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BEFORE A MASON DIES

All Masons should review this list and complete the tasks now (one can never be sure) or certainly if or when your health may be compromised.  Whatever wishes you may have relating to the Masonic portion of your life, your Lodge wishes to support.  This list is not exhaustive and does not cover all the options, you can discuss with the Master of the Lodge or it's secretary as you may wish.   If you Pre-Plan your funeral services, please let the funeral home know of your wishes as well.

1.       Do you want a Masonic service as part of your funeral?  We can email or regular mail copies to any member who wishes to review it. 

2.       Have you informed your wife AND children or caretakers of your wishes?  Unfortunately, not everyone understands how important Masonry may be to you.  Also, if you haven't been active in your lodge, your family may mistakenly feel that you are no longer interested nor consider yourself a mason.

3.       Upon your death, your family should contact the lodge as soon as possible and notify us of your wishes.  It takes time to let members know of the service time and location.  Most local funeral homes know how to contact the proper people in the lodge.  The current officers are also published in The Trestleboard every month.

4.       Masonic funerals can be performed as part of a religious service; or as a service in a chapel (funeral chapel); at the graveside; or a memorial service can be performed at some time after the funeral.  The choice is yours, but if part of a religious service, please ensure the person who will oversee the religious service knows of your wishes (there are a few who may object to the service for whatever reasons they may have and the graveside or separate memorial may be more suitable).

5.       You can be buried in your Lambskin Apron whether there is a Masonic service or not, but in either case, please ensure your family knows where your apron is kept.

6.       Will there be a Eulogy and will it be from a Mason or another member of family or friend (advance notice is often good here, too).

7.       If you are a Master Mason in good standing you are entitled to a Masonic funeral.  The "in good standing" part implies that your dues are paid up or that the lodge has remitted your dues if you are no longer in a financial position to pay your dues (we don't ever want to lose a member who is unable to pay for financial reasons).  The lodge will remit dues, but we need to be contacted every year (we do send out dues statements, and follow up with certified letters).  Please let your wife and children know if you wish to keep paying dues or about remitting dues if needed, they can check with the secretary as noted above-- again, they may not realize how important Masonry is to you.  The Master of the Lodge can also authorize a Masonic Funeral for one who is no longer in good standing.