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Grand Master
The Grand Master, R W Bro Julius Kearon, aged 62, is a former teacher and
high school principal who has been a freemason since 1972, when he was initiated
in Lake Lodge.
His teaching appointments took him to many parts of the State, and he was both State and National President of the High School Principals Association.
He retired in 1997 after thirty-three years in the profession, the last fourteen of which were at Deloraine, where he became the high school principal.
While moving around Tasmania in other teaching roles, he became a member of the Glenora Lodge at Bushy Park.
R W Bro Kearon has been Deputy Grand Master since 2001. Before then, he was Grand Chaplain, having risen through several Grand Lodge offices.
Apart from his activities in Craft Freemasonry, he has also held many senior positions in other Orders around Tasmania.
R W Bro Kearon is active in community activities. He is treasurer of the Deloraine Anglican parish, and his wife Anne is the parish organist.
The Kearon' s are well known in amateur dramatics and arts circles in Deloraine and surrounding areas.
They have five children, Patrick, Sarah, Ruth, Richard and Adam.
In an interview with The Mercury newspaper after the August Communication, R W Kearon said Freemasonry was a way of life.
"I personally like it because of the people I mix with in it, the people attracted to it who are like-minded," he said.
"I like ritual and get a great deal of enjoyment from the ceremonial work, which teaches valuable moral lessons".
Story made available from Media Office. Pictures not available.
Our Deputy Grand Master V W Bro Norman Cooper of Howrah, has an extensive Tasmanian Masonic background, having been in the Craft for forty-one years, as well as being involved in many other Orders.
V W Bro Cooper is Southern Grand Director of Ceremonies. His mother lodge is Clarence, in which he has held most offices since being initiated in 1963. He was Master of the Lodge in 1983-84.
His interest in freemasonry was sparked by the friendship and fraternity displayed by brethren when he was invited to attend social functions organised by the Lodge.
On becoming a freemason, V W Bro Cooper followed in the footsteps of his late father, Roy, who was a member of the Tasmanian Operative Lodge.
His brother Jack is a member and Past Master of Lodge Clarence, and his son Allan was also a member of Lodge Clarence, although he took a clearance when his young family came along.
"I hope that in becoming Deputy Grand Master I can return some of the joy and satisfaction freemasonry has given me over the years," V W Bro Cooper said. "Accepting the honour is a big commitment for both myself and my family but, with the support of the brethren I feel sure that we can move the Craft forward over time."
V W Bro Cooper and his wife Cyrene were married forty-six years ago. They have three adult children, two girls - Carol and Erin - son Allan and eight grandsons, the eldest of whom is eighteen.
V W Bro Cooper is a Director of the Freemasons Homes of Southern Tasmania and a member of the building committee which is heavily involved in the current nine-million-dollar redevelopment of the facility.
He is also a director of two property trusts and trustee of a superannuation trust fund.
The Deputy Grandmaster-designates other interests include a the Rotary Club of Howrah, of which he is a Past President and remains an active member. He has been awarded Rotary's highest award, being made a Paul Harris Fellow.
Fishing, boating, gardening and the enjoyment of his extensive family are among his other interests.
V W Bro Cooper was educated at Hobart High School during the time of M W Bro H. V. Biggins, who was Headmaster of the school and also Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Tasmania.
V W Bro Cooper started his working life as an electrical apprentice with Medhurst and Sons, where he gained an A-grade wireman's licence and then became a refrigeration mechanic - following in his father's footsteps in work as well as in freemasonry.
He spent fifteen years with Ray Taylor Pty Ltd before starting his own industrial and commercial refrigeration business - Norm Cooper Pty Ltd - in association with brother Jack and their wives.
His son Allan served his apprenticeship in that company, and now Allan runs his own refrigeration business.
The fourth generation of the family in this line of work is V W Bro Cooper's eldest grandson, Jesse, who is serving his refrigeration apprenticeship in Allan's firm.
After Norm Cooper Pty Ltd was wound up by mutual agreement, V W Bro Cooper became a commercial fisherman on a trawler for fifteen months, then returned to shore as General Manager of J. and A. Parr Air Conditioning for ten years.
He retired eight years ago, but retains his interest in refrigeration mechanics through a directorship in the Glenorchy-based Southern Air (Tasmania) Pty Ltd .
He is a life member of the Australian Institute of Air Conditioning, Refrigeration and Heating Engineers.
Story made available from Media Office. Pictures not available.
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