Oriental Lodge No. 33

The Broken Column: Bro. Mohsen Modaressi

Our brother, R.W. Mohsen Modaressi passed to the Celestial Lodge on Novenmber 6, 2008 after a long courageous battle with cancer. Mohsen lived a fascinating life. He was born in Yazd, Iran probably in 1929 (there are conflicting dates in the various records, something not uncommon in those days.) He served inte he Sha's Army before emigrating to the US. After serving as a Captain in the US 5th Army (discharged in 1947) he continued to work as an advocate for military veterans, volunteering over 28,000 hours of time to helping his fellow vets. Mohsen graduated from Central Missouri State  in 1962. In May 1962 he married Betty Langeneoers, who died only this past July 22. 

Because Mohsen was also a selfless contributor to the Craft and to our lodge, Mohsen was made an honorary member of Oriental Lodge. Honorary membership in our lodge is a rare honor and is awarded only to those who have made a substantial contribution to the advancement of our lodge, and Mohsen did. In the days before were were able to do our own work, Mohsen was constantly helping us with our ritual, and a regular at our installations. I have often said that if Masons had saints, Mohsen would be on my short list. His work as a Grand Lecturer among the Blue Lodges in the area was tireless. In the Scottish Rite his work earned him the Meritorious Service Award and he was coroneted with the 33rd degree in the Scottish Rite Valley of Chicago.

Mohsen would never fail to greet you with a warm handshake and a big smile, and he made you feel like a valuable asset to the Craft no matter who you were. I remember he once gave a presentation to our lodge after 9/11 and while at times it was hard to follow his accent, (it was more pronounced when he was emotional) you could see his passion and anguish for the victims and his country. In my eyes he was a true patriot, a role model and a brother.

Mohsen will be sorely missed. He is survived by his son Josh, and his daughter Susan, and his grandson Jacob.

A Masonic funeral service will be held on Thursday November 13 at 8pm at the Nelson Funeral Home, located at 5149 North Ashland Avenue (Map Here) in Chicago. That’s at Ashland and Foster Ave. We are expecting a large turnout so please bring your own apron and gloves if you have them. Please join us to honor and remember our departed brother. Please feel free to remember him in the comments of this post.

Pay your dues online!

Did you know you can now pay your dues online? Simply click on the button in the left-hand column and you can use Paypal to pay your dues online. Paypal is safe, easy and you can use a credit card if you want.

The Broken Column: R.W. Bro. Nicholas George Smith (1924-2008)

We are greatly saddened to announce that our brother and friend R.W. Bro. Nicholas George Smith passed to the Celelstial Lodge yesterday at the age of 84. Nick was a Grand Lecturer, an affiliated Past Master, our past Secretary and our longtime Officer of Instruction. It was Nick that taught me the secrets of a Master Mason when I was going through my degree. He was a gentle soul who was positive and belived deeply in the principles of the Craft. An ardent ritualist he never shirked his duty to correct ritual when it was still in need of perfection, but he did it in a gentle non-confrontational way. He managed to smooth out ritual rough edges without ever striking the stone, and that my friends, is the mark of a true Master.

We will remember our brother with a Masonic memorial service at 8:00 PM TOMORROW, Sept. 11, 2008 at the Brieske-Hedegen Funeral Home at 1356 W. Wellington Street, Chicago, IL. Their phone number is 773-525-0178. After the service we will adjourn to the The Duke of Perth or someplace more local to the funeral home to gather and remember our friend and Brother. Nick's Masonic record:

Born 5/22/1924
Elected 1/11/1955 North Shore #937
Initiated 1/18/1955 North Shore #937
Passed 2/15/1955 North Shore #937
Raised 3/22/1955 North Shore #937 (merged with North West # 271 Which he later left)
Affiliated with Old Glory Lodge # 141 6/1/1992
Affiliated with Oriental Lodge #33 9/2/1998

Past Master North Shore Lodge # 937 1960
Past Secretary and Treasurer Oriental Lodge
was a life member of Oriental Lodge.
became a 50 year member in 2004
CLI 1995
Gr. Lecturer 1999

Thus ends the record of a just and upright Mason. Nick worked not from a sense of fraternal ambition, but for the love of the Craft and the ritual. He may never have "worn the purple" of the Fraternity. But I am a product of his guidance as are many of us in the Officer's line. Nick worked to make our lodge what it is today and that is a legacy that will live on. His work was straight and true and he crafted it with grace and wisdom. His fraternal conduct was an example to us all. Nick we miss you terribly. Rest well, my brother.