Some mystique has always surrounded the masons. For me, it began when my husband Tom talked about his father and grandfather being active members for years. My husband recalls a lot of preparation that went into being a member. What I recall is Pop was very proud of his service and levels of achievement.
He always said, if he needed care when he aged, the Masons had a care facility in Alma, Michigan, that he and his wife could utilize. As a family, we blew that off until years later when the need arose. The Masonic home-care facility offered many options to folks with different levels of need. Pop went into memory care and his wife went into assisted living. As a retired RN, I can say that the facility provided top-notch care, and in the end, it was free.
I have lived in the Stockbridge area for nearly 50 years and never realized we have our own Masonic Lodge #130. No excuse really, just busy working and raising a family like everyone else…