Deputy Grand Master
R∴W∴ Stanley (Stan) L. was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. He was raised by his maternal grandparents and moved to Florida in 1960. R∴W∴ Hudson graduated from Rockledge High School, and one week after graduation married his High School sweetheart, Vera Joyce “Joy”. They have two sons, three grandsons, and one granddaughter.
R∴W∴ Hudson's working career has mostly been in the field of HVAC and currently is the Facilities Manager at Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies in Port St. Lucie.
His Masonic career began when he was Initiated into Cornerstone Lodge No. 386 in Port St. Lucie on September 13, 1997. He was Passed on January 27, 1998, and Raised on April 18, 1998. Stan was a Past Master of Cornerstone Lodge 2003, 2010, and 2011. He is currently a member of Ft. Pierce Lodge No. 87 and a plural membership in Okeechobee Lodge No. 237. He is a member of the Scottish Rite Valley of Lake Worth; Ft. Pierce York Rite Bodies; Ziba Grotto; Amara Shrine; and a Past Patron of Ruth Chapter No. 7, Order of the Eastern Star.
R∴W∴ Hudson served as District Deputy Grand Master for M∴W∴ Robert D. Trump in 2006 and Senior Grand Deacon for M∴W∴ Jim J Harris in 2011. He has served on the Board of Trustees on the Long Range Planning Sub-Committee for the Masonic Home from 2009 until his election to Junior Grand Warden on May 27, 2013. R∴W∴ Hudson has served as a Grand Lodge Committeeman consecutively from 2002 to present: MH-100 (2002, 03, 04, 07, 08 and 12); L.Y.P.M.G.C. (2004, 07, 08 and 12); Wills and Gifts (2004, 07 and 08); and Masonic Renewal (2005).
Stan has served as Cub Master; Scout Master; Little League Coach; Little League Umpire; Football Parent/Booster; and a Band Parent/Booster; Board of Trustees for the FUMC; and later for the FCC/UCC Church both in Port St. Lucie. In his spare time Stan likes to scuba dive and hunt in Tennessee.
Brethren,
First, let me state that it is an honor to serve you as your Deputy Grand Master and I look forward to working with you during the next two years. Please do not hesitate to let me know your feelings and/or ideas as we work together to move forward.
Our Annual Grand Lodge Communication is now over and a new Grand Lodge Year has begun. Your Grand Lodge Officers have been busy already; with one Official Visit down we had the honor to put a Newly Chartered Lodge to Work.
This new Lodge is a Daylight Lodge allowing our experienced Masons to be able to attend Lodge during the daylight hours, whom would normally miss attending Lodge because they do not drive at night. While sitting there I took the time to reflect, is this the future of our Fraternity? As we age are more Daylight Lodges in our future? Is there enough young men coming into the Fraternity to sustain our future?
My Brothers I do not have that answer, but what I did realize is that these Brothers had the determination not to miss out on the Fraternity they so love. They had the fortitude to move out of their comfort zone and form a Lodge that would meet their needs and keep the Fraternity alive and well.
As we move into the future we all must take the time to look at our Fraternity and our fraternal needs. Are we doing all that we can do? Are we the pillars in our communities? Do our buildings look like we take pride in them and our Fraternity? Do we have the manpower and the funds to make improvements? What would we do if we had a catastrophic disaster? Could we recover? These are just a few of the questions we need to ask ourselves. If the answer is no to any of them, what can we do to ensure the future of our Fraternity?
My Brothers, we need to do what the Brothers of the new Daylight Lodge have done; we need to step out of our comfort zone. We need to do what is best for the Fraternity and put aside our personal feelings. Pride is a wonderful thing and probably the biggest thing holding us back. Let’s do what is best for our Fraternity.
As we move into the future we need to look at merging or consolidating Lodges. We need to look at re-districting and re-zoning. We are going to have to strengthen from within, making Lodges that will have the manpower and means to be the pillars in our communities and entice new men to want to join our ranks. If we do nothing, if we stay with the status quoi, our destiny is set and we will fail.
Is this the Fraternity our forefathers set before us? Is this the vision they saw? They were the pioneers and I think they would want us to be the new pioneers and do what is needed to keep our Fraternity alive.
Stanley L. Hudson,
Deputy Grand Warden