SDGMRecklingW
WALTER H. RECKLING 1913-1981
Grand Master of South Dakota, 1963-1964
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BIOGRAPHY
From "The First 100 Years of the Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M. of South Dakota, 1875-1975", Page 200:’'
Walter H. Reckling was born in Fairfax, South Dakota, January 22, 1913, and moved to Winner with his parents in 1924 where he was graduated from high school in 1931.
In 1937 he married Miss Ruby Thomson of Winner, South Dakota. To this union two children were born: a son Brian, who passed away as a child, and a daughter Rita. He is an active member of the Methodist Church.
Since January 1, 1932, he had been empIoyed at the post office in Winner. Along with this he had been connected with a Mutual Insurance Company located in Burke, South Dakota. He is now·retired and living in Winner.
He was made a Mason in Winner Lodge No. 166 on March 7, 1944. He was exalted to the degree of a Royal Arch Mason in Rosebud Chapter No. 42 of Gregory in 1948 and served as Grand High Priest in 1958. Brother Reckling was knighted in Rosebud Commandery No. 24 of Winner. He is a member of Black Hills Consistory 10 Deadwood, El R1ad Shrine in Sioux Falls, and Roseland Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, in Winner. He is a Past Master of the South Dakota Lodge of Masonic Research and an ardent supporter of DeMolay and Job's Daughters. At present he is Grand Recorder for the York Rite Bodies.
1964
Grand Master Reckling presided at the ninetieth Annual Communication at Huron in 1964. He said this about his program: "This year I chose the subject Masonry and the Mason. I felt it was time that all of us recognized the fact that we should take count of ourselves and realize what Masonry means to each one of us and what we mean to Masonry."
During the year Grand Master Reckling had called two occasional Grand Lodge Communications, one at Winner for the purpose of laying the cornerstone for the new Municipal Building and the other for the dedication of a new Masonic Temple at Hecla.
Grand Secretary Emeritus Elvin F. Strain and Past Grand Master Rex A. Terry had been among those brothers called from their labors since the last Annual Communication.
On December 31, 1963, Stratford Lodge No. 204, Stratford, had consolidated with Webb Lodge No. 109 at Warner. This brought the total of chartered lodges to 166.
Brother Conrad Hahn, Executive Secretary of the Masonic Service Assoaaaon, thanked the Grand Lodge for its contribution of $9,000.00 for the year.
Brother Kenneth E. Raschke, Senior Grand Warden announced that he as resigning as he was leaving the Grand Jurisdiction. This resignation made it necessary to elect not only a Junior Grand Warden but also a Senior Grand Warden.
Installation of the incoming Grand Master, Brother Carl Voigt, was unique in that he was a patient in McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls. He was installed via telephone with two brothers as witnesses in his room.
