Distinguished Community Service Award Honorees
Awards began in 1947, but were limited to members of the Masonic Craft with no record available. In 1960 the Board of Directors voted to eliminate the restriction. [The asterisk before the name indicates deceased]
1960 |
*Bernard E. Finucane |
1961 |
*David Harvard |
1962 |
*Henri J. Projanski, clothing manufacturer |
1963 |
*Gilbert J. C. McCurdy, department store owner, merchant |
1964 |
*Dr. Samuel J. Stabins, vaccine creator |
1965 |
*Albert W. Skinner, Monroe County Sheriff |
1966 |
*Lennarth C. Anderson |
1967 |
*Morrie E. Silver, sports promoter |
1968 |
*Caroline W. Gannett, charities volunteer, spouse of Gannett News founder *Mrs. F. Hawley Ward, charities volunteer |
1969 |
Major Ralph R. Leidy, head of Salvation Army Rochester |
1970 |
*Rev. Thomas B. Richards |
1971 |
*Odell B. Kelly, Service Bureau Executive Director |
1972 |
*Thomas H. Hawks |
1973 |
*Anthony J. Schatzlein, originator of Service Bureau Interfaith Service/Breakfast |
1974 |
*F. Ritter Shumway, Rochester industrialist |
1975 |
*Carl L. Stevenson |
1976 |
*Dr. Wilbur Eddy Saunders |
1977 |
*Dr. Charles Robb |
1978 |
*Frank W. Allen |
1979 |
*Eddie Meath, media personality, creator of “toys for tots” XMAS delivery to hospitals |
1980 |
*Rev. Charles J. Lavery |
1981 |
*Hon. Frank J. Horton, Congressman |
1982 |
*Hon. Norman J. Selke, Judge in Monroe County |
1983 |
Killiam J. Schmitt |
1984 |
*Honorable Barber B. Conable, Jr., Congressman |
1985 |
*Mrs. Coris H. Carlson, charities, spouse of Xerox founder |
1986 |
*R. Kenneth Crawford, funeral director and past Sr. Grand Warden |
1987 |
*Gabe Dalmath, NBC TV News Anchor and Producer |
1988 |
Dr. Wende W. Logan, medical researcher specializing in women’s cancers *Jerry Flynn, public relations celebrity, emcee of many charity events |
1989 |
Willis Sprattling, Xerox public relations director |
1990 |
Gary Mervis, founder of Camp Good Days and Special Times for young cancer victims |
1991 |
Martha A. Tack, charities volunteer |
1992 |
Rosa Wims, provider of soup kitchen, clothing, job search, lodging for poor/displaced Rev. Paul R. Gleason, Jr., community charities volunteer, Grand Chaplain of NY Masons |
1993 |
Mrs. Dorothy Steele, community charities volunteer |
1994 |
Dr. Walter Cooper, promoter of educational programs for minorities, member NY Board of Regents, promoter of 3 rd World sister cities programs, anti-poverty program volunteer, retired Kodak Research executive. |
1998 |
Dr. C. Padmanabh Kamath, volunteer at Faith Community Health Awareness Center. Volunteer recruiter, clinical lab director at Highland Hospital |
1999 |
Donald W. Alhart, ABC TV News Anchor, Rochester Rotary Past President, volunteer |
2000 |
David P. Crawford, funeral director, pastoral counseling center, fundraiser for WWII Washington Memorial, founder of grief education forum, member Rochester Chamber. Jaycees and Rotary, Better Business Bureau award for outstanding record of community service. |
2001 |
Daniel M. Meyers, President, Al Sigl Center, member Rochester Rotary, Association for the Blind, Lifespan, Eastman House and Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra |
2002 |
Bonnie Vahey, Public Relations and Executive Director, Ronald McDonald House |
2003 |
Tom Ferraro, Food Link |
2004 |
Theresa Capozzi, volunteer service to numerous agencies, caregiver, fundraiser and promoter of volunteerism. |
2005 |
M. Donald Darrohn - strong volunteer in church and community activities; supporter of Masonic charitable projects. |
2006 |
2006 - Rich Funke - Outstanding supporter and activist in charitable activities; serves on Boards and MCs many functions for organizations like Camp Good Days, Daystar and cancer research programs. |
Principal Leaders of the Bureau
1810-1814 |
John Ray |
Master, Morning Star Lodge No. 223, Pittsford, NY |
1815 |
Azel Ensworth |
Master, Meridian Lodge |
1817 |
A. Hamlin |
Master, Wells Lodge No. 282 |
1818-1827 1828 |
Jonathan Child |
Commander, Monroe Encampment, Knights Templar. First Mayor of Rochester 1834 |
1835-1836 |
Jacob Gould |
Mayor of Rochester |
1837 |
Thomas Kempshall |
Mayor of Rochester |
1838-1847 1848 1849-1865 1866-1871 |
William E. Lathrop |
High Priest, Hamilton Chapter RAM Commander in Chief, Rochester Consistory |
1872-1877 |
Otis Cole |
Civil War Vet, Commander in Chief Rochester Consistory, Masonic Benevolence Committee |
1878 1879-1888 |
William Lincoln Sage |
President, Western NY Masonic Relief Assn Commander in Chief, Rochester Consistory |
1889 1890-1892 |
William A. Sutherland |
Master, Frank R. Lawrence No. 797, Grand Master Commander in Chief, Rochester Consistory |
1893-1895 |
Warren E. Hubbard |
Master, Frank R. Lawrence No. 797, Minster Financier of benevolences Commander in Chief, Rochester Consistory |
1896-1901 |
George H. Clarke |
77 Main St lodge rooms destroyed in fire during his term Commander in Chief, Rochester Consistory |
1902-1904 |
Thomas Brooks |
Masonic Fair and Building Project coordinator Commander in Chief, Rochester Consistory |
1905-1907 |
J. Hungerford Smith |
Community business owner Commander in Chief, Rochester Consistory |
1908-1910 |
Herbert Leary |
Commander in Chief, Rochester Consistory |
1911-1913 |
Frederick Smith |
Doctor of Medicine Commander in Chief, Rochester Consistory |
1914-1919 |
Esten P. Fletcher |
Masonic Employment Bureau organizer 1916 |
1916-1917 |
Frederick R. Boyce |
President, Masonic Employment Bureau |
1918-1919 |
Herman Dussenbach |
President, Masonic Employment Bureau |
1920-1922 |
Edwin G. Foster |
|
1923 |
John W. Baker |
|
1924 |
George J. Vetter |
|
1925 |
Charles M. Buck |
|
1926 |
James H. Thompson |
|
1927-1928 |
Garson Meyer |
|
1929-1930 |
F. Alton Collins |
|
1931 |
G. Carson Baker |
|
1932-1933 |
Walter L. Pierce |
|
1934 |
Elmer G. Seel |
Doctor of Medicine Promoter of “Year of Rochester” Centennial |
1935 |
Theodore T. Benz |
Co-creator of Interfaith Service and Breakfasts |
1936-1937 |
William C. Miller |
Funeral Director |
1938-1940 |
Richard Y. Holden |
|
1941-1942 |
James E. Laird |
Rochester War Week observed 1942. Masons prominent in sale of War Bonds |
1943 |
Amos S. Parent |
|
1944-1947 |
Henri P. Projansky |
Clothier. Provider of mimeograph work for lodges totaling over 48,000 letters/cards each year |
1948-1951 |
John M. Biggs |
|
1952-1953 |
C. Herbert Holt |
|
1954-1955 |
Barton Baker |
Doctor of Medicine Wrote Bureau history to 1950 |
1956-1957 |
Frank J. Horton |
Bureau VP in 1955, Rochester City Councilman Masonic Grand Rep from Ohio Congressman until 1990’s Member Grand Lodge Committees |
1958 |
Leonard Parker |
|
1958 |
Charles H. McCracken |
Superintendent of Transportation, Kodak |
1960-1962 |
Herman A. Sarachan |
Renowned Masonic Ritualist. Author of Masonic Books. Library named in his honor |
1963-1964 |
George L. Wetzel |
Founder of local Masonic newspapers |
1965 |
James Gisleson |
Diligent community service volunteer Masonic Grand Rep from Turkey |
1966-1967 |
R. Kenneth Crawford |
Funeral Director Sr. Grand Warden |
1968 |
Sidney H. O’Dell |
[bio in Appendix III] |
1969-1970 |
Harry H. Kennedy |
Grand Lodge staff officer |
1971-1972 |
John D. Braund |
|
1973 |
Robert P. Zabel |
Kodak Film Division Personnel Director DDGM, Commander in Chief Rochester Consistory Multi-term secretary, Rochester Consistory Elected 33 rd Degree |
1974-1975 |
Stanley C. Allen |
|
1976-1977 |
Rodney R. Rittenhouse |
Commander in Chief, Rochester Consistory Board Chairman, Masonic Learning Center Scottish Rite Deputy Rep for NY Grand Lodge staff officer Elected 33 rd Degree |
1978-1979 |
Ralph A. Kellogg |
Grand Lodge staff officer Retired to Florida in 1990’s |
1980 |
Roger Lowry |
Grand Lodge Endowments Committee [deceased 2001] |
1981-1982 |
Harold E. Weiser |
Ronald D. Mertens Grand Lodge staff officer, Jr. Grand Warden 1989 Expelled from Craft 2001 |
1983 |
|
|
1984-1985 |
Maurice Solomon |
Chairman, Custodian of the Works 1990’s Manager of County Masonic Directory Perennial Chairman, Editorial Board of Bureau |
1986 |
Frederick A. Stahl |
Grand Lodge staff officer Community business leader and Bureau Advisor |
1987 |
Gerald J. Glaser |
Master, Flower City Lodge, DDGM Mechanical engineer, owner/operator of stock brokerage [deceased 9-26-2003] |
1988-1989 |
Robert E. Rudman |
Grand Lodge staff officer Master, Monroe Lodge No. 173, Brockport Superintendent Gas, RG&E |
1990-1991 |
Paul R. Gleason, Jr. |
Minister, Grand Chaplain, Grand Lodge of NY Service Bureau Motto “Caring is Everything” |
1992-1993 |
David C. Clarke |
DDGM 1988-1989 Master, Valley-Simes Lodge Administrator, Rochester City Schools |
1994-1995 |
William A. Baldwin |
Grand Lodge staff officer Division Director of Training, Kodak [deceased unexpectedly 1999] |
1996-1997 |
Gary L. Burke |
Lodge Master Owner/operator craft retail outlets DeMolay activist and State Executive 2001 State DeMolay Dad 2002 |
1998-1999 |
Lawrence K. Canfield |
Grand Lodge staff officer Owner/operator/restorer antique store |
2000-2001 |
F. “Jay” McCullough |
DDGM 1989-1990 US Marine Corps Korea combat vet Security Director, Kodak retiring in 1986 after 30 years Master, Monroe Lodge No. 173, Brockport Grand Veil, Royal Arch Masons NY Member, several Grand Lodge committees Member American Legion Posts and Masonic War Vets Civil aviation pilot and aircraft owner |
2002-2003 |
Angelo DiCataldo |
Master, Wakan-Hubbard Lodge No. 154 Member and leader of several Masonic bodies Owner/operator several businesses in Rochester area |
2004-2005 |
Linda Zahn |
First woman to hold the lead position in the Bureau Head of several Bureau committees over several years Staunch Eastern Star member Strongly involved in her Church activities |
| 2006 - 2007 | James A. Ghent, Jr. | . |
