MOGMEDille
EARL K. DILLE 1927-
Picture courtesy of Missouri Lodge of Research Archive
Grand Master, 1982-1983
BIOGRAPHY
Earl K. Dille was born in Chillicothe, Missouri on April 27, 1927. He attended the public schools in the St Louis Area. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in March of 1945 and in 1946, he received and appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland. He graduated in the top 20% of his class in June of 1950. He was assigned to destroyer duty and in February of 1951, began flight training at the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida. Receiving his wings in March of 1952, he was assigned to squadron duty. In 1954 and 1955 Brother Dille served on the flagship of the Sixth Fleet. After attending the U.S. Navy Postgraduate School at Monterey, California, and serving as an instructor at the Naval Air Station, Brunswick, Georgia. He left active duty in 1957 and joined the Union Electric Company in St Louis. He stayed active in the Naval Air Reserve and became the Commanding Officer of his reserve squadron.
In 1961, he received his Master of Science Degree in Engineering from St Louis University. He retired in 1992 as President of Union Electric having served on many Boards of Directors beside the electric company.
Brother Dille was a 4th generation Missouri Freemason. He joined his father's Lodge, Clayton No 601 in 1964 and served as Master in 1971. He was a member of the Grand Lodge Committee on Education. Earl served as President of the Midwest Conference on Masonic Education in 1979. In 1974, Grand Master Orlick appointed him to the advancing line and he was elected Grand Master in 1982. In 1983, while he was Grand Master, Brother Dille was the Keynote Speaker for the Conference of Grand Masters.
He affiliated with the York and Scottish Rite and in 1989 he served as Sovereign Grand Inspector of the Orient of Missouri, a member of the Supreme Council and in 2001 held the office of Grand Prior.
In 1951, he married Martha Virginia Merrill of St Louis and their two sons, Thomas Merrill and James Warren are both graduate engineers.
