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Grand Chapter of West Virginia to be held in Martinsburg, W V Oct. 26th and 27th.

Grand Banquet Buffet;  Chef Carved Prime Rib, California Grilled Chicken Breast, and Baked Salmon with Bearnaise Sauce.  Plus veggies, salads, desserts and tea/coffee/water.  There will be a cash bar arranged for those who wish to partake.

Ladies Program:  Companions, hold on to your credit cards!  It is planned to have a shuttle van/bus to commute the ladies to the Prime Outlets ( with over 50 stores) near Hagerstown, MD.  We will try to have the first shuttle leave the Holiday Inn at 9:30 AM Friday to the Outlets.  The shuttle should return in time for a 10:30 departure, and a third departure at 11:30.   Returns to the Holiday Inn will begin at 11AM  and run approximately every hour, with the last return scheduled to leave the Outlets at 3 PM in time to refresh before the Grand Banquet at 7 PM.  You may also drive your own vehicle to accommodate your own schedule.

Most Excellent Bobbie Damon Triplett,

Past Grand High Priest

Bobbie Damon Triplett, the son of Banes and Mary Triplett, was born at Clay, West Virginia on November 26, 1931. He attended schools in Clay County. He was employed as a Pipeline Electric Welder for 28 years. He served the U.S. Army for two years during the Korean War.

He married Minnie Alice Davis in 1956 and was divorced in 1973. He raised two sons: Steven H. Triplett and Bobbie D. Triplett, II. He had several grandchildren.

Companion Triplett was a Life Member in the American Legion, Grant Town, West Virginia, Post 157 and since 1958 has participated in over 1,000 Military Funeral Services.

Companion Triplett was initiated in Mannington Lodge No. 31 at Mannington, West Virginia, on November 18, 1969; passed January 6, 1970 and raised January 30, 1970. He served as Master of his lodge in 1987 and 1993. He served as Trustee of his Lodge from 1983 to 1992.

He was exalted a Royal Arch Mason in Orient Chapter No. 9, Fairmont, West Virginia in 1971. He served as High Priest in Orient Chapter No. 9 in 1983, 1984 and 1986. He is a Knight Mason in West Virginia Council No. 7; a member of West Virginia Anointed High Priesthood; a member of K.Y.C.H. since 1984; a Super Excellent Master since 1987; a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason in the Morgantown and Wheeling Valleys. He was a member of Crusade Commandery No. 6 at Fairmont where he served as E. Commander in 1983, 1983 and 1985. He received the Award of Merit in 1992. He was created a Noble in Osiris Temple, A.A.O.N.M.S. at Wheeling in 1971.

M.E. Companion Triplett was appointed Grand Marshal in the Grand Chapter Line of West Virginia, in 1985 by M.E. William Victor Booth. He regularly advanced and was installed M.E. Grand High Priest at Clarksburg, West Virginia in October of 1994.

Companion Triplett was instrumental in starting a new Chapter of Royal Arch Masons in Mannington, West Virginia. At the time of Dispensation the Chapter was named Acacia U.D., but due to the high esteem he held in the hearts and eyes of the Companions in Mannington, when the Chapter was Chartered they changed the name to Bobbie D. Triplett Chapter No. 52. No higher praise can be given a man, Mason and Companion who devoted so much of his time and efforts to Royal Arch Masonry.

Most Excellent Companion Bobbie D. Triplett will be sorely missed by the Companions in Mannington and this Grand Chapter.

Clarence Lenwood Craft was born at East Rainell, located in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, on May 9, 1926, the son of Clarence L. Craft and Minera (Adkins) Craft. He attended grade school at East Rainelle and graduated from East Rainelle High School in 1944. He entered the Army July 1944, and served with the 11th Airborne Division in the South Pacific. He was discharged December 1946. He entered Virginia Polytechnic Institute at Blacksburg, VA, September 1947. In August 1949 was recalled to service due to the Korean Conflict and served in the 11th Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, KY, until March 1951.

He was a salesman and collector for the Sneak Co. of America, Providence, RI, until April 1954 when he joined the sales staff of the Frank Tea and Spice Company of Cincinnati, OH. Later he became Territory Manager for Frank Foods Inc., also of Cincinnati. In January 1954, he married Orpha Greet. They have three children: Mrs. Orpha Sue Martin, Bettye Lynn Craft, and Clarence L. Craft, Jr.

Brother Craft was initiated in Oak Hill Lodge No. 120, Oak Hill, WV, on July 17, 1958. He served as Worshipful Master in 1963-64 and 1966-67. We was elected treasurer of Oak Hill Lodge No. 120 in June 1970. He was exalted a Royal Arch Mason in Sewell Chapter No. 24, Oak Hill, on April 28, 1959. He served as High Priest of Sewell Chapter in 1962-63, 1968-69 and 1969-70. He received the degree of Anointed High Priest October 9, 1962, and was knighted in Mount Hope Commandery No. 22, Mount Hope, WV, on April 28, 1969. He was created a Noble of the Mystic Shrine, November 6, 1971, in Beni-Kedem Temple, Charleston, WV. Companion Craft assisted in reinstating the Order of Rainbow for Girls in Oak Hill.
At the Annual Convocation of the Grand Chapter Royal Arch Masons of West Virginia held in Wheeling, WV, on October 11, 1966, he was appointed Grand Marshall by M.E. Companion James P. Allen and was regularly advanced from year to year.

On October 12, 1974, he was elected and installed to the exalted station of Most Excellent Grand High Priest. Brother Craft was called from his earthly labors to eternal rest on Friday, February 16, 2007.  His funeral was held on Wednesday, February 21, 2007, at the Tyree Funeral Home. Burial followed the memorial service and was at the High Lawn Cemetery in Oak Hill, WV. Masonic Graveside Rites were held.

Huntington Chapter #6 RAM and Huntington Commandery #9 plan to have a joint festival on 17 February with a class named in honor of Past Grand High Priest and Past Commander Orbura Meadows. Orbura has been a great supporter of the chapter even though he is not one of our members, and he has continued to support the commandery long after his tenure as commander. Additionally he served the Huntington Scottish Rite as Secretary for quite some time, going far beyond the duties of the office. It would truly be an honor for any new Royal Arch Mason or Knight Templar to be able to say that he had been a member of a class honoring Orbura. The respective bodies will receive and ballot on petitions on the day of the work. Further we will be more than happy to do courtesy work for any other chapter or commandery and include the candidates as members of the Orbura Meadows Class. We only ask that you let us know you’re coming and bring a letter requesting courtesy work.

We will open the Chapter at 8:00 a.m. to receive and ballot on petitions. We are putting together teams from surrounding chapters to get the work to flow smoothly. I ask that the teams be there early so we will not have to hunt for substitutes. This will be a key to being able to do this in a timely manner. When I get the list of casts, I will try to put together a program with various parts identified. Pollyanna that I am we hope to have dinner between 12:30 p.m. and 1:00 and start the Commandery immediately after lunch. The Order of the Red Cross and Order of Malta will be in short form. Huntington Commandery will confer the Order of the Temple. If your commandery has a candidate and your officers would like to do the 5th Libation and knight him, let us know and we will try to make arrangements. We hope for dinner by 5:30. Again we ask that you let us know ahead of time of your candidates for Chapter and Commandery, plus members who plan to attend. Otherwise all we can do is guess for meals.

At present, Huntington Chapter #6 plans to do the Mark Master Degree.  Guyandotte #10 is planning to do the Council degrees.  Wayne #18 has offered to do the Most Excellent Master.  Jule Huffman is planning to confer the Royal Arch.  We need volunteers for masters of veils, Principal Sojourner, Royal Arch Captain, and Captain of the Host.  I would like to have a volunteer to confer the Past Master and a Senior Deacon.  I can confer it, but I prefer to concentrate on setting up the degrees to keep things moving.  I hope not to have anyone working on two successive degrees.

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