Gulf Beach Masonic Lodge, located at 14020 Marguerite Dr. in Madeira Beach held its annual Lodge of Sorrow on Thursday January 31st to honor and remember those members of the Lodge who passed away during 2018. Prior to the ceremony the brothers and guests enjoyed a wonderful meal prepared by the Junior Warden, Mark Sawa-Szostak, after which they retired to the Lodge room for this special ceremony of remembrance. This ceremony, over 150 years old, was open to the public and attended by Masons and non-Masons alike. Unlike the solemn funeral services rendered by a Masonic Lodge at the death of a brother, this ceremony is designed to honor their memory and to pay respect to the many things they accomplished during their lives. The Worshipful Master and officers of the Lodge are dressed in black with white gloves and Masonic aprons. After introductory remarks by the principal officers a procession is formed and symbolic emblems are placed on the altar in remembrance of our departed brothers. Gulf Beach Lodge remembered five departed brothers from 2018, Steven Fetherman (Past Master), John Denehan (Past Master), Craig Cramer (Past Master), Ed Villiaume III (Past Master/Past District Instructor) and Steven Goodman (Master Mason).
(Photo: L-R Howard Knapp, Buck Owens, Steve Johnson,Patrick Lynch, David Neville, Mark Sawa-Szostak, Joe Sosa, Craig Hunter, Don Harriott, Howard Feldman)