Brethren,
The roll of the workman has been called and, one Master Mason, Illustrious Brother Stanley Schmidt, 33°, I.G.H., has not answered to his name. He has laid down the working tools of life and with them has left that mortal part for which he no longer has use. His labors here below have taught him to divest his heart and conscience of the vice and superfluity of life, thereby fitting his mind as a living stone for that spiritual building, that house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Strengthened in his labors here by faith in God, and confident of expectation of immortality, he has been granted admission to the Celestial Lodge above. His Brethren mourn the passing of a great man and Mason.
Illustrious Brother Stanley Eugene Schmidt, 33°, Inspector General Honorary, was born on December 14th, 1927, in Harrington, Washington, and passed to the Celestial Lodge on November 30th in Portland, Oregon. Brother Stan was initiated in Rose Lake Lodge No. 89, A.F.&A.M. of Idaho, affiliated with Orenomah Lodge No. 177, A.F.&A.M. of Oregon (Consolidated with Tigar Lodge No. 207, June 1998 under the new charter as Tigard-Orenomah Lodge No. 207), and later with Beaverton Lodge No. 100, A.F.& A.M. of Oregon. Brother Stan served as Worshipful Master in 1985, District Deputy to the Grand Master from 1986-90, Junior Grand Deacon 1990-91, Junior Grand Steward 1991-92, Grand Orator 1992-93, Grand Lodge Education Committee Chair 1993-95, and Grand Lodge Programs Committee Chair 1996-2007.
In the Scottish Rite he was Initiated as a Perfect Elu in the Oregon Lodge of Perfection No. 1, Knighted in the Ainsworth Chapter of Knights Rose No. 1, Knighted in the Multnomah Council of Knights Kadosh No. 1, and Invested as a Master of the Royal Secret in the Oregon Consistory No. 1 of the A.&A. Scottish Rite of Freemasonry in Portland Valley, Orient of Oregon, on May 14th, 1977. Elected Knight Commander of the Court of Honour on October 16th, 1989, Invested on November 11, 1989, Honored on November 19th, 1989, he served as Commander of the Multnomah Council of Kadosh No. 1 1990-91, he was Coroneted an Honorary Inspector General 33° in Seattle, Washington on November 16th, 1997. He was President of the Education Foundation and there is currently a $5,000 scholarship awarded annually by the Foundation to a first-year students entering college in honor of Brother Stan and his wife Jayne.
Brother Stan is a graduate of the University of Idaho with a Bachelor of Science in Education, held a Master of Education in Administration from the University of Oregon, and a Master of Arts in Speech Communication from Washington State University. He was a member of the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity at the University of Idaho. He began his early professional career in northern Idaho as Superintendent, teacher, and coach the Rose Lake School District No. 35. After six years he accepted the position of Director of Forensics and speech teacher at Jefferson High School in Portland where he taught for ten years, and at Portland Community College in the position of Director of Forensics and subject-area chairman of the Communications Department from 1986-1990. He was also an adjunct professor of speech at the University of Portland from 1987-1993.
Other memberships: he was Chairman of the precinct committeeman for the Republican Party in Kootenai County, Idaho, from 1951-1953. President of the Kootenai County Teachers Association, from 1953-1954, the North Idaho Education Association from 1954-1955, the Oregon Speech Association from 1960-1961, the Oregon Community College Speech Association from 1971-1972. Member of the Northwest Communications Association, the American Forensic Association, the Oregon Speech Association where he served as President, the Speech Communications Association, the Western Speech Communications Association, the Oregon Retired Teachers Association, the American Rose Society, and the Portland Rose Society where he won Best Rose Garden for the Portland Grand Sweepstakes award in 2003. Member of the Shrine, and President of the Tualatin Valley Shrine club in 1991, Group Leader of the Guides from 1998-2006, Member of the Order of Quetzalcoatl, member of the Allied Masonic Degrees, the Royal Arch Masons, the Royal Ark Mariners, the Royal Order Scotland, the York Rite Sovereign College, the Red Cross of Constantine where he was the Recorder from 1993-1997, Director of the Work from 1989-2001, Sovereign for 2000-2001, in the St. Laurence Conclave. Member of the Order of Eastern Star where he was Worthy Patron in 1953, and 1970. Member of the York Rite Knights Templar where he was Knight Commander of the Temple of the Grand Encampment, member of the Cryptic Masons of Oregon where he was Grand Orator in 1994-1995, and Illustrious Master in 1997, member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks, and a Royal Rosarian.
Great Architect of the Universe, you have called our Brother home. Let the loss of our brother increase our affection for those who are still with us and make us more punctual in our performance of those duties that Friendship, Love, and Honor demand. Be with us now and sanctify the solemnities of this occasion to our hearts, that we may serve you in spirit and understanding. There will be a memorial service for Illustrious Brother Stan on December 14th, 2022. More details will be provided when they are available.
oregonscottishrite.wordpress.com 