Page 19 - PGM Compendium

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Of
M⸫W⸫ Donald G. Munks

2015-2016

Most Worshipful Brother Donald G. Munks was elected and
Installed Grand Master on June 13, 2015 in Kennewick. His
motto was " Communicate, Educate, and Participate". In his
th
address to the Craft at the 159 Annual Communication in
Wenatchee he shared these remarks: “We must learn to
communicate effectively while we continue to educate, not only
our own Brethren, but also our families and communities. We
cannot be successful if we do not participate. Those three words;
Communicate, Educate, and Participate are key to our future. “

His Theme for the year was what he believed was needed in
Masonry in Washington to slow down the departure of new and older Masons from their Lodges:
"LEARN and CHANGE ". It was our Most Worshipful Brother’s belief that LEARN starts in the
Lodge and it is about our Brethren, why they wanted to join Masonry, why they enjoy being
a Mason, why they come to Lodge, what they want out of this experience, and how they yearn for
growth within themselves. Once we know their likes and expectations, we can start making
CHANGE within our Lodge to hopefully satisfy their quest. This doesn't mean that we ignore our
established Brothers because we need to also include them in learning about their desires and
wants. We cannot forget about those that no longer come to Lodge. Have we made contact with them
to establish why they no longer attend or are involved in Lodge activities? Is it as simple as they
can't drive at night anymore, but don't want to burden others with their problems or that they
cannot hear what is being said in Lodge? We need to ascertain what our Brethren don't like about
our Lodge, the meetings, family and/or community activities, or just not enough growth within
themselves. Once we know the key elements of likes and dislikes we can, as a Lodge change what
we do in an immediate and long-range plan to accommodate the majority of Brothers.

Most Worshipful Brother Don was born on August 28, 1946 in Longview, Washington, the
middle son of Robert Leonard and Verna Munks. He grew up the first five years on his father's
dairy farm after which they moved to Milwaukee, Oregon and then Portland as his father was one
of 12 that built Multnomah Plywood. Don was very active in grade school sports, Little League
and Babe Ruth baseball. His highlight was playing in two Junior World Series, one with the
Oregon State Little League team and the other with the Lake Oswego Babe Ruth team. His dream
was either to play professional baseball or his second love, to be a rancher and/or farmer. Despite
being selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the amateur draft, it would be the second dream that he
would follow.

In 1961 Don's parents moved back to Anacortes and to the family’s historical roots where his dad
had been born. This was the homestead of Don's great grandfather, William Munks, the first
permanent white settler in what is now Skagit County, Washington. His father bought beef cows