Page 54 - PGM Compendium

When it looked as if their home in Cheney represented their last career move, Brother Van Zee transferred
his Lodge membership by affiliation to Temple Lodge No. 42. He served as its Master in 1990.
Subsequently, he affiliated with Eastern Washington Lodge of Research No. 310, and Walter F. Meier
Lodge of Research, No. 281. Never a passive member, between Temple Lodge and Eastern Washington
Lodge of Research, Brother Van Zee served in every office except that of Treasurer and Secretary.

Outside of the Blue Lodge, his Masonic affiliations included Past President, Inland Empire Past Masters
Association; Past President, Inland Empire Masters, Wardens, and Secretaries Association; Wise Master,
rd
Knights Rose Croix, Spokane Valley; 33 Degree Scottish Rite Mason. He was a member of Martha
Chapter No.50, Order of Eastern Star; Royal Order of Scotland, Thistle Clan; National Sojourners, Heroes
of “76”; Sadir Khan Grotto, and El Katif Temple, AANOMS. He was also the recipient of the DeMolay
Legion of Honor, and served on the Board of Directors for the Spokane Valley Scottish Rite Childhood
Language Center.

Brother Van Zee served our Grand Lodge in a variety of positions. He was a member of the Masonic
Research and Education Committee, the Public Schools Committee, Deputy of the Grand Master in
District No. 27, Grand Orator, and Grand Lecturer. As Grand Lecturer, he chaired the ad hoc committee
that developed the one-day degree program and served as the Grand Masters oversight person for the
execution of that program.

The story goes that Most Worshipful Tom Ehlers, who appointed Brother Van Zee as Grand Lecturer, did
not really like the idea of One Day Conferrals and was pretty confident that Brother Van Zee would not
be able to put such a program in place in one year. Brother Van Zee looked around to see what other
jurisdictions were doing, and then essentially “stole” the best practices. More importantly, the Craft saw
firsthand that once Robert Lester Van Zee got the vision, he was absolutely unstoppable.

He would place his name in consideration for the office of Junior Grand Warden at the 1998 Annual
Communication, and he was elected with ease.
Upon taking office, he noticed that every Grand Master up to that point would come up with some program
or project that would leave its mark on the jurisdiction. He then would spend the rest of his term selling
that idea for adoption at Grand Lodge. That could get very tough. Sometimes it worked and we got some
good programming. Sometimes it didn’t, and some really good ideas never really made it.

Our Past Grand Master took the innovative approach that it would be smart to ask the Brethren in advance
what they wanted to accomplish, then our programs would be “pre-sold.” Fortunately, this attitude was
happening at a time in our Grand Lodge when other leaders and leaders-to-be were coming very quickly
to the same conclusion. Since this time, strategic planning has been for the most part the order of the day
in the Jurisdiction of Washington.

Pancreatic cancer would claim the life of Most Worshipful Brother Robert Lester Van Zee on July 20,
2011.In his time with us, he would remind us that we needed to focus to clearly understand our hopes and
our destiny. We needed to find comfort in the uncomfortable (some of us remember the “Van Zee Stomp”),
to live in triumph with affliction, and to come to our destination, as he did, with resolve and faith. That
was his gift to the Craft. This Grand Lodge and its members are much the better for Robert Lester Van
Zee having passed our way. He was a great, great Mason who gave us courage when we needed it most.

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