Page 170 - PGM Compendium

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Of
M⸫W⸫ Stewart E. Perry

1947-1948

Most Worshipful Brother Stewart Edwin Perry was born on
March 6, 1890 in Puyallup, the only son of Edwin and Annie
(Stewart) Perry. He received his early education in the public
schools of Puyallup, later graduating from the University of
Washington. At the University he was a charter member of
Delta Upsilon Fraternity, a fraternity brothers that produced for
our jurisdiction a fair number of Grand Masters.

Soon after leaving the University, and for more than 30 years,
he became identified with the Commonwealth Title Insurance
Company of Tacoma; and has been further honored in his
chosen profession by being elected a member of the Executive Committee of the Washington Land
Title Association.

Married on September 6, 1916 to Erma Gale Cole, Brother Perry and his wife enjoyed raising
prize- winning gladiolus. His success in this latter field, with her assistance, twice brought him the
Presidency of the Washington Gladiolus Society, and his services were much in demand as a judge
for shows as far away as San Francisco.

His Masonic experience began on August 17, 1922, when he was made a Master Mason in
Corinthian Lodge No. 38. He was passed through all the appointive and elective offices, to become
Worshipful Master in 1933. Immediately taking an interest in Grand Lodge, he was appointed
Deputy of the Grand Master in District No. 13 in 1937, and again in 1938 and 1939.

He served two years on the important Jurisprudence Committee, where his ability was recognized,
and he was elected to the office of Junior Grand Warden in 1944, and then by successive steps to
the office of Grand Master in 1947, at Tacoma.
During all of these years of activity in Symbolic Masonry, Brother Perry found time to take a part
in the work of various other orders of Masonry. Receiving his Thirty-Second Degree in the Ancient
and Accepted Scottish Rite on May 16, 1924, he then served as Venerable Master of the Lodge of
Perfection, Wise Master of Chapter Rose Croix, Commander of the Council of Kadosh, and Master
of Kadosh of Tacoma Consistory. He was made a Knight Commander of the Court of Honor on
October 19, 1937, and coroneted Thirty-Third Degree Honorary on December 11, 1943.

Brother Perry held a life membership in Afifi Temple, A.A.O. Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of
which he was Illustrious Potentate in 1942. He is a member and Past Patron of Rhododendron
Court No. 8, Order of Amaranth at Puyallup; a member of Tacoma Chapter No. 4, Royal Arch
Masons; an honorary member of Bethel No. 8, Order of Job's Daughters; holds the Grand Cross