In Memorandum of Past Master Jack E. Williams
Past Master Jack Edward Williams, Sr., 86, passed away Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2015. Brother Williams was born Sept. 23, 1928, in Durant, Okla., to Dr. and Mrs. John E. Williams. He was initiated an Entered Apprentice on December 18, 1952, passed to the Degree of Fellowcraft on January 15, 1953 and raised a Master Mason on February 12, 1953. All were in Durant Lodge No. 45 in Durant, Oklahoma. In 1970, Brother Williams affiliated with Hillcrest Lodge.
Brother Williams was in the institutional food business for many years and later retired as a real estate agent with Ebby Halliday Realtors. He was long active in the Dallas Chamber of Commerce and a past president of the Life Member’s Club in the Chamber. The Dallas Chamber of Commerce awarded Jack Life Membership Awards on nine separate occasions for his outstanding service to the chamber. In addition to being a Past Master of Hillcrest Lodge, he was also a member of Granbury Masonic Lodge No. 392 in Granbury, a 33rd degree Scottish Rite Mason, a member of Moslah Shrine Temple, a Past Worthy Patron of Love Field Chapter in the Eastern Star and a member of the Eastern Star Chapter in Granbury. He was Chairman of the Scottish Rite Speaker’s Bureau several years, Venerable Master of the Scottish Rite Bodies in Dallas in 1997, served on the National Shrine Hospital Committee for Endowments, Wills & Gifts for eighteen years and was Director Emeritus of the Shrine Hospital program for the State of Texas.
He was active for many years in the Oklahoma University Alumni Association, served as Past President of the OU Club of Dallas, Chairman of the OU/Texas weekend functions for twenty-seven years and was the 1st person to receive the Oklahoma University Board of Regent’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 1988. He served with the 45th Infantry Division in Japan and Korea during 1950 and 1951. He was an avid hunter and a member of the Texas Game Wardens Association, Texas Rifle Association and the NRA. He was a member of First United Methodist Church in Granbury. Upon retiring and moving to Granbury in 1998, he became active in the Granbury Opera Guild and served as President, President of the Granbury Shrine Club, President of the Granbury Shrine Club, President of the Granbury Scottish Rite Club, President of the Hood County AARP, President of the Granbury Brigade, Chairman of the Take Time to Read program for the Granbury School system, President of the Sons of the American Revolution Brazos Valley Chapter while remaining active as a speaker on behalf of the Shrine and Scottish Rite Hospitals.
You can hear Jack talk a little bit about his time in Masonry and with Hillcrest Lodge from his acceptance speech of his 60 year service award, which starts at about 5:26 of this video
Jack was survived by his wife, Barbara Williams of Granbury; daughter, Jill Ward of Austin; and son, Jack E. Williams, Jr. of Austin