Masonic Memorial

Bro. William A. Vollrath, 74, of Harveys Lake, passed away Friday, October 12, at his home. Brother Vollrath became a Master Mason at Lodge 531 in 1971, and was a member of Caldwell Consistory, Bloomsburg. He was a Shriner and was active in Irem Temple’s transportation unit for many years.

Interment was held in Bloomindale Cemetery, Ross Township.

Please join us in prayer and remembrance of Brother Vollrath.

Bro. Richard (Dick) Evans Jr., 73, of Dallas, passed away Friday, October 5, at his home. Brother Evans served his country in the U.S. Air Force. He and his wife Mary Lou were the founding partners of Sew Fine Draperies and Interiors. He was made a Master Mason in 2005 and was a member of the Irem Temple Shrine; Dallas Lions Club; a board member of the Back Mountain Library and Auction; a board member of the Luzerne Merchants Association; and a member of the Newberry Home Owners Association.

Please join us in prayer and remembrance of Brother Evans.

Brother Walter G. Gosart, 92, of Shavertown, passed away Tuesday, September 4, at his residence. Gosart was a grocer, owning Gosart’s Grocery in Shavertown, and a US Army veteran of WW II. He was initiated into Freemasony in December 1946 at Dallas Lodge 531. He was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and devoted much of his energy to the church, as well as the local Food Bank of the Back Mountain.

Masonic Funeral Services were conducted by George M. Dallas Lodge No. 531 and interment was held in Fern Knoll Burial Park, Dallas.

Please join us in prayer and remembrance of Brother Gosart.

Bro. William Sorokin, 67, of Plains Township, died Thursday, August 16, 2012, in a weather-related boating accident while fishing on Lake Michigan. Brother Sorokin was a US Navy veteran of the Vietnam War. He became a Master Mason in October 2004 and was a member of George M. Dallas Lodge 531; the Irem Temple and its Motor Corps; Boy Scout Troop 146, Jackson Township; and Cub Scout Pack 232, Dallas. He worked as an auto and refrigeration mechanic, was a truck owner and operator and electrician/lineman and dispatcher for Detroit Edison. He recently retired as fleet operations mechanic from Sears Logistics Services, Wilkes-Barre.

Please join us in prayer and remembrance of Brother Sorokin.

Royal J. Culp, 90, of Kingston, passed away Sunday, June 24, 2012. Brother Culp was a graduate of Lehman High School and Wilkes College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in English and creative writing. He was a WW II veteran serving as a fighter pilot in the Army Air Corps. Prior to retirement, he was employed by Culp Brothers and later founded Royal Acoustics, which he owned and operated. He resided in Huntsville for many years but spent the past 20 years in Kingston. Royal was made a Master Mason in March of 1950 and later became a member of Irem Temple.

Masonic Funeral Services were held and interment was conductedat at Huntsville Cemetery, Jackson Township.

Please join us in prayer and remembrance of Brother Culp.

Bro. James Howard “Howie” Sangston, 71, of North Pioneer Avenue, Dallas, died on Monday, June 4, 2012. Brother Sangston was made a Master Mason at Dallas Lodge 531 in October 1990. He was active in Caldwell Consistory, becoming a 32nd Degree Mason and served as Most Wise Master of Rose Croix. Sangston was active in Irem Shrine for 21 years as a member of the Irem Legion of Honor and currently served as Treasurer; the LOH Drill Team and had served as Drill Team Commander; an associate member of the Irem Patrol and had served as co-chairman of the Irem Shrine Membership Committee; the Irem Shrine Golf Association; the Shrine Club of Greater Wilkes-Barre; and the Shrine Hillbilly Clan 119. Howie loved to golf and was lucky enough to have made two holes-in-one on the 17th hole at Irem County Club.

Please join us in prayer and remembrance of Brother Sangston.

Bro. Carl Edward Johnson Sr., formerly of Dallas, passed away Tuesday, June 14, 2011, at Keystone Villa in Douglasville. He was a graduate of Kingston Township High School and worked as a pipe fitter and foreman for 20 years with Air Products, Hanover Township, and later worked as a bus driver for Martz Trailways. He had served in the U.S. Army during WW II. Brother Johnson became a member of George M. Dallas Lodge No. 531 in 1953. He was also a member of the Irem Shine, the Irem Shepherds, and the  Valley of Bloomsburg.

Masonic Funeral Services were conducted by Lodge 531. Interment was held in Chapel Lawn Memorial Park, Dallas.

Please join us in prayer and remembrance of Brother Johnson.

Bro. George B. Marut, 60, died Thursday, January 6, 2011, at the Doylestown Hospital. Brother Marut became a member of George M. Dallas Lodge No. 531 in 1982. He was also a member of Caldwell Consistory and the Irem Shriners, as well as the Irem Clown Unit, Caldwell Consistory.

Please join us in prayer and remembrance of Brother Marut.

Bro. Robert N. Nygren Sr., 85, of Sweet Valley, passed away Friday, February 18, 2011, at Bonham’s Nursing Center, Stillwater. Mr. Nygren was born March 30, 1925, in Wilkes-Barre, and was a son of the late Oscar and Mildred Hedden Nygren. He graduated from Meyers High School, Wilkes-Barre, in 1943 and served in the US Navy during WW II. Prior to retiring, he was employed by the former Native Textiles, Dallas, for 42 years. Brother Nygren became a member of George M. Dallas Lodge No. 531 in 1955 . He was also a member of Caldwell Consistory and Irem Temple.

Please join us in prayer and remembrance of Brother Nygren.

Gordon M. Fairchild, 75, of Shavertown, passed away Saturday, March 12, 2011. He was a graduate of Meyers High School, class of 1953, and Milligan College, Johnson City, Tenn. Before retiring, he was employed as a textile designer at Summit Weaving, Exeter, and later at American Silk, Plains Township. He  served with the US Marine Corps Reserve. Brother Fairchild became a member of George M. Dallas Lodge No. 531 in 1962 and resigned in 1975.

Interment was held in Oak Lawn Cemetery, Hanover Township.

Please join us in prayer and remembrance of Brother Fairchild.