M.W. Stanley S. Sheldon, Jr Biography 1998

Stanley S. Sheldon Jr.

Most Worshipful Brother Sheldon served the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Connecticut as its 152nd Grand Master in 1998. His Masonic career spanned fifty-three years during which time he was honored as a recipient of the Pierpont Edwards Medal in Bronze. He passed away on Friday, June 6, 2014.

Born in Pomfret, Connecticut on January 11, 1930, the first son of Stanley and Hazel Harman Sheldon. He has a younger brother Edwin and two younger sisters Janice and Virginia.

He graduated from Gilbert F. Pratt School, a two room school in Pomfret, in 1944, from Putnam High School in 1948, where he played baseball, football and basketball and received the Scholar-Athlete Award at graduation. In 1952, he graduated from the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration and was Commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army.

He married Mary Francis Bernard on September 22, 1951 and they have been blessed with four daughters -- Mary Ann, Kathleen, Patricia and Diane and two grand daughters, Kelli and Kady.

He was discharged from the Army in March 1953 and immediately joined Universal CIT Credit Corporation as an Adjuster. He was promoted to District Manager in 1959 and transferred to Portland, Maine. On January 24, 1961, he was raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason in Hiram Lodge No. 180, South Portland, Maine.

In April 1961, he left CIT to start a new company, with 3 friends, in Worcester, Massachusetts. The company was named Security Acceptance Corporation and was later purchased by AVCO Financial Services. Stan was made a Vice President in 1963 and V.P. General Manager in 1964. He moved to Chagrin Falls, Ohio in 1967 and on to Newport Beach, California in 1970.

After managing four divisions for AVCO Financial, he resigned in 1973 to become president of Westmor Financial, a start up company for Union Bank of Los Angeles, California. In September 1977, the opportunity arose to sell the company and he decided it was time to return to the east coast. His father had retired from Pratt & Whitney, so Stan and family bought the house where he was born from his father and presently lives in the family homestead in Pomfret with Mary, his wife of fifty years.

He obtained a Real Estate & Insurance License in 1978 and worked for a local realtor and then an annuity company. In 1981, he joined Advest, Inc. in Hartford, Connecticut and became a securities broker. In 1985, he moved to Coburn-Meredith Inc. in Hartford where he still maintains his license and works part time. In November 1991, after serving 8 years on the Pomfret Board of Education, he ran for First Selectman and was elected by an overwhelming margin, and he was elected for 2 more terms in 1993 and 1995. In November 1997, his 3rd term expired and he retired choosing not to run again. He has held many board positions including Northeast Council of Governments, Northeast District Department of Health, East Conn, Northeast Alliance, Connecticut Council of Municipalities, Council of Small Towns, Workforce One and others. He is also a Director of Putnam Savings Bank since 1991 and the Treasurer. He is also a member of Vestry at Christ Episcopal Church in Pomfret since 1980.

He affiliated with Putnam Lodge No. 46, South Woodstock, Connecticut in 1978 and advanced through the chairs to become Worshipful Master in 1983 and again in 1985. He was appointed District Deputy of District 9A in 1987 & 1988. He was appointed Grand Junior Stewart in 1990 and advanced through the offices of the Grand Lodge to become our Most Worshipful Grand Master in 1998. At his Grand Lodge Annual Communication held on March 31, 1999, Most Worshipful Brother Sheldon expressed " I hope I have presented myself with dignity and image that you expected of your Grand Master and as my year comes to an end, always remember my theme, that of retaining the fundamental basics of our fraternity through Friendship, Morality and Brotherly Love."

Most Worshipful Brother Sheldon's other Masonic affiliations are: Warren-Putnam Chapter No. 12, Royal Arch Masons; Montgomery No. 2, Royal & Select Masters; St. John's Commandery No. 11, Valley of Norwich, Scottish Rite Consistory; Sphinx Temple AAONMS; St. Andrew's Conclave Red Cross of Constantine; Connecticut York Rite College No. 17; Sphinx Moslem Shrine Club; Hartford No. 56, National Sojourners; Ninth Masonic District Blue Lodge Council; Ninth Masonic District Actual Past Masters Association; Rainbow Court No. 20, Order of Amaranth, and Past District Deputy Association of Connecticut.

For outstanding service to God, his country and his brothers; and for dedication to those tenets which all good Masons revere, it is with great pleasure that the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Connecticut presents to Brother Stanley S. Sheldon, Jr., Most Worshipful Past Grand Master

THE PIERPONT EDWARDS MEDAL IN BRONZE
FOR DISTINGUISHED MASONIC SERVICE