GRANDVIEW MASONIC LODGE 

Jerry Nelson Kirby was born on October 23, 1946, in Avalon, Texas. He graduated from Avalon High School as Valedictorian in 1964. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Math from the University of Texas at Arlington, and a Master of Education from North Texas State University. He has done Post Graduate work at the University of Texas at Arlington, North Texas State University, Texas A & Mat Commerce, Central Michigan University, and the American College. He retired as Superintendent of the Blum I.S.D after 43 years in education.

Jerry is married to a schoolmate in college, the former Suzzanne Beaver of Corsicana, Texas. They have two children, Larry Patrick and Kimberlee Dawn, and 6 grandchildren. Suzzanne has a BBA from the University of Texas at Arlington and has retired from Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. Pat is a graduate of Texas A & M University and is a plant operator for BASF Chemical Company. He is a Past Master Councilor of Oak Cliff Chapter of DeMolay. Kim has a Bachelors Degree in Government from the University of Texas at Austin and a Juris Doctorate from Texas Wesleyan University Law School, She is currently inactive as an Attorney while raising three children. Kim is Past Grand Worthy Advisor of the Grand Assembly of Texas International Order of Rainbow for Girls.

 

Jerry’s Civic and Professional activities have included being President of the Red Oak Lion’s Club. He is a certified Lay Speaker at First United Methodist Church in Red Oak for 45 years, and was Delegate to the Methodist Conference for 18 consecutive years. He is an Honorary Life member of the Texas Association of School Administrators, and a life member of the Texas State Teachers Association.

 

Masonic History:

 

Jerry received the Entered Apprentice Degree on January 13, 1968. He received the Fellowcraft Degree on March 14, 1968, Jerry was raised a Master Mason in Nash Lodge No. 638, A. F. & A. M. on April 13, 1968. He has been an Officer of Nash Lodge for 43 consecutive years and is the current Treasurer. He served as Worshipful Master in 1970-71, 82-83, 86-87, 89-90, 90-91, 91- 92, 94-95. He served as District Deputy Grand Master of District 18 in 1982. He is a plural and endowed member of Midlothian Lodge No. 584, a plural member of Blum Lodge No. 607, a plural member of Tranquility Lodge No. 2000, a plural member of Sweet Home Lodge No. 576 and Texas Lodge of Research. He is a Past Master of Midlothian Lodge No, 584. He is an Endowed member and Past Master of Red Oak Lodge# 461. He received the Golden Trowel Award presented by Nash Lodge on April 25, 1998. He was appointed to the Grand Lodge Committee on Public Education in 1994-95. He was Chairman of the Committee on Public Education from 1995- to 1999. He has been Chairman of the Committee on Public Education from 2007 – present. He was appointed Grand Chaplain of the Grand Lodge of Texas for 2011. Elected Grand Junior Warden of the Grand Lodge of Texas December 7, 2013.

He received the Mark Master Degree on 2-6-69, the Past Master Degree on 2- 20-69 and the Most Excellent Master’s Degree on 2-20-69.  He was exalted to the sublime Degree of Royal Arch Mason in Waxahachie Chapter No. 73 on March 21, 1969. Served as High Priest in 1969-70. He is now a member of Midlothian Chapter No. 211, Dallas Chapter No. 47, and Love Field Chapter No. 478. He served as District Deputy Grand High Priest ofCapitular District No. 18 of the Most Excellent Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Texas in 1971. He was appointed Grand Representative of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Belgium near the Most Excellent Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Texas, and was the Grand Representative of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Virginia near the Most Excellent Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Texas and is now the grand Representative of the Grand Chapter of California near the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Texas. He was elected the Right Excellent Grand Scribe of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Texas in December, 1987, passed thru the Chairs and was elected and installed Most Excellent Grand High Priest on December 4, 1990. He was appointed Grand Chaplain in 2011.

He is the Ambassador of the General Grand Chapter to the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Texas form 2011-2014. He was greeted a Royal and Select Master in Waxahachie Council No. 46 of the Most Illustrious Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters of Texas on April 3, 1969 where he served as Thrice Illustrious Master in 1969-70. He is now a member of Midlothian Council No. 148, Dallas Council No. 18, and Love Field Council 396. He served the Grand Council as District Deputy Grand Master of Cryptic District 18 in 1974, Grand Captain of the Guards in 1977, Grand Conductor of the Council in 1979, and District Deputy Grand Master of Cryptic District 51B in 1980. He was elected Right Illustrious Grand Principal Conductor of the Work in 1980, passed through the Chairs, and was elected and installed Most Illustrious Grand Master on December 7, 1982. He was appointed and served as Illustrious Grand Chaplain in 1997. He is the Grand Representative of the Grand Council of Illinois near the Grand Council of Texas. Grand Chaplain of the Grand Council 2013-2014. He was the Ambassador of the General Grand Council to the Grand Council of Texas from 2008-20 I I. He received the Order of the Red Cross and the Order of Malta on 6-19-1969 in Corsicana.

 

Jerry was knighted a Knight Templar in Bertrand Du Gueselin Commandery No. 14 K. T. on June 26, 1969. Affiliated with Hillsboro Commandery No. 39 K.T., and served as Eminent Commander in 1973. Jerry is a member of Alexander C. Garrett Commandery No. 109 K. T., and a Plural Member of Dallas Commandery No. 6 K.T., Hillsboro Commandery No. 39 K.T, Melrose Commandery No. 107 K. T. and Lone Star Commandery No 114, K. T. He served as Eminent Commander of A. C. Garrett No. 103 in 1989-90,and has been recorder of A. C. Garrett No. 103 since 1994. He has been awarded the Grand Encampment Membership Medal with two clusters. He is a member of Dallas No. 6 Drill Team and a Life Sponsor of the Eye Foundation in Hillsboro and A. C. Garrett Commanderies. He was elected Grand Sentinel of the Grand Commandery of Texas on April 28, 1992 in Dallas, Texas. He was elected Grand Warder in 1993, Eminent Grand Sword Bearer in 1994, Eminent Grand Standard Bearer in 1995, Eminent Grand Senior Warden in 1996, Eminent Grand Captain General in 1997, Eminent Grand Generalissimo in 1998, Very Eminent Deputy Grand Commander in 1999, and Right Eminent Grand Commander in 2000. He was Grand Treasurer from 2003 until 2011. He was elected Grand Recorder in 2011. He was elected Grand Treasurer Emeritus in 2011.

He was elected a Trustee of the Texas Knights Templar Educational Foundation on April 18, 1998, and was elected Vice President in 2000 of the Texas Knights Templar Educational Foundation. He was elected to the Board of the York Rite Development Fund on December 5, 2000 and served as Chairman in 2001-2003 He was made a Knight Commander of the Temple on April 13, 2002. He is the Grand Representative of the Grand Commandery of Ohio near the Grand Commandery of Texas. He is a Life Sponsor, Associate Patron, Patron, and member of the Grand Master’s Club of the Knights Templar Eye Foundation. He served on the Grand Encampment Committee on Ritual during the 2003-2006 Triennial and wrote a new ritual for public opening of a Grand Commandery which was adopted at the 2006 Grand Session. He served on the Grand Encampment Committee for the Knight Templar Educational Foundation during the 2006-2009 Triennial.

Companion Kirby is a member of the Dallas Scottish Rite Bodies, receiving His Degrees in October 1, 22, 29, 1977. He has been a member of the Twentieth Degree Team, Twenty-Fifth Degree Team, Twenty-Eighth Degree Team, and the Thirtieth Degree Team in Dallas, and the 15th and 17” Degree Teams in Fort Worth. He was elected to receive the 32 KCCH on October 21, 1991. He was coroneted a 33rd in December, 2003. He was Degree Master of the 4111 Degree from 1992 until 2009. He was the Sovereign Grand Commander of the 33rd degree conferred in Dallas for the Dallas, Fort Worth, Waco, El Paso and Lubbock Valleys in 2009. He was the Sovereign Grand Commander of the 33rd degree for Dallas, Ft. Worth, El Paso, Waco, Lubbock, Austin, and San Antonio in 2011. He is a member of the Ellis County Membership Committee. He was appointed Tiler of the Consistory in 2002. He was appointed to the Dallas Scottish Rite Scholarship Committee in 2002. He was elected and installed Orator of the Dallas Lodge of Perfection on December 16, 2002, installed Junior Warden in 2003, Senior Warden in 2004, and Venerable Master in 2005. He was Prelate for all the bodies for 2011.

He received the First Section of Hella Shrine on 3-27-76. He received The Royal Order or Scotland on I0-6-79 and is an endowed member. He received the Super Excellent Masters Degree in 1969; the Order or the Silver Trowel in 1969 and served as the Thrice Illustrious Master or Texas in 1981; the Order or the High Priesthood in 1969 and served as Grand High Priest or that Order in 1986. Jerry was initiated in Nash Chapter No. 320, Order or the Eastern Star in 1968 and is a Past Patron. He is a Dual member or Midlothian Chapter No. 234 and is a Past Patron or that Chapter. He received the Rob Morris Membership Medal from General Grand Chapter in 2002.

Jerry was initiated into El Texa Grotto on April 20, 1984. He is now a Charter member or Alla Grotto in Dallas. He is a member or Texas Priory No. 23 KYCH and North Texas Priory No. 73 KYCH. He is an honorary member or Louisiana Priory No. 43. He is a KYGCH with three (3) Quadrants. He has given all four lectures in the KYCH. He was elected and installed as Prior or Texas Priory No. 23 in December, 2004. Jerry was invested with the Order or Knight or York on June 3, 1976. He was the Charter Governor and served as Secretary or Lyle L. Cross York Rite College No. 147 for ten years. He is a Plural Member or Texas York Rite College No. 14 and Trinity York Rite College No. 154. He received the Order of the Purple Cross and was made an Associate Regent or the Sovereign College at Anaheim, California on August 3, 1991. He is a member of the York Rite Esoteric Association, the Texas Lodge of Research, and is an endowed member of the Scottish Rite Research Society. Jerry received the Grand Cross of Color from The International Order of the Rainbow for Girls in June 1986.

He was initiated into the Allied Masonic Degrees on April 21, 1991. He was installed as the Charter Senior Warden of Robert Bruce Brannon Council No. 270, AMO, and has served as Sovereign Master in 1993. He is the current Chaplain. He has been honored with the Order of the Red Branch of Eri; He received the Masonic Order of the Bath on July 19. 2003. He was commissioned Grand Superintendent or North Texas by the Grand Council of the Allied Masonic Degrees or the United States or America. He was invested with the Honorary Legion of Honor of the Order or DeMolay on July 20, 1991. He is a Charter and Life Member of the Texas State Priory of the Legion of Honor. He received the Red Cross of Constantine in Saint Austin Conclave on April 3, 1993, and has conferred the Knights of St. John the Evangelist from 1995 to present. He was elected Prelate in December, 2004. He was elected and installed Sovereign in December, 2006.

He was initiated into Rose of Sharon Council No. 49, Knight Masons on November 4, 1993 and was installed as the Charter Scribe, elected and installed Junior Warden on October 31, 1994, elected and installed Senior Warden in 1995, and elected and installed Excellent Chief in 1996. He was commissioned a Knight Preceptor and Charter member in Texas Chapter, Order of Knights Preceptor on April 28, 1996. He was initiated into Texas College of Masonic Societa Rosicruciana In Civitatibus Foederates, Grade VII, on September 19, 1999. Jerry was ordained into Ascension Tabernacle No. XX, Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priests on December 16, 2000. He was elected Outer Guard for 2005, inner Guard for 2006, 2nd Pillar for 2007, 3rd Pillar for 2008, 411′ Pillar for 2009, 5th Pillar for 2010, 61h Pillar for 2011, 7•h Pillar 2012, Deputy 2013, and Elected Sovereign in December, 2013.  Jerry was initiated into Trinity Chapel of the Order of St. Thomas of Aeon in July of 2004. He became a charter and founding member of Tejas Chapel in 2006 and was appointed Almoner. He served as Prior in 2008 and Worthy Master in 2009.  Jerry was initiated in The Order of the Amaranth in 2010. Jerry became a member of the National Sojourners on December 6, 2011. Initiated into The Operatives in Texas State Capitol Assemblage with the 1st degree on March 29, 2014 in San Antonio, Texas. He received the 2nd degree on August 16, 2014 in San Antonio, Texas.