MAGLJWithington

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JOHN W. WITHINGTON 1879-1939

Junior Grand Deacon, 1924
Senior Grand Warden, 1928

MEMORIAL

From Proceedings, Page 1939-375:

Right Worshipful Brother Withington was born in Dedham February 3, 1879 and died by accident in Brookline, November 17, 1939.

Brother Withington spent his active life in the advertising business, his specialty being financial advertising. He took his degrees in Constellation Lodge in 1900 and was its Master in 1916-17. Later he was a Charter member of Fourth Estate Lodge. He served the Grand Lodge as Junior Grand Deacon in 1924 and as District Deputy Grand Master for the Twenty-fifth Masonic District in 1925 and 1926 by appointment by Most Worshipful Dudley H. Ferrell and Most Worshipful Frank L. Simpson. He was Senior Grand Warden in 1928.

His untimely death brings sorrow to a host of friends.

From Proceedings, Page 1940-61:

Right Worshipful John W. Withington was fatally injured when struck by an automobile while crossing Hammond Pond Parkway, Brookline, on the evening of Friday, November 17, 1939. He died in an ambulance in which he was being carried from the scene of the accident to the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital.

Funeral services were held on Monday, November 20, 1939, from the First Church (Unitarian) in Dedham and were conducted by Rev. Lyman V. Rutledge, Chaplain of Constellation Lodge of that Town.

Brother Withington was born at Dedham, Massachusetts, on September 23, 1879, the son of Otis Warren and Annie I. Withington. He came from old New England stock whose ancestors came to this country from England.

Brother Withington was educated in the public schools of Dedham and at Comers Commercial College.

He early became engaged in the business of financial and bank advertising and publicity. For twenty years he was connected with the staff of the Boston News Bureau; later he was associated with the financial editor of the Boston Post for a period of five years. He then became associated with the advertising firm of A. W. Ellis Company, of Boston, and was connected with this firm at the time of his death. He also had, for many years, acted as investment counsel, and in this capacity he had a considerable clientele who sought and relied upon his knowledge and judgment in financial matters. He was Vice-President of the Dedham Co-operative Bank and. was Chairman of its Investment Committee, positions which he had held for many years.

Until about five years before his death, Brother Withington resided in his native Town of Dedham. He was actively interested in the civic affairs of Town, and was chosen by his fellow citizens to important offices. He was a member of the Board of Selectmen for the years 1915 to 1920, inclusive, and served as Chairman of the Board in 1919 and t920. He was for a time Chairman of the Republican Town Committee of Dedham and was a member of the Norfolk County Republican Club. He was also a member of the Republican Club of Massachusetts, the Boston City Club, and the Advertising Club of Boston, of which he formerlv was a director. In 1929, he was a delegate to the Convention of Advertising Clubs of the World, held in Berlin, Germany, in that year.

In 1934, Brother Withington moved from Dedham to 143 Florence Street, Newton, Massachusetts, where he resided at the time of his death. He never married and is survived by one brother, Alonzo O. Withington of Canton Street, Westwood, Massachusetts.

Brother Withington was an active and devoted Mason. He received his Entered Apprentice and Fellow Craft Degrees on October 10 and November 21, 1900, respectively and was raised a Master Mason on December 12, 1900, in Constellation Lodge of Dedham, of which he became Worshipful Master, serving for the years 1916 and 1917. He served as Secretary of his Lodge from June, 1919 to December, 1922.

He received his Royal Arch Degree in Norfolk Royal Arch Chapter; his Super Excellent Degree in Hyde Park Council; and the Order of the Temple in Cyprus Commandery of Hyde Park.

In the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, he received the degrees of Perfection and the other degrees to the 32° in Boston-Lafayette Lodge of Perfection, Giles F. Yates Council, Princes of Jerusalem, Mount Olivet Chapter, Rose Croix, and Massachusetts Consistory.

He was a Charter Member of Fourth Estate Lodge. He was also a member of Aleppo Temple of Boston.

Brother Withington's service in Grand Lodge began in 1924, in which year he served in the office of Junior Grand Deacon. In 1925 and 1926, he was District Deputy Grand Master for the 25th (Hyde Park) District. He was elected Senior Grand Warden, and served in that office in the year 1928. He was appointed a Commissioner of Trials in 1929, and served in that capacity by successive appointment for the years 1929 to 1932 inclusive. He was awarded the Henry Price Medal in 1928.

Brother Withington's character was one of sterling quality although distinguished by unostentatious simplicity. He was unassuming in demeanor but always amiable and friendly. He made friends easily and held to friendship by his very quality of exhibiting friendliness.

His devotion to Masonry was strong and deep, and in rendering service in its ranks, he did so primarily because of a desire to serve others, on occasions only when persuaded by others of his capacity to do so. Though he held no office during the last few years of his life, his interest remained constant, and he was a regular attendant of the Communications of the Grand Lodge.

His sudden and unexpected death was a shock to his host of friends and Brethren, who experienced the feeling of personal loss at his tragic passing from their sight.

Frank L. Simpson
Eliot C. French
Theodore A. Ward
Committee


Distinguished Brothers