach out to him if you have any questions or would like to come out and help. If you don’t have a couple of hours to give, then please try to come by and support the fundraiser. Enclosed with this letter you will find a flyer with a QR code at the bottom. Please share this flyer with your friends, family, coworkers, or share it on FB. You can scan that code and prepay for your meals to help us plan accordingly, or to make a donation to help support the fundraiser if you can’t make it. Remember it takes all of us to make a fundraiser successful. Below you will find the Trestle Board for the month of August. Please take note that our Stated for September will be on Tuesday the 3rd instead of Monday, to give our Brothers time to spend with their families on Labor Day. I look forward to seeing everyone there. Mark Ledford Worshipful Master Steele Creek Lodge #737 The July Trestle Board is as follows: Aug 5th Stated Communication Aug 12th 6:30pm. OSW, Ritual, and Master Masons Catechism practice Aug 18th 6:30pm. Practice for a FC Degree Aug 24th Breakfast Fundraiser 8am until 11am Aug 26th 6:30pm. Officers meeting September 3rd Stated Communication. Meal at 6pm meeting at 7pm |
Steele Creek No. 737 Grand Lodge Of North Carolina, A.F. & A.M. |
Greetings from the East
I hope this letter finds you all healthy and eager to continue our journey of friendship, morality, and brotherly love. The month of June is now behind us, and we find ourselves halfway through the year. In June we buckled down and worked hard as Officers to complete our Lion and Pillar Lodge of Excellence requirements. We are not obligated by the Grand Lodge to do this, but this is a great opportunity for us to show that as a Lodge we are giving back to our community, working hard on education of the ritual in our Lodge, and communicating with and trying to keep all our members engaged. The amount of work required to complete these requirements is not easy but, in my opinion, very rewarding. We did enough of the extra requirements that we should receive the Platinum level award. We will find this out at the Annual Communication in September. On June 10th we had our first “OSW, Ritual work, and 3rd Degree catechism class”. We had a great turnout and there was a lot of knowledge shared that night. Our very own WB. Rich Woods took the time to teach about the OSW, and work on the 3rd Degree catechism. This is a class that we plan on having, and building on each month, so please join us for the next one on July 15th. At our Stated Communication for July, we had 7 past Masters, 16 regular members, 5 Veterans, and 1 guest. The meal provided by our kitchen staff was very fitting with hamburgers, hotdogs, fries and another great creation from Alan Marfin for dessert. Remember that if you don’t want to join us for the meal, it is still a great opportunity to fellowship with your Brothers. Our Masonic education for the month was provided by WB. Noah Goode, from Long Creek #205. His education was “Preparing for Labor: Lessons in Initiatory Work from the First Degree”. It was another great Masonic education, and we were fortunate to have him in our Lodge. It has been our goal this year to provide you with a good Masonic education every month and I am happy to say that I think we have done that. Our Masonic education in August will be presented by WB. Preston Teal. We will be having an Entered Apprentice Degree this month, on July 22nd, with a practice on July 18th. This is our first EA Degree in almost a year, so please come out and help us bring a new member from darkness to light. Br. Bryan Burroughs will be in the East for this Degree. If you would like to be a part of this Degree, please reach out to him know.
The July Trestle Board is as follows: July 1st Stated July 8th Townhall Fundraiser meeting. July 15th OSW, Ritual, and Master Masons Catechism practice July 18th Practice for an EA Degree July 22nd Entered Apprentice Degree July 29th Officers meeting August 6th Stated |
Brethren I hope you all have a happy Easter and enjoy spending time with your families over the weekend. Please don’t forget that our Stated Communication is Monday April 1st. and we will be receiving the DDGM of the 32nd Masonic district, for his official visit. I look forward to seeing you on Monday.
Mark Ledford
Worshipful Master
Greetings from The East
I hope this letter finds you all well and eager to start the new year in masonry in our lodge. Our installation of officers on December 11th was a great event and thank you to everyone that was in attendance. Again, thank you for your trust in me to be Master of Steele Creek Lodge for 2024.
This year is already starting out with a bang. If you were at the stated communication on the 2nd, you know that we had a great meal prepared by our Chaplin Robert Mankin, followed by your choice of 4 different pies for dessert baked by our very own “Master Baker” Alan Marfin. I can’t thank you guys enough for such a fine meal. We also learned that night that our partnership with Grace Communion Church is coming to an end. They have found another location that will work better for them. They have been with us for around 5 years, and they will be missed. Moving forward, we have a couple of possibilities in the works for another renter.
This past weekend was the Installation of the Potentate of Oasis Shriners. Illustrious Sir Shea Fadel was installed, by our very own, Illustrious Sir Johnny Burgess. Several of our members were in attendance, along with several of the Grand Lodge Officers, as well as the Grand Master of NC. Donald Kehler.
This year at Steele Creek Lodge we are planning a lot of masonic education. We will be having some visitors come in for this, but we are also going to be doing a lot of this in-house. Br. Charlie Anderson put together a short masonic education for our last stated that basically pointed out principles of Freemasonry. Br. Charlie did a great job with this, and I think it was well received by everyone. If you have an idea for a Masonic education for a future meeting, please reach out to one of the officers and let’s put something together.
At our stated communication in March, we will be having a masonic education presentation by Worshipful Br. Michael Register GL. on The Power Of Free Masonry. Worshipful Br. Michael is currently the Senior Grand Deacon of NC. I encourage everyone to try to make this meeting. Our kitchen committee is already planning a fine meal for this meeting.
In conclusion, revitalizing harmony and brotherly love within our Masonic lodge requires a collective effort from each one of us. By prioritizing open communication, focusing on education and rituals, engaging in service, fostering a culture of respect, providing strong leadership and mentorship and embracing strengths and skills, we can strengthen the bonds of our brotherhood. Let us pledge ourselves to these ideals as we move forward into the coming year. Together, let us work tirelessly to ensure that our lodge remains a place of unity, harmony, and unwavering brotherly love.
Fraternally,
Mark Ledford
Worshipful Master 2024
Trestle board
January 8th 6:30pm. Master Mason Practice open and close the lodge, everyone move up one chair.
January 16th 6:30pm. Officers Zoom meeting.
January 22nd Dark
January 29th Officers meeting
February 5th Stated Communication
Fraternal Greetings from the East,
I hope that this letter finds you healthy and working with fervency and zeal.
At the November Stated, the Oasis Shrine Dune Cats asked us for some assistance with their annual fundraiser for the Shriner’s Hospital for Children. For every hour Steele Creek members would volunteer, the Dune Cats would make a donation $15 to our Lodge. Well, I have never been more proud to be the Master of Steele Creek Lodge. We had around twenty members volunteer their time to help the Dune Cats and for the ten days that the Southern Christmas Show was held, we helped the Dune Cats sell 10,925 bags, shuttled countless patrons, and took hundreds of children with Santa Clause, totaling in around 300 hours volunteer. Simply amazing. Thank you to all who volunteered their time this year. You have made a great impact for so many children.
Yes, this is my third time as Master, but the work doesn’t get any easier. I cannot do this by myself. I need every officer and every member to assist me, or nothing will get done. So I would like to take the time to thank each of my officers. Without your help and advice, we simply could not have accomplished what we did this year. To the members, thank you for assisting when needed. Freemasonry is still a volunteer organization. Your time makes all of the difference to this Lodge and to the community that we reside in. Without you and your time spent at Lodge, or assisting with a lodge function, I would simply be a man sitting in a chair, talking to an empty room. You are the lifeblood of Steele Creek Lodge No. 737. To each and every one of you, thank you for electing me again to be your Master. Thank you for assisting me accomplish our trestle boards. Thank you for making be proud to call myself the Worshipful Master of our fantastic lodge, Steele Creek No. 737.
Congratulations to our newly elected and appointed slate of officers for the ensuing year. I wish you as fantastic and rewarding 2024
Elected for 2024
Worshipful Master: Mark Ledford
Senior Warden: Charlie Anderson
Junior Warden: Bryan Burroughs
Treasurer: Richard Gelsomino, PM
Secretary: Preston Teal, II, PM
Trustee: Dr. Brian Spaulding, PM
Appointed for 2024:
Senior Deacon: Tim Holt
Junior Deacon: John Adams
Senior Steward: Brad Fletcher
Junior Steward: Trent Oats
Tyler: Steven Tancock
Chaplain: Robert Mankin
Fraternally and Sincerely,
Bill Smith, PM
Worshipful Master 2023
To update your information, or to see if it is correct,
- Email the secretary at Secretary@SteeleCreekLodge.com
- Call the Lodge at 704-588-0555 and leave a message, or
- Mail your information to our P.O. BOX
Steele Creek Lodge #737
PO Box 7171, Charlotte, NC 28241.
Trestle Board:
- Mon. Dec. 11th: 2024 Officer Installation @ 7pm
- Mon. Dec. 18th: Officer Meeting/Practice @ 6:30pm
- Mon. Dec. 25th: Dark/Christmas
- Mon. Dec. 31st: Dark/New Years Eve
- Tue. Jan. 2nd: Stated Communication @ 7pm
Command Sergeant Major (CSM) John Howard Eichler “Jack”, “Papa John” husband of Elaine Blanchard Eichler and loving father to daughter Carolyn Eichler Peery and son John Eichler and stepchildren Webb Layton, Leslie Shipp, Michael Layton and Sonny Reynolds sadly passed on to eternal rest on 16 November 2023. John was born in Waterville, New York in 1934 to the late John J. Eichler and Helen Cole. He enjoyed the outdoors and spent many summers with his cousins working on the dairy farm in Paris, New York. Another passion he had was training racehorses and aspired to become a jockey. However, nature intervened by adding height and weight that led him to being part of the training crew.
CSM Eichler was drafted in the US Army in 1953 and attended Basic and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Lewis, Washington and subsequently sent to Korea to support the War effort. He served in an array of Field Artillery positions from Basic Cannoneer Crew Member, Assistant Gunner, Howitzer Section Chief, Gunnery Sergeant, Chief of Firing Battery, Battery First Sergeant, Operations Sergeant, Sergeant Major, and finally Command Sergeant Major of the 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery, 8th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Baumholder, Germany. He was a natural born leader of soldiers that achieved promotions ahead of his peers throughout his military career. John served his nation in combat operations in both Korea and Vietnam Wars serving as a Howitzer Section Chief and Field Artillery Group First Sergeant. During his 23 years on active duty, he deployed all over the world to the countries of Japan, Korea, Vietnam and Germany.
CSM Eichler’s Field Artillery professional military education includes the following: Primary Leadership Development Course, Basic Non-Commissioned Officer Course, Advance Non-Commissioned Officer Course, First Sergeant Course and Sergeant Major Academy. Other courses were the Nuclear Weapons Assembly (8 Inch Howitzer) Course, Armor-Small Arms Course, Nuclear/Biological/Chemical Course, Vehicle Maintenance Management Course, and over 300 hours of Correspondence Courses. Most of these correspondence courses were focused on Infantry and Armor branches of the Army. He wanted to understand all aspects of the combined arms team to better train and advise his senior officers and NCOs. He always lived the NCO Creed…” No one is more professional than I. I am a noncommissioned officer, a leader of Soldiers.”
CSM Eichler’s military awards include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (1OLC), Army Commendation Medal (2OLC), Good Conduct Medal (6th AWD), National Defense Service Medal (1OLC), Korean Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, United Nation Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal w/DVC 60, Presidential and Meritorious Unit Commendations, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry W/Palm and Expert Badge (Rifle, Artillery).
CSM Eichler retired from the U.S. Army in May 1976 after completing 23 years of active service. After military retirement he went to work for the US Post office and retired after 17 years. He continued to serve his community by helping build handicap ramps with St. Matthews Church. He was involved with the STARS (Seniors that are Retired) and Knights of Columbus.
CSM Eichler became a Shriner in Heidelberg, Germany. After arriving back in Charlotte, he joined the Red Fez Club serving numerous positions most notably as Club Treasurer and President. Other Shrine endeavors included the Buccaneers, the Potentate Guard, the Ragtops and the Past Captains Club. He was also chairman of the Paper Crusade for seven years and gained Emeritus status. He was awarded the Lifetime Membership Award. The greatest accomplishment was receiving the Walt Disney Award.
CSM Eichler is survived by his wife Elaine Blanchard Eichler of Charlotte, North Carolina, his two children Carolyn Eichler Peery (Campbell) and Colonel John F. Eichler, US Army Retired (Laura). His two sisters are Ann Lomas from Tacoma, WA. and Carolyn Peeler (Gordy) of Salisbury, N.C. He has four stepchildren Webb Layton (Susan), Leslie Shipp, Michael Layton (Julie) and Sonny Reynolds. His three grandchildren are Carolyn Frances Peery, Mary Grace Taliaferro (Stephen) and Major Elizabeth Frances Eichler, USMC, with two great grandchildren Mathew and Noah Taliaferro. His step grandchildren are Sarabeth, Christopher, Bryan, Jordan, and Forrest. He was preceded in death by his first wife Yoshiko Fukuda Eichler, his father John J. Eichler, his mother Helen Cole, his stepmother Alice Eichler, and his sisters Jean Smith and Joan Richards.
CSM Eichler enjoyed life traveling and visiting friends and family. He was not a person to sit idle and loved being involved in Shriner activities. He was a member of Jester Court 109 in Charlotte and enjoyed their trips as well as outings for the Oasis Shriners. His take charge attitude and organizational skills kept him busy during retirement life. He lived the Army Values of Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage in both military and civilian life. Other words to describe John…. leader, intelligent, common sense, caring, extrovert, responsible, organizer, meticulous, dedicated…enabled all who knew him to seek his assistance and guidance. A man that truly loved life will be missed. “Old soldiers never die they just fade away.”
A service to celebrate his life will be held at Sharon Presbyterian Church, 5201 Sharon Road, Charlotte, N.C. 28210 on November 28, 2023. Receiving 1:30 PM to 2:15 PM. Service at 2:30 PM in the church. Gravesite at 3:30 PM with Catholic Rites of Committal, Masonic Rites, and Full Military Honors. Reception to follow in fellowship hall.
Memorial can be made to Shriners Hospitals for Children, c/o Oasis Shriners, 604 Doug Mayes Blvd., Charlotte, N.C. 28262 or
Sharon Presbyterian Church Cemetery Fund.
November 18, 2023
CHARLOTTE - Clyde Ray Smith, Sr., 91, of Charlotte, NC passed away peacefully at home late Saturday evening, November 18, 2023 surrounded by his devoted wife and loving family.
As a native Charlottean, Ray was the son of the late Joseph Clyde and Emma Baker Smith. Ray made his career in the photofinishing business at an early age and retired as senior vice president from Colorcraft/Qualex Inc. in 1998 after 50 years in the business.
Ray was a lifelong member of Calvary United Methodist Church with many leadership roles within the church and district. Ray’s faith was the cornerstone of his life and was exemplified through his dedication, generosity, and inspiration to many through his devotion to God. Ray completed four years of service in the United States Airforce, receiving the rank of Staff Sergeant, before his honorable discharge in 1955. He was also past Master of the Steele Creek Masonic Lodge #737.
Everyone who knew Ray knew his passion for golf. He enjoyed traveling and playing different courses and loved the Masters Tournament. He was so honored to have attended 50 Masters Tournaments and had the opportunity to play the Augusta National course two times. Along with golf, he enjoyed volunteering in the community but most of all spending time with his family. Ray’s family meant the world to him and he cherished all the times they spent together especially the annual family beach trips. He truly leaves behind a legacy of love and wisdom that will continue to guide and inspire generations to come.
Ray is survived by his loving wife of 46 years, Marsha Hale Smith; children, Robert Craig “Bob” Smith (Terry), Rhonda Simmons, and Shannon Smith; grandchildren, Will Simmons (Hannah), Anne Smith, Mandy Selzer (Luke), Drew Smith (Giovanna), Ashley Barr (Scott), Jamie Gortney (Michael) and 11 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his late wife Marie Thornburg Smith (mother of Randy, Bob, and Rhonda), son Clyde Ray “Randy” Smith Jr., and brother William Donald Smith.
Services will be held on Monday November 27, 2023 at Calvary United Methodist Church, 512 West Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28203. Visitation will be held at 10:15 AM followed by a Celebration of Life Service at 11:00 AM. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Calvary United Methodist Church.
Arrangements are in the care of Kenneth W. Poe Funeral & Cremation Service, 1321 Berkeley Ave., Charlotte, NC 28204; (704) 641-7606. Online condolences can be shared at www.kennethpoeservices.com.
Greetings brethren, the Oasis Shrine Dune Cats are asking for our help with their annual fundraiser for the Shriner's Hospital for Children. They need our help at the Southern Christmas Show selling bags, and driving golf cars to help shuttle people to and from the venue. For every hour you volunteer, the Dune Cats will donate $15 to our lodge. If you can spare some time for this noble cause, call Eddie Baker at (704) 575-4718, or go to the bag sales table in the main entrance, or use the link below to sign up. The Southern Christmas Show ends Sunday at 6pm and it is being held at The Park, formerly known as the Merchandise Mart, next to Bojangles Arena. Thank you for your time, and if you go, don’t forget to see Santa.
Sign up here: https://oasisdunecats.com/
Fraternal Greetings from the East,
I hope that this letter finds you healthy and working with fervency and zeal.
Last month the Masonic Home for Children at Oxford held their annual homecoming celebration. This year was extra special because it is also the 150th year of the MHCO. If you have never been to Oxford to see the orphanage, I highly recommend that you take the time to. Several members of Steele Creek Lodge went up to Oxford to enjoy the festivities this year. Unfortunately, weather did not cooperate. We had a heavy rain for most of the day. We still got to see a few of the buildings, picked up some commemorative merchandise, and sampled the BBQ from the competition. By the time I was half way home, the sun finally came out. All and all, it was still a good time.
Another Steele Creek BBQ Fundraiser is in the books. I have to give our Junior Warden, Br. Charlie Anderson and everyone who helped with this fundraiser a round of applause. We had a lot of members show up to get the butts rubbed and sauces poured. A good team of seasoned BBQ masters was assembled to start the cooking. We even had extra members to help with the off load of cooked butts. I noticed all of the butts that I chopped were very moist and still hot. I don’t think we lost one butt to fire flair up, or being over cooked. The butts we had this year were huge! After cooking, we had some weight in at 6 lbs. This left us having 20 extra butts after we shredded what we needed to, but before the close of day, we had all of the extras sold too! We even had a few donations, of which I am very grateful for. I want to thank everyone who worked, bought, and contributed to this fundraiser. We couldn’t have been able to raise this money for MHCO with out any of your help.
Thank you!
On November 11th at 4pm, we will have our 25 and 50-year service award presentations. Lunch will be served at 3pm. Recipients are listed below.
25-Year Award: Br. Samuel Capp
50-Year Award: Br. Larry Wiggins, Br. Fredrick McCoy, & W.B. Dennis McCain, PM
Fraternally and Sincerely,
Bill Smith, PM
Worshipful Master 2023
To update your information, or to see if it is correct,
- Email the secretary at Secretary@SteeleCreekLodge.com
- Call the Lodge at 704-588-0555 and leave a message, or
- Mail your information to our P.O. BOX
Steele Creek Lodge #737
PO Box 7171, Charlotte, NC 28241.
Trestle Board:
- Sat. Nov. 11th: Service Awards, Lunch @ 3p, Awards at 4p
- Mon. Nov. 13th: Dark
- Mon. Nov. 20th: Movie Night 33 & Beyond: The Royal of Freemasonry @ 6:30pm
- Mon. Nov. 27th: Officer’s Meeting @ 6:30p
- Mon. Dec. 4th: Annual Communication @ 7pm
If you have wanted to seek further light in Masonry outside of the Blue Lodge, this weekend is for you. The Scottish Rite degrees consist of the 4th through the 32nd degrees. One might be lead to think that these degrees are a continuation of the blue lodge degrees because of the numerical distinction of their degrees, but they are not. Blue Lodge degrees are based on the York Rite degrees. With this being said, the Scottish Rite degrees, teach a different (Scottish) version of masonic lessons that are just as important and interesting as the York Rite (English).
The Charlotte Scottish Rite is holding their semi-manual reunion this weekend at the Oasis Shrine Temple, located at 604 Doug Mayes Place, Charlotte, NC 28262. You will need to fill out an application and pay an application fee ($375.00) to join. Use the embedded application link below, in which you can also pay your application fee. If you use the embedded link, under the section Recommending Masons, use myself, William Smith, email: WHS7718@aol.com and Richard Gelsomino, email: Rgelsomino@gmail.com. You may also show up and fill out an application during the registration segment of the festival. If you fill out a physical application, under Section V, put my name, William Smith and Richard Gelsomino, we will both be in attendance so we can sign your application.
Friday, October 27, 2023
7:15 AM Marshals and Reception Committee
7:30 Class Registration – the Sands
7:45 Opening of Lodge of Perfection
8:00 4° Secret Master – Carolina Room
8:45 5° Perfect Master – Carolina Room
9:20 6° Confidential Secretary— Carolina Room
9:40 7° & 8° Communicated— Room A
10:00 BREAK
10:15 9° Elu of Nine – Carolina Room
10:45 10°, 11°,12° & 13° Communicated – Room A
11:30 LUNCH
12:30 PM 14° Perfect Elu – Carolina Room
1:45 Opening Chapter of Rose Croix and Registration
2:00 15° Knight of the East – Carolina Room
3:00 16° & 17° Communicated— Room A
3:30 Break
3:45 Class Picture—Carolina Room
4:00 18° Knight Rose Croix – Carolina Room
5:30 Dinner
6:30 Opening of Council of Kadosh & Registration
Saturday, October 28, 2023
7:30 AM Class report to the Sands
8:00 20° Communicated – Room A
8:15 21° Prussian Knight – Carolina Room
8:45 22°, 23°, 24°, 25° & 26° Communicated – Room A
9:15 27° Knight of the Sun – Carolina Room
10:00 Break
10:10 28° Knight Commander of the Temple –
Carolina Room
11:10 29° Communicated – Room A
11:30 LUNCH
12:15 Opening of Consistory and Registration
12:30 30° Knight Kadosh - Carolina Room
12:45 31° Inspector Inquisitor – Carolina Room
2:15 Time of Reflection— Room A
2:30 32° Master of the Royal Secret – Carolina Room
Subject: Annual Butt Sale Fundraiser for the Masonic Home for Children at Oxford – November 1, 2, 3
Dear Esteemed Brethren,
We hope this message finds you well. We are excited to announce an upcoming opportunity for our Masonic Lodge to come together for some excellent fellowship and to also make a positive impact in our community.
We need dedicated volunteers to assist with the preparation and smoking of pork butts for a special event. There are various roles that require your support:
- Flyer Distribution: Help us spread the word by distributing flyers to local businesses and sharing them on social media.
- Preparation and Rubbing: Join us on Wednesday, Nov. 1 at 5:00 p.m. to prepare and rub the pork butts, ensuring they are ready for the smoker.
- Cooking Assistance: On Thursday morning 8am-until, we need volunteers to help man the cookers and ensure our pork butts are perfectly smoked. Our goal is not to have to cook through the night.
- Shredding and Packaging: Assist with shredding the pork and packaging it for distribution.
- Pickup Coordination: Help manage the pickup of both pork butts and pork by the pound on Friday Nov. 3rdbetween 11am-7pm.
Your participation will not only help make this event a success but also strengthen the bonds within our Masonic community. Please consider volunteering for one or more of these roles and let us know your availability.
If you're willing to lend a hand, please respond by email, text, or call me at charliemanderson@gmail.com or 702-232-6612 by October 23. We appreciate your support and dedication to our Lodge's charitable efforts and promoting our fraternity.
Thank you for your commitment to making a difference in our Lodge.
Fraternally,
Charlie Anderson
Junior Warden
Cell: 702-232-6612
Fraternal Greetings from the East,
I hope that this letter finds you healthy and working with fervency and zeal.
As we enter the trimester of 2023, I would like to take a minute and thank everyone for their hard work this year. We couldn’t have had a great year like we have had if it wasn’t for you. Even showing up and watching is participating. Thank you.
The year isn’t over and we still have much work to do. This month will be another month without degree work, but this will open the opportunity for fellowship, new experiences, and work around the lodge building.
2023 is the 150th year for our own Masonic Home for Children at Oxford (MHCO). To celebrate, the home will have a weekend long party starting on October 13th and will conclude on the 15th. If you haven’t had the chance to visit MHCO, I highly recommend it. You will be able to see what all of your hard fundraising work goes to. I have had the opportunity to visit the home a few time and I have a great time every time I go. It reminds me, first hand, why we work so hard at every fundraiser. The celebration kicks off with a golf tournament October 13th at 9am. A parade, BBQ competition and tours of the grounds are also main draws of the celebration. A full list of the Homecoming events will be attached.
Grand Lodge was September 28th-30th and Steele Creek had all of the primary officers in attendance along with a few Past Masters. Thursday the 28th we full of symposiums. The lectures were all fantastic and this was an enjoyable addition to Grand Lodge. Friday the 29th and Saturday the 30th was the Annual meeting of Grand Lodge and all of the normal business was voted on and approved. As someone who has attended ten consecutive meetings of the Annual Communication, this was the best one by far. Our Grand Line officers spend the time to disprove any misconceptions about Grand Lodge and they were also very clear with their finances. Your new Grand Lodge officers elected for 2024 are as follows:
Worshipful Grand Master: Don Kehler
Grand Secretary: Jonathan Underwood
Deputy Grand Master: Robert Rideout
Grand Treasurer: Lewis Ledford
Senior Grand Warden: Steve Norris
Junior Grand Warden: Gilbert Bailey
Junior Grand Deacon (Appointed): J. David Cashion
There were six Amendments up for vote at Grand Lodge this year, of which two were withdrawn (and the remaining four were voted on and all passed, including the Amendment to raise Grand Lodge Per Capita Tax by $10. The by-laws of Steele Creek Lodge state that when Per Capita goes up, out dues will automatically increase to cove the increased amount. This means that as of now, our 2024 dues will be $210.
The Amendments up for election at he Annual Communication were was follows:
PASSED – Amendment 1: Modernizes the publication and distribution of the Annual Proceedings, which would save Grand Lodge money.
PASSED – Amendment 2: Clarifies the modern duties of the lodge secretary by making full use of widely used electronic tools.
WITHDRAWN – Amendment 3: Modernizes the work of the Board of Publications and the Committee on Masonic Public Relations.
WITHDRAWN – Amendment 4: Clarifies the Freemasonry brings together men of different races, colors, creeds, and opinions to unite in the objectives of our Craft.
PASSED – Reapportions the amount of the initiation fee to be applied to the General Fund to better account for the true costs of processing a petition for members.
PASSED – Raises the Per Capita from $25 to $35 to manage the significant rise in inflation since 2019 and the reduction in total membership.
Fraternally and Sincerely,
Bill Smith, PM
Worshipful Master 2023
To update your information, or to see if it is correct,
- Email the secretary at Secretary@SteeleCreekLodge.com
- Call the Lodge at 704-588-0555 and leave a message, or
- Mail your information to our P.O. BOX
Steele Creek Lodge #737
PO Box 7171, Charlotte, NC 28241.
Trestle Board:
- Sun. Oct. 8th: Roval 400 Charlotte Motor @ 2pm
- Mon. Oct. 9th: Movie Night The Man Who Would Be King @ 6:30pm
- Sat. Oct. 14th: Oxford Parade 150yr, Oxford NC @ 11am
- Mon. Oct. 16th: Dark
- Mon. Oct. 23rd: Open Practice @ 6:30pm
- Sat. Oct. 28th: Work Day, Drainage Pit 8am-12pm
- Mon. Oct. 30th: Officer’s Meeting @ 6:30pm
- Thu. Nov. 2nd: Cook BBQ
- Fri. Nov. 3rd: Sell BBQ
- Mom. Nov. 6th: Stated Communication @ 7pm
Fraternal Greetings from the East,
I hope that this letter finds you healthy and working with fervency and zeal.
I want to thank everyone who took time out of their Saturday to attend WB John Edwards’ masonic service on August 26th. We had a great showing and I know that meant a lot to his family. Also, a big thank you to the cooking team for the great BBQ lunch that followed.
We do not have any degree work scheduled for this September, so it would be great if we could get together for some fellowship. There will be a few chances for this:
- I couldn’t get a good plan implemented for a baseball outing for a Charlotte Knights game. This is the last month of baseball for them, so if you want to attend a game, get up with a few friends from the lodge and have a great time.
- Family Dinner is scheduled for Monday, September 11th at John’s Restaurant at 6:30 pm
- Alpine Lodge 208, in Clover, South Carolina is having an EA degree on Thursday, September 14th at 7pm. Their address is: 502 N. Main St., Clover SC 29710. I know a few brothers have mentioned attending this degree.
- If you like NASCAR, the Roval 400 is approaching in October. You can either buy a ticket, or attend the blood drive hosted by One Blood at Charlotte Motor Sunday, September 17th from 10am-6pm. For every successful donation, you will receive a voucher for two free tickets to the Roval 400. There will be an option to buy more tickets if need be when you redeem your voucher, if you need more seats.
On Monday, September 18th, we will have a masonic education directed towards new masons, but every master mason and Past Master is welcome to attend. If you have questions about masonry, this would be a great time to show up and ask.
September 27th at 1pm Br. Bobby Molder will have his funeral service at Providence Baptist Church, located at 4921 Randolph Rd., Charlotte, NC 28211. There will not be a masonic service, but we have been asked to wear our aprons. A masonic service will take place by David Lodge #39 in Ahoskie, NC where he will be laid to rest.
Fraternally and Sincerely,
Bill Smith, PM
Worshipful Master 2023
To update your information, or to see if it is correct,
- Email the secretary at Secretary@SteeleCreekLodge.com
- Call the Lodge at 704-588-0555 and leave a message, or
- Mail your information to our P.O. BOX:
Steele Creek Lodge #737
PO Box 7171, Charlotte, NC 28241.
Trestle Board:
- Mon. Sep 11th: Family Dinner at John’s Restaurant @ 6:30pm
- Thu. Sep 14th: Alpine Lodge EA Degree @ 7pm
- Sun. Sep 17th: NASCAR Blood drive @ Charlotte Motor 10am-6pm
- Mon. Sep 18th: New Mason Education @ 6:30pm
- Mon. Sep 25th: Officer’s Meeting @ 6:30pm
- Wed. Sep 27th: Funeral for Br. Bobby Mulder @ 1pm
- Mon. Oct 2nd: Stated Communication @ 7pm
Fraternal Greetings from the East,
I hope that this letter finds you healthy and working with fervency and zeal.
As we should all know by now, WB John Edwards passed away on July 25th. His funeral service was held on August 2nd. I want to thank each and every Brother who showed up at Forest Lawn Cemetery East for his service. We weren’t allowed to hold a masonic service for WB Edwards, as some churches don’t understand Freemasonry. To rectify this, the Lodge will host a masonic service on August 26th at 11am to remember WB Edwards. Directly after the service, family, friends, and brothers will be received in our cafeteria to enjoy a favorite oh WB John’s, Steele Creek BBQ with sides.
Last month we held our first Past Master degree in many years. Past Masters filled all of the speaking parts in the second section of the Maser Mason degree. It was truly a sight to behold. It was such a pleasure to see that many Past Masters participating in a degree again. I want to thank each Past Master and all of the degree teams for a fantastic degree. We raised three fellow crafts to the sublime degree of Master Mason.
Our Lodge Page, our former method of communication, was replaced by Grand View on June 30th. If you received any communication from the Lodge since then, it has been through Grand View. This would account for any unfamiliar email addresses, or phone numbers that you might have seen. Please DO NOT block these contacts. This is how the trestle board and any other lodge information will be transmitted.
Fraternally and Sincerely,
Bill Smith, PM
Worshipful Master 2023
To update your information, or to see if it is correct,
- Email the secretary at Secretary@SteeleCreekLodge.com
- Call the Lodge at 704-588-0555 and leave a message, or
- Mail your information to our P.O. BOX
Steele Creek Lodge #737
PO Box 7171, Charlotte, NC 28241.
Trestle Board:
- Mon. Aug 14th: Dark
- Mon. Aug 21st: Masonic Presentation: Grand View @ 6:30pm
- Sat. Aug 26th: Masonic Service for WB John Edwards @ 11am
- Mon. Aug 28th: Officer’s Meeting @ 6:30pm
- Mon. Sep 4th: Stated Communication @ 7pm
Fraternal Greetings from the East,
I hope that this letter finds you healthy and working with fervency and zeal.
We will have our first Maser Mason degree on July 24th! Please plan on attending and help us raise our fellow crafts to the sublime degree.
As you may well know by now, the Stated Communication for July was canceled, but that doesn’t mean that we have the entire month off. Oh no, we will be just as busy as we normally are. The main even for the month is going to be our first Master Mason degree of the year on the 24th of July. As I stated above, please plan on attending this degree. We need your help filling 12 non-speaking parts; these are the fellow craft parts. We also need eight strong men to be on the canvas committee. If you don’t think you have what it takes to fill any of these positions, we ALWAYS would love it if you just came and had some fellowship and watched the degree. Everyone’s presence is greatly wanted and your presence is participation.
On the 17th and 20th of July the Lodge will have rehearsals for the Master Mason degree. If you want to take part in one of the non-speaking rolls, this would be a great time to attend and learn the floor work that goes with these positions. Don’t worry, there isn’t much. As long as you can turn around and take a step forward, you will be just fine. For those of you who have speaking parts, I will remind you of my favorite line, “You practice at home, you rehearse at Lodge.” This means to take your time and learn your lines at home. You learn the floor work at lodge with your brothers, and I can’t remember a time that we didn’t have a good time at rehearsal.
First section will start at 6:30pm, second section will start at 7:30pm.
On June 24th we held our WORLD FAMOUSE Fish Fry. I would like to take the time to thank each and every person who took time out of their busy day to make this fundraiser a huge success. Around of applause to Br. Charlie Anderson for a fantastic job well done organizing this fundraiser. Thank you to all of the brothers who came out and helped cook, serve, and clean up. Thank you to the family members who took time out of their day to help serve and clean up. And thank you to everyone who came out and paid their hard earned money for a plate of our fish. With out any of you, we wouldn’t be able to do fantastic this such as this fundraiser.
Fraternally and Sincerely,
Bill Smith, PM
Worshipful Master 2023
To update your information, or to see if it is correct,
Steele Creek Lodge #737
PO Box 7171, Charlotte, NC 28241.
Trestle Board:
- Mon, July 10th: Fellow Craft examination @ 7pm (no dinner)
- Mon. July 17th: Master Mason Rehearsal @ 6:30pm/7:30pm
- Thur. July 20th: Master Mason Rehearsal @ 6:30pm/7:30pm
- Mon. July 24th: Master Mason Degree @ 7pm
- Mon. July 31st: Officer’s Meeting @ 6:30pm
- Mon. Aug 7th: Stated Communication @ 7pm
Fraternal Greetings from the East,
I hope that this letter finds you healthy and working with fervency and zeal.
March was the first time since 2017 that members of the lodge got together for a day of fellowship. A few of us got together with our families at a Charlotte Checkers game. Did I mention that we had center ice tickets? Everyone who attended expressed how much fun they had and that they would love to do it again. More fellowship is one of my main goals for this year, so another Family Day is in the works. With the summer winds blowing in, a Charlotte Knights game looks to be next. I again want to thank everyone who showed up for the Checkers game, and I hope that we have many more at the Knights game.
March also was full of degrees. Steele Creek initiated one new member into our family and our great fraternity. If that wasn’t enough, the lodge came together to pass two more members to the degree of fellow craft. If you fell like you missed out, don’t worry, you will have another chance to attend a degree this month. On the 17th, the lodge will get the chance to pass two more entered apprentices to the degree of fellow craft. Lets show up in force and watch our brothers take their second step in Masonry.
It’s never too early to talk about our next fundraiser. On June 24th, we will have our famous fried fish fundraiser with all of the fixings you heart desires. The fish fry is always a great time to get together with friends and family and break bread. For those who volunteer to make all of this happen, fellowship is the reward. It takes a lot of hands to make this fundraiser be a success. If you are interested in lending a helping hand, reach out to our Junior Warden, Charlie Anderson. In addition to the fish fry, there will also be a blood drive with One Blood.
Finally, I hope that everyone has a safe and enjoyable Easter.
Fraternally and Sincerely,
Bill Smith, PM
Worshipful Master 2023
Trestleboard for April
Monday April 10 - DARK
Tuesday April 11 - FC Practice at 6:30pm
Thursday April 13 - FC Practice at 6:30pm
Monday April 17 - FellowCraft Degree, Meal at 6pm, Lodge at 7pm
Monday April 24 - Trustee and Rental Committee meeting at 6:30pm
Thursday April 27 - Officers Meeting at 6:30pm
Monday May 1 - Stated Communication for May, Meal at 6pm, Lodge at 7pm