MAGLWLombard

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WILLARD P. LOMBARD 1889-1975

WillardLombard1954.jpg

Deputy Grand Master, 1954

MEMORIAL

PROCEEDINGS, 1975

From Proceedings, Page 1975-156:

"Right Worshipful Willard price Lombard was born in Drayton Island, Florida, July 30, 1889, the son of Fred Ernest Lombard and Elizabeth G. Price Lombard. At the age of seven he moved to Everett, where he received his early education in the Everett public Schools, after which he entered Harvard, and graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Laws cum laude at Boston University School oI Law in 1911. He was admitted to the practice of law in 1911 and in a short time became a partner in the law firm of Stover, Sweetser and Lombard, of which he was the Senior partner for many years prior to his death.

"Five months after his graduation from law school, he was elected to the City Council of Everett and six years later served as City Solicitor. The following year he was elected a member of the State Legislature. Before the age of thirty, he became Director of the Everett National Bank, a Trustee o{ the Everett Savings Bank and a Corporator of the Chelsea Savings Bank. For a number of years he held a professorship in Law at Suffolk University and for many years was Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Curry College, which honored him with an Honorary Doctors Degree.

"Although fully engaged in professional and civic activities, he found time for a glorious performance in Masonry.

  • Raised in Palestine Lodge, Everett January 11, 1912
  • Charter Member Galilean Lodge 1922
  • Worshipful Master, Palestine Lodge 1923
  • Senior Grand Deacon 1926
  • District Deputy Grand Master, Malden 7th District 1927 - 1928
  • Exalted, Bethesda Royal Arch Chapter May 25, 1920
  • Knighted, Beauseant Commandery June 29, 1920
  • Greeted, Naphtali Council Royal and Select Masters May 26, 1922
  • Scottish Rite Bodies, Valley of Boston April, 1945
  • Illustrious Potentate, Aleppo Temple 1944
  • Royal Director, National Court, Royal Order of Jesters 1946
  • Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge of Rhode Island, 1953
  • Deputy Grand Master, 1954
  • Henry Price Medal, 1954
  • Veteran's 50-year Medal, 1961
  • 50-year Past Master's Certificate, 1974

"He was an Honorary Member of Palestine Lodge. In addition to his Masonic activities, he became interested in the Order of DeMolay and on the recommendation of M.W. Melvin Maynard Johnson, in 1951, he was appointed Executive Officer for DeMolay in Massachusetts and an Active Member and Officer of the International Supreme Council of which he became its International Grand Master in 1961.

"Our Right Worshipful Brother was united in marriage with Maude L. Freeman on February 8, 1917 and subsequently in 1940, he married Edith M. Colgate, who preceded him in death. He is survived by a son, Willard C. Lombard of Arlington, Massachusetts and a daughter, Mrs. Noel Lombard Grossman of Concord, New Hampshire.

"Right Worshipful Brother Lombard entered the Lodge Eternal on June 29, 1975 from his home in Wakefield after a prolonged period of failing health. Those of us who were privileged to sit with him at the June Communication of Grand Lodge marvelled at his courage and fortitude in subjecting himself to the physical strain necessary to sit once more in the Grand Lodge which had honored him and which he had so faithfully and devotedly served. A vast outpouring of his admiring friends and associates paid him their last tribute of affection and devotion at the {uneral services which were held at the First Parish Congregational Church in Wakefield on July 3, 1975. Thus once more did a faithful and dedicated servant of Freemasonry embark on the glorious journey of Immortality to that bourne from which no traveler returns where his reward of eternal rest arvaited his coming.

Respectfully submitted,
Robert A. Barker
William J. Strong
Whitfield W. Johnson
Committee

COUNCIL OF DELIBERATION, 1976

From Proceedings of the Massachusetts Council of Deliberation AASR NMJ 1976, Page 32:

Illustrious Brother Willard Price Lombard, 33rd Degree Honorary 1889-1975

The Brethren of the Scottish Rite Bodies in the Valley of Boston, Massachusetts, express their deep sorrow and sincere regrets at the loss of their venerable member, Illustrious Willard Price Lombard, a sincere and dedicated member of the Masonic Fraternity.

Illustrious Brother Lombard served the Fraternity well from the time he was raised a Master Mason in Palestine Lodge, A.F. & A.M., in Everett, Massachusetts, January 11, 1912, until his death, June 29, 19 75. His life was dedicated to Masonry and his fellowmen who recognized his integrity, sincerity and honesty which gained him the respect of all with whom he came in contact.

He served as Worshipful Master of his Lodge in 1923 and assisted in Chartering Galilean Lodge of Everett in 1922. He served as Senior Grand Deacon of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts in 1927 and District Deputy Grand Master of the Malden 7th Masonic District, 1927-28. In 1954 he was appointed Deputy Grand Master by Most Worshipful Whitfield W. Johnson.

In 1961 he received a SO-year Veteran's Medal from the Grand Lodge and was presented a 5O-year Past Master's Certificate by his Lodge in 19 74. In 1954 Grand Master Whitfield W. Johnson pinned a Henry Price Medal on him in Grand Lodge.

His many Masonic memberships in which he took an active part, in addition to the Scottish Rite Bodies, include Bethsaida Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, of Everett, Naphtali Council, Royal and Select Masters, of Chelsea, and Beauseant Commandery #41, Knights Templar, of Malden. He was also an active member of Boston Commandery #2, Knights Templar.

He was created a Sovereign Grand Inspector General, 33° Honorary of the Supreme Council in 1956.

His service to the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine of North America included the office of Illustrious Potentate of Aleppo Temple of Boston in 1944 and was Senior Past Potentate at the time of his passing. He served as an Emeritus Life Representative of Aleppo Temple to the Imperial Council of the Shrine and was for many years a member and Chairman of the important standing Committee of Jurisprudence and Laws.

Illustrious Brother Lombard was a Past Director of Boston Court No. l03, Royal Order of Jesters, and served as the Royal Director of the Jesters of North America, Jesters 1946-47.

He was graduated Cum Laude from Boston University Law School and was a member of the Executive Committee of the School Alumni Association, and also served as its President.

Illustrious Brother Lombard was admitted to the practice of Law in 1911 and at the time of his death, was the Senior Partner in the law firm of Sweetser & Lombard. He served as a member of the Everett City Council and later was City Solicitor. In 1920 he was elected a member of the State Legis­lature from Everett.

He was a Director of the Everett National Bank and served as a Vice President and Trust Officer.

He held a Professorship in Law at Suffolk University where he taught Corporate Law, City and Town and Divorce Law, and served for twenty-five years as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Curry College.

Brother Lombard was Executive Officer in charge of DeMolay Chapters in Massachusetts and in 1961 was elected the 28th Grand Master of the International Order of DeMolay. As a member of the International Supreme Council, his services included membership on the Laws and Legislative Committee, Director of the Inter­national DeMolay Holding Company and Board of Trustees of the Massachusetts DeMolay Foundation.

Illustrious Brother Lombard leaves a daughter, Mrs. Noel Gross­man, a son, Willard C. Lombard, and five grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Thursday, July 3, 1975, in the First Parish Congregational Church, Wakefield, Massachusetts. Interment was at Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett, Massachusetts.

SPEECHES

FEAST OF ST. JOHN, DECEMBER 1953

From Proceedings, Page 1953-392:

Remarks by Grand Master Johnson:

At this time I want to present to you one who has honored me by accepting appointment as Deputy Grand Master. As I said upstairs, the Deputy Grand Master being appointed here in Massachusetts doesn’t seem strange to us. To our visitors it does seem strange that the Deputy Grand Master should be appointed by the Grand Master. That has been traditional since the time of Henry Price in 1733. I have appointed one who, I am sure, is going to bring great distinction to this office. I am going to let you know very briefly who he is. He was born south of the Mason-Dixon Line in Florida, but he somehow saw the light and came up here and became a Yankee. Where are my southern Friends? (Laughter) He eventually became a member of Palestine Lodge in Everett, where he served as Master. He became a charter member of Galilean Lodge. In 1926 he became Senior Grand Deacon. In 1927, whoever saw him as Senior Grand Deacon, thought he was a credit and appointed him District Deputy Grand Master of his district. He is the Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge of Rhode Island and is the active member for Massachusetts of the National Council of DeMolay, a job which he is doing in superb fashion. I think I am correct that our Senior Past Grand Master was the first of our Massachusetts Brethren to become active in DeMolay work here, and for many years Melvin Johnson was the active member from Massachusetts. I want to tell you that he has practiced what I told you this morning was essential in Masonry, the necessity of becoming actively interested. Pie graduated from Harvard Law School cum laude. Although I didn’t go there, I think it is a good law school because Judge Holland is a graduate of that school. He became a Professor of Law at Suffolk University and then took on a job which, to me, is a very fine contribution to Boston culture. He became President of the Board of Trustees of a little college known as Curry College. It is a little school of expression started by Dr. Curry which my sister attended and graduated from in 1916. When Dr. Curry died, it became necessary for some of the alumni to take up the burden of carrying on that very fine institution, and our newly appointed Deputy took on that burden and has served for many years.

He has been active in Shrine activities. He is a Past Potentate of Aleppo Temple. He became the national head of an organization which I believe doesn’t have too much serious purpose but does have a fine fellowship, the Royal Order of Jesters.

I now give to you for your hearty approval, I am sure, my new appointment as Deputy Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts, R.W. Willard Price Lombard. (Applause)

Most Worshipful Grand Master, Honored Guests and Brethren:

Beginnings are important. All our great national holidays are to observe beginnings. Three evenings hence the entire nation will be preparing to celebrate the beginning of the birth of a New Year. In the following month of February we shall observe and celebrate beginnings in the birth of two great Americans, Abraham Lincoln and George Washington. On the 19th of April we shall observe and celebrate the beginning of the war of the American Revolution in which our Past Grand Master, Paul Revere, played such an important part, arousing those farmers up there in Lexington and Concord, two little towns you never would have heard of in this country — with apologies to those from those two towns (Laughter) — were it not for this important beginning. On the fourth of July we celebrate the beginning of our independence. Then, on Columbus Day we celebrate the beginning of a new hemisphere, a new world of North and South America. And resting three days behind us is the greatest of all observances of the greatest of all beginnings. We celebrate Krismas — Christmas today we call it, because it marks the beginning of Christianity, the birth of Christ.

So tonight, again, we are celebrating on the threshold of a new year the beginning of a new Masonic year, in a sense, and the beginning of new men in Masonic offices.

Now beginnings alone are not important. They become important and worthwhile only because of what happens and what is done after that beginning. So this is a most appropriate point, Most Worshipful Sir, for me to say in behalf of myself and those other officers who are making the beginning of Masonic office tonight that we lay on the altar of Masonic service whatever talents we may possess and we pledge to you our full and hearty support and cooperation. Personally, I feel the deep sense of personal responsibility that you have placed upon my shoulders by appointing me to this high and exalting office. And I pledge to you my every effort to justify that confidence which you have placed in me, and I know that I speak not only for myself, but also for the other newly appointed officers.

I wish, as do your newly appointed officers, that we could carry throughout the year the spirit of brotherhood, the spirit of good will that prevails everywhere at this particular season, the most beautiful holiday season that we have at any time. Christmas with its music, its lessons of tolerance, kindly feelings, charity to all mankind, is three days behind us; and three days ahead of us is the beginning of a new year. High resolutions are made and I just think what a wonderful world it would be if we could just have Christmas Day and New Year’s Day and Mother’s Day not only for twenty-four hours, but for the twelve months that lie ahead of us.

I also have in mind, Most Worshipful Sir, that Freemasonry is not founded on things which are changing, bur is founded on the rock of eternal truth, high principles and fundamentals. But time passes and changes things, and with the passing of time and the changing of things, there is a change in our conception and in our values of those principles. We expand and enlarge our activities accordingly, and we throw the beam of the old light into new places.

I am just saying words, as you warned the Brethren you were going to do when you started to speak, and I am talking more or less at random and feeling not too comfortable when I am going to be followed by one of the greatest speakers and one of the greatest orators in the country, the president of a great university. I would not want to make a choice between him and the retiring Grand Master. I would rather toss a coin. After all, I am a graduate of Boston University Law School and at the same time a great admirer of our Past Grand Master, Thomas S. Roy, who likewise has appreciated the importance of beginnings and for that reason has given considerable time and effort and encouragement to that most important of all beginnings, the beginning of a young man’s manhood when he stands at the threshold of manhood. He has supported in more ways than I could possibly tell you the youth movement known as DeMolay, which the Most Worshipful Grand Master told you I have the privilege of heading in Massachusetts. So, Most Worshipful Sir, I want to thank you again for all you have done in helping us and taking those good boys between the age of fourteen and twenty-one and building them into better men with the result that today we have many of them in our public life throughout the nation. This afternoon you gazed upon your Lieutenant-Governor, Sumner Whittier; he really got his start as an orator in Everett Chapter DeMolay.

Since we are only three evenings from the beginning of the new year and the making of resolutions, may I, for myself, and in behalf of your newly appointed officers, Most Worshipful Sir, make this resolution in advance?

It shall not be the one alone in command;
It shall not be the work of a single hand;
It shall be your officers and your organization as a whole;
It shall be the loyal, ever devoted support of every single soul.

(Applause)


Distinguished Brothers