Page 189 - PGM Compendium

The wonder of Walter Steffey was not alone his almost 60 years of Masonic faith and dedication, but that
he stood ever ready to heed the call of the Craft and to help those who asked for his help. I am one who
was most grateful for his help in all the high positions in Masonry that I have been given the honor of
holding.

Our eternal hope was expressed in the epitaph that Benjamin Franklin wrote for his own tombstone: "The
body of Benjamin Franklin, printer, Uke the cover of an old book, its contents torn and stripped of its
lettering and gilding, lies herein, food for worms; but the work shall not be lost, for it would, as he believed,
appear once more in a more elegant edition, revised and corrected by the Author."

This is how Walter believed and as all of us must believe with our faith in the teachings of Masonry. For
it is written at the end of the chapter, with our eyes full of hope and faith, "To be continued".

It was low twelve for Freemasonry in Washington when, on February 19, 1972, M⸫W⸫ Walter left to
continue his good works in another sphere. His Brethren grieve at their loss and extend sincere fraternal
love to his faithful and loving wife Lillian and W⸫ Hugh Steffey and to the other members of Walter's
family. We pray for them to have faith as we extend our sympathy.
We Masons in this Grand Jurisdiction will greatly miss Brother Walter. Truly, we shall cherish his memory
in our hearts.

The subject of this sketch, M⸫W⸫ Walter Harrison Steffey, was born on a farm near Ozawkie, Jefferson
County, Kansas, October 6. 1888, the son of Silas H. and Carrie A. (Snapp) Steffey. His father was born
in Pennsylvania and his mother in Illinois. His parents settled on a farm in Kansas at the close of the Civil
War. Here Walter, with one sister and his parents, spent his boyhood days. He attended the grade schools
of Ozawkie, and in the fall of 1908, he entered the State College at Manhattan, Kansas, where he attended
for several years. It was here that he met Miss Lillian Clemmons, who was destined to become his wife.

In the spring of 1909, he first came to Seattle and was employed by the Seattle-Tacoma Power Company,
but in the fall, he returned again to his college at Manhattan, Kansas. Having had a taste of the Pacific
Northwest, he again came back to the Puget Sound district in 1911, and re-entered the employ of the
Seattle-Tacoma Power Company, which was afterwards absorbed by the Puget Sound Traction Light &
Power Company, in the employ of which he remained until April, 1919, when he entered upon his own
business as an electrical contractor, in which business he has continued, except for a period of four years,
from 1920 to 1924, when he was in the employ of the Standard Oil Company at Point Wells in King
County, Washington.

After M⸫W⸫ Steffey had come west the second time and secured employment, he sent for his fiancée
and, on July 8, 1911, in Seattle, he inter-married with Miss Clemmons, who is a descendant of the
Benjamin Culver family of New York of Revolutionary fame. Of this marriage three children were born,
Hugh, in 1915, Lawrence, in 1917, and Earl, in 1922. Earl lost his life accidentally by drowning on July
27, 1932.

M⸫W⸫ Steffey has had an exceedingly active fraternal life. He petitioned University Lodge, No. 141, F.
& A. M., on April 1, 1912, was elected May 6, 1912, initiated June 3, 1912, passed July 1, 1912, and
raised August 5, 1912. In 1913, he served on the posting committee. In 1914, he was appointed Junior
Steward, and served the following year as Junior Deacon. In 1916, he was elected Junior Warden, and was

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