St Paul's Lodge had the rare opportunity to celebrate a member who has achieved seventy years of service to our beloved fraternity. The officers of St Paul's performed a ceremony that retraced the seven decades of our Brother's Masonic travel from the his initiation into DeMolay to his time as Worshipful Master of our lodge and as Shriner serving as recorder.
Worshipful Brother Chesnut's Official Masonic record reads accordingly.
Richard Holland Chesnut began his Masonic journey when he was initiated into the Stephen A. Douglas Chapter of the Order of DeMolay on December 9, 1946. He was part of a group of 33 members initiated that evening in a class that was dedicated to the 24 members of the local chapter who lost their lives in World War II.
He petitioned St. Paul’s Lodge #500 on June 21, 1954. He was elected to receive the degrees in Masonry on August 12, 1954 and was initiated as an Entered Apprentice on August 26, 1954.
Seven days later, Brother Chesnut was passed to the degree of Fellowcraft, and he was raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason five days later, on September 7, 1954.
Brother Chesnut joined the Valley of Springfield, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite and became a 32 nd degree Mason on April 1, 1961.
Brother Chesnut was initiated into the Ansar Shrine on May 22, 1965 where he was elected and served as recorder from 1991 until 2003.
Brother Chesnut earned the title of Worshipful Brother by being elected and serving as the
Worshipful Master of St. Paul’s Lodge #500 in 1971.
He was awarded the Active DeMolay Legion of Honor in 2001.
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