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About Bethel No. 37

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Bill Dinkmeyer, PABG, PAGG, PASG

Marlene Frakes, #33

Coming Soon

In 1950, the small village known as Barry, Missouri, was a rural community which consisted of a small general store, a church, a Masonic Lodge, a graveyard and a well that had been used by travelers across the Lewis & Clark Trail for many years.  Rising Sun Lodge is the oldest continually operating Masonic Lodge west of the Mississippi River.  During the Civil War its members continued to attend lodge meetings, leaving their rifles outside since many were Union and many were Confederates.

The Lodge building itself was converted from a girls' school in the 1800's where girls were sent into town to live and attend school.  The building was not modern and was heated with wood or oil stove.  The bottom floor of the Masonic Lodge was still being used as a grade school in 1950.

The Past Matrons and Patrons of Barry Chapter #369 Order of Eastern Star were interested in starting a youth organization.  Since most of them had girls and since one of their members, Ruth Akin, was a Majority Member of Bethel #2 in Kansas City, Kansas, they made contact ith the Missouri Grand Guardian Council.

Bethel U.D. was instituted September 19, 1951, by Grand Guardian Ruth Mary Leavitt and was charted on February 21, 1952.  Twenty-six members were initiated as charter members.  Joan Wilson was installed Honored Queen but resigned prior to ending her term and the Senior Princess, Betty Jean Jensen was installed and is considered the first Honored Queen of Bethel #37.  The Guardian and Associate Guardians were Betty Lee Galloway and James Aikmus.  The Installing OFficer was Doris Veatch, PHQ #24 (also known as Doris Mielke).

Past Guardians who served as Grand Guardian are Ruth Akin 1963-1964, Marie Nadler 1974-1975, Myrt Williams (also a charter member) 1990-1991 and Mary Bunning 2000-2001.  Bill Dinkmeyer served as Associate Grand Guardian from 1985-1986 and Associate Supreme Guardian from 1998-1999.  Jan Morris, Past Honored Queen #37, served as Grand Bethel Honored Queen from 1962-1963.  Another Past Honored Queen, Dorothy Stowell, was Miss Missouri Job's Daughter Congeniality from 1993-1994.

The following girls served as KCJD Line President: Karen Estep, 1967, Nancy Nadler, 1970, Brenda Miller, 1975, Beth Braasch, 1983, Machelle Martin, 1986, Lori Bunning, 1988 and Cabrina Smith in 2000.

In the early 1960's Bethel #37 had grown to about 60 members.  It was the only Bethel north of the river and had always attracted members from the entire area, including Liberty, Parkville and North Kansas City.  At that time, it appeared there were enough members from the Parkville area to support another Bethel and Bethel #52 was formed.

When the Rising Sun Lodge began its building fund to build a new lodge, Bethel #37 was there to contribute money, help with many, many fund-raiser events and when the Grand Lodge of Missouri laid the cornerstone, Bethel #37 became one of the few, if ot the only, Bethels in teh world to have a cornerstone of its own in a Masonic Lodge and to participate in the Grand Lodge dedication.