Page 164 - PGM Compendium
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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 of Color, Order of Rainbow for Girls,
and Honorary Legion of Honor, Order of DeMolay. His active service will not end with his term as Grand
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