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Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of State of West Virginia

The joint inspection of Division No. 8, consisting of Greenbrier No. 15, Bluefield No. 19 and Mt. Hope No. 22, was held at Mt. Hope on Friday, June 25, 2010.  The Inspecting Officer was Paul O. Davis, Eminent Grand Captain General.

Division 8 had the honor of receiving Right Eminent Grand Commander J. Stephen Wilson, Eminent Grand Captain General Paul O. Davis and Eminent Grand Standard Bearer Johnnie Sluss.  Total attendance was 26 including candidates and visitors.

Ladies from Mt. Hope cooked a delicious meal which the Sir Knights and candidates enjoyed prior to the inspection and degree work.

The Inspection and Order of the Temple was conducted by the three Commanderies.  Three (3) candidates, Douglas Fuller of Greenbrier No. 15, Curtis Honaker of Bluefield No. 19, and Seth M. Phillips of Mt. Hope No. 22 became Sir Knights with the intent of being active in their respective Commanderies.

Four Past Grand Commanders participated in the Inspection—(left to right) Robert Caldwell (#15), James Coleman (#15), Right Eminent Grand Commander J. Stephen Wilson, James P. Allen (#22) and John Arbuckle, Jr.( #15).

Also participating was Charles Mann, Past Grand High Priest and Commander of Bluefield No. 19.

The Division No. 2  Inspection of Palestine No. 2, Martinsburg, Potomac No. 5, Charlestown, and  Damascus No. 23, Keyser was held in Charles Town on Saturday, June 12, 2010.

We had the honor of receiving Grand Commander SK J. Stephen Wilson, Deputy Grand Commander Edward Ball, Grand Warden Ronald Jones and Inspecting Officer R. Vance.

Seven new Sir Knights in Eastern Panhandle. Front row: SK Frank Bradley No. 2, SK Gary Nelson, Jr. No. 23, SK Ryan Frye No. 2, SK Sam Earl, No. 2.  Back row: SK Carl Smith, No. 23, SK William Champ, No. 23, SK Alan Dunsmore.

After Inspection, the Order of the Temple was conducted by the three Commanderys and the assistance of Past Grand Commander Butler Adkins as Prelate. Seven new Sir Knights have now joined and stated they intend to be active in attending their Commandery conclaves

Shoppers saw more than the usual amount of flags outside of Pullman Square in Huntington on June 14.  It was Flag Day—the day commemorating the adoption of the flag of the United States.  Shoppers, pedestrians and patrons of outdoor restaurants observed several organizations participating in a ceremony honoring the Flag of the United States and the values it represents.
For more than 50 years, Huntington Commandery No. 9 has been observing the day by holding an event or participating in patriotic activities with other organizations.  Sir Knights assembled at the Huntington Masonic Temple and marched to Pullman Square to join with Huntington Elks Lodge #313 for the ceremony.  During the program, Huntington Sir Knights joined Cabell County Prosecuting Attorney Chris Chiles in singing the National Anthem and “God Bless America.”
Teenagers from Huntington Police Explorers Post 65 presented the flags of the country’s history.
Guest speaker, Dr. Gary Patton, counselor for the FBI in southern West Virginia, serving the Huntington, Charleston and Beckley offices, reminded the audience that “the flag stands for power, safety and freedom.”
Dr. Patton said, “Many people throughout the world are willing to desecrate our flag, but there are many more who are quick to run under it because of the freedom it represents.”
Attending the event were Paul O. Davis, Grand Captain General of the Grand Commandery of West Virginia along with Past Grand Commanders David DeMent and G. Butler Adkins, Jr.

Huntington Sir Knights march for “Old Glory” and sing “God Bless America.”

Grafton, West Virginia has hosted an annual Memorial Day parade for 143 years.  Thousands of school children dressed in white or pastel clothing and carrying flower bouquets from their home yards along with an American flag, bands, floats  dignitaries and marching units parade down Main Street and end up at the "old, downtown" National Cemetery.  Again this year, the Knights Templar of West Virginia, led by J. Stephen Wilson, Grand Commander, marched in uniform.  The day was glorious and hot, and now it's in the record books.  Special thanks to Grafton Lodge 15 for providing a location to assemble, change clothing and eat a light meal.

HUNTINGTON — Hundreds took time to remember the nation’s heroes at Huntington’s 63rd Annual Memorial Day Program on May 31, 2010. The event and wreath laying ceremony took place at the Veterans Memorial Arch, located on the west end of Ritter Park.

The annual event is organized by the Veterans Committee for Civic Improvement and the Greater Huntington Park and Recreation District. Mayor Kim Wolfe, himself a naval Vietnam veteran, greeted the crowd saying his city has sent many warriors abroad to preserve the nation’s freedoms.

This year’s featured speaker was retired Lt. Col. Harold Vance Huston. His 23-year military career includes deployments in Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan, along with the piloting of Marine One under Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson.

Sir Knights of Huntington Commandery No. 9 gathered at the Memorial Arch to honor members of the military who have given the ultimate sacrifice for freedom.

Vincent Perry, Commander of the Huntington Commandery No. 9, said he attended the ceremony because of what it means to him. “I could be a lot of places,” Perry said. “But what could be more important than honoring the veterans of this country.”

Sir Knights of Huntington Commandery No. 9 were the featured group this year and were seated in the front rows. Twenty Sir Knights participated with 16 dressed in full uniform.  Helping to lay a wreath was Paul Davis, Eminent Grand Captain General of the Grand Commandery of West Virginia.

Eminent Grand Captain General Paul Davis, first on left above

Paul Davis, center

Companion and Sir Knight Woodruff Franklin Buckles is a  member of Elk Branch #93 in Shenandoah Junction, Bethesda Chapter #16 , Potomac Commandery #5 and Martinsburg Valley KCCH, AASR.

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. — America’s last surviving World War I veteran marked his birthday Monday with family and close friends, noting that he has much to be thankful for as he blew out 109 candles.

Frank Woodruff Buckles, who lives on Gap View Farm near Charles Town, was born Feb. 1, 1901, in Harrison County, Mo.

He’s often said that he knew he would have a long life, but he never expected to become the very last “doughboy” — after all, there were 4,734,991 Americans who served from 1917 to 1918 during the Great War. Now there is one left.

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By Sir Knight D. David Will, Jr.

The title stems from an old saying in the Craft, and I have come to realize that it is every bit as important today as it always has been. The Blue Lodge, or what we sometimes call “Old Craft Masonry,” is a splendidly beautiful expression of our Brotherhood in this holy order, but for many of us, we realize that it is not complete. There is much more to the journey through Masonry that we cannot find just through the three degrees alone. I personally discovered this when I was Knighted in January of 2010.

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All four heads of the West Virginia Masonic Bodies were present and received at the KCCH Investiture in the Scottish Rite Temple in Charleston on November 20, 2009.  Sixty-two brethren were invested with the Rank and Decoration of a Knight Commander of the Court of Honor.  This preceded the 100th celebration of the Valley Of Charleston in which 115 brethren elevated to the 32 Degree in a class honoring Edward Delano Layne, 33, who had been active in all Masonic Bodies.

Our many thanks to our inspecting officer,  Sir Knight Edward E. Ball, Eminent Grand Captain General, and his wife Sandy for their visit.
We at Mountain State #14 are happy to count them and the Grand Commander among our personal friends in the Commandery.

I want to thank the wives of Sir Knight Hubert E. Roberts, PC and Sir Knight Roland Knight, PC whose efforts to ensure none of us went hungry were a resounding success.
I would like to thank Debbie Lowe, sister of our Eminent Commander George N. Myers, PC for her advance support of the meal preparations.
For as long as I can remember, these ladies have been the cornerstone of the wonderful meal which has followed our inspections.
I would also like to thank Amy Witschey, wife of Sir Knight Daniel A. Witschey, PC for her efforts with the ladies program.

Most of all, I would like to thank our 10 newest Sir Knights in West Virginia:
They represent the future of the Commandery.
(named as shown in candidate photos from left to right)

Fred Fazalare
Billy D. Arnolds           (Father)
John D. Anderson
Nathan Kelley Nelsen
Mark E. Eller
Glen Edward Clark II    (Father)
Anthony E. Clark         (Son)
Jesse Mack Kiger II
Francis Lee Arnolds    (Son)
Robert Jay Yeager

Please excuse any photographic mistakes I made, as I am by no means a professional photographer,
and please remember the father of PC Witschey in your prayers as he undergoes brain surgery this week.