Friday, June 22, 2012

R.I.P John Harris (Jack) Watts 11/11/11



Masonry world-wide has lost an icon today.  John Harris Watts, Past General Grand Master of the General Grand Council Cryptic Masons International departed this earth to take up residence in the Celestial Lodge above this afternoon (November 11, 2011).
I have known Jack for most of my Masonic Life and counted his friendship as a jewel of great value to me.  Through him I have met Masons from all over the world.  I have traveled with him, had lunch with him and enjoyed many conversations.  He always had a joke to tell and he loved the double entendre jokes as did I.  He always told at least one joke during our conversations and while he was e-mail challenged he knew how to use the postal authority and most of his letters came with a Masonic article or a few jokes or cartoons enclosed.
On his 80th birthday in 2007 we surprised him (and that was not easy to do) with a party at the Ames Masonic Temple.  I wrote about it here. Jack lived his Masonry.  Besides being the Grand Secretary/Recorder of the Grand Chapter, Royal Arch Masons of Iowa and Grand Council Royal and Select Masters as well as a Past Grand Master of the Grand Council he was active in so very many Masonic Organizations in the nation and the world.

He went through the 9 year line to become and serve as the General Grand Master, Cryptic Masons International.  He was he Great Chief of the Grand Council Knight Masons (1994) and the Senior Grand Master General (1982-83) of the Knights York Cross of Honour. Past Grand Preceptor of the Holy Royal Arch Knights Templar Priests (1994). He was Past Great Prior of CBCS ( Chevalier Bienfaisant de la Cité Sainte. Knight Beneficient of the Holy City).  A Sovereign of St. Ignatius Conclave, Red Cross of Constantine, a Frater of the Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis. He was an Associate Regent (OPC) of the Sovereign York Rite College and was a 32° Knight Commander Court of Honour in the Scottish Rite.  He not only belonged to these organizations he was active in them and also in his local bodies.
Jack was a great friend and he was a wonderful and loving husband to his wife Jacqueline. His mother and brother survive him as well as many members of the Head Family who were researched by and written about as he was the family genealogist.
Jack would have been 84 at his next Birthday. (November 27)  Here he is with Barb who shared his birthday but as Jack said not the year.   Soft and Safe to you my brother,  We leave you with these words:


"Something has spoken to me  in the night,
Burning the tapers of the waning year;
Something has spoken in the night,
And told me I shall die, I know not where.

Saying:
"To lose the earth you know, for greater knowing;
To lose the life you have, for greater life;
To leave the friends you loved, for greater loving;
To find a land more kind than home, more larger than earth-

"Whereon the pillars of this earth are founded,
Toward which the conscience of the world is tending-
A wind is rising, and the rivers flow."

2 comments:

  1. Dear Jay:
    I am almost sorry I had to read my emails today. Jack was a true friend to me for many years. He guided, counseled and befriended me for a long time. I have known him for more than 40 years and still have my hands on and cherish some of the tokens he gave me along the years, specifically the Past MIGM’s jewel he came to South Carolina and presented to me at Myrtle Beach in 1980. I smoked his expensive cigars every year in DC and stayed in his suite at the Washington hotel. I met he and Jackie at the train station…he said travel by train was the only civilized way to travel! Frogs! He loved to tell his frog joke and I was ‘caught’ by it like a lot of others.

    Go on my brother. We will miss you and God bless Jackie.

    Bill Logan
    ReplyDelete
  2. John Harris Watts and I go back to when he started in the line for the General Grand Council. When had many visits together and he encouraged me to run for that Grand Line (it didn't happen). I was looking forward to visiting him next year when I, hopefully, will be elected General Grand Master of Convent General. I will truly miss our yearly Christmas card exchange. Rest well, my friend.
    John Stracener, DGMG, Convent General.


    David Livermore's Tribute to John Harris Watts

    David Livermore made a tribute to John Harris Watts, who was a great friend and Brother and Companion to us both.

    1 comments:

    1. A worthy tribute to a wonderful man. Thanks David and Jay!
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