IN 1969 JIM WAS SERVING IN THE U.S. ARMY STATIONED IN SAN ANTONIO AND JACK WAS ATTENDING
COLLEGE AT SAN MARCOS. BOTH PETITIONED LAVACA LODGE # 36 AT THE SAME TIME. ON MAY 23, 1969 BOTH WERE INITIATED TO THE DEGREE OF ENTERED APPRENTICE MASON. BOTH TURNED IN
THEIR MEMORY WORK ON THAT DEGREE ON THE SAME DATE BY EXAMINING EACH OTHER. THEN ON JUNE 20, 1969 BOTH RECEIVED THEIR FELLOWCRAFT DEGREE AND THEY AGAIN BOTH TURNED IN THEIR
MEMORY WORK ON THAT DEGREE ON THE SAME DATE AGAIN BY EXAMINING EACH OTHER. ON JULY 18, 1969 BOTH WERE RAISED TO THE DEGREE OF MASTER MASON AND AGAIN THEY BOTH TURNED IN THEIR WORK AT THE SAME TIME BY EXAMINING EACH OTHER.
THEREAFTER BOTH SET OUT ON THEIR ENDEVOR TO RECEIVE MORE LIGHT IN MASONERY. JACK
IMMEDIATELY BEGAN JOINING OTHER MASONIC BODIES BUT JIM HAD HIS MASONIC -ÉDUCATION DELAYED BY A TOUR OF DUTY IN VIET NAM AND THEN UPON HIS RELEASE FROM ACTIVE DUTY HE MARRIED AND BEGAN TO RAISE A FAMILY.
JACK HAS SERVED AS MASTER OF PORT LAVACA LODGE 36 IN 1978-1979 , IN 2015 – 2016 AND AGAIN IN
2016-2017.
JIM SERVED AS MASTER OF L.M. ROGERS LODGE # 1104 IN 1999-2000. HE SERVED AS MASTER OF LAVACA LODGE 36 IN 2011-2012.
JACK SERVED AS DISTRICT DEPUTY GRAND MASTER FOR THE GRAND LODGE OF TEXAS, DISTRICT 36 IN 1981 FOR R:W: TOM LAND
JIM SERVED AS DISTRICT DEPUTY GRAND MASTER FOR THE GRAND LODGE OF TEXAS, DISTRICT 36 IN 2004 FOR R:W: REECE L. HARRISON
BOTH JIM AND JACK HAVE BEEN AWARDED THE GOLDEN TROWEL AWARD FOR THEIR BLUE LODGE SERVICE.
JACK SERVED AS HIGH PRIEST OF PORT LAVACA CHAPTER 338 IN 1980 AND JIM SERVED AS HIGH PRIEST IN 1997.
JACK SERVED AS DISTRICT DEPUTY GRAND HIGH PRIEST FOR THE GRAND ROYAL ARCH CHAPTER OF TEXAS IN 1980, AND JIM SERVED AS SUCH IN 1999. JACK RECEIVED THE TEXAS GOLDEN KEYSTONE AWARD IN 1991.
JACK SERVED AS THRICE ILLUSTRIOUS MASTER OF PORT LAVACA COUNCIL # 275 IN 1979, AND SEVERAL TIMES THEREAFTER, AND JIM SERVED AS SUCH IN 1997.
JACK SERVED AS DISTRICT DEPUTY GRAND MASTER IN 1985 AND JIM SERVED AS SUCH IN 2001. JACK RECEIVED THE ROYAL PURPLE SERVICE AWARD IN 1994.
JACK SERVED AS COMANDER OF ST JOHN COMMANDERY # 101 IN 1986 AND AGAIN IN 1991, AND JIM
SERVED AS SUCH IN 1999. JACK RECEIVED THE EXCALABER AWARD IN 1992.
BOTH JIM AND JACK ARE PAST GOVONORS OF SOUTH TEXAS YORK RITE COLLEGE.
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BOTH JIM AND JACK ARE PAST SOVERIGNS OF SOUTH TEXAS CONCLAVE OF THE RED CROSS OF
CONSTINE.
BOTH JIM AND JACK ARE PAST [ROPRS OF TEXIAN PRIORY#78 KNIGHT YORK CROSS OF HONOR AND
BOTH HAVE BEEN AWARDED THE ORDER OF THE PURPLE CROSS ANDARE ASSOCIATE REGENTS OF THE
YORK RITE COLLEGE ON NORTH AMERICA
BOTH JIM AND JACK ARE PAST PRESIDENTS OF WILLIAM TAYLOR ORDER OFTHE PHILALETHES SOCIETY.
BOTH JIM AND JACK ARE SENIOR DE MOLAYS AND BOTH HAVE RECEIVED THE DE MOLAY LEGION OF
HONOR. BOTH ARE OVER 50-YEAR MEMBERS OF DE MOLAY.
BOTH JIM AND JACK ARE PAST MASTERS OF THE TEXAS LODGE OF RESEARCH, JACK HAVING SERVED AS
SUCH IN 1993-1994 AND JIM IN 2000-2001.
BOTH ARE MEMBERS OF THE SCOTTISH RITE AND JACK RECEIVED THE HONOR OF KCCH FROM THE SAN ANTONIO VALEY OF THE SCOTTISH RITE
BOTH ARE MEMBERS OF THE SHRINE, JACK BEING A MEMBER OF AL AMIN SHRINE IN CORPUS AND JIM BEING A MEMBER OF ARABIA SHRINE IN HOUSTON.
BOTH ARE MEMBERS OF THE JOHN J. HARRIS CHAPTER OF NATIONAL SOJOURNERS #397 AND THE OSO CAMP HEROS OF 76 IN CORPUS. JACK IS A PAST PRESIDENT OF THE SOJOURNERS.
BOTH JIM AND JACK HAVE SERVED ON VARIOUS COMMITTIES IN GRAND LODGE, GRAND CHAPTER AND
GRAND COUNCIL OVER THE PAST 50 YEARS.
COMMUNITY SERVICE OF JACK AND JIM BEELER:
JACK RECEIVED HIS DOCTOR OF DENTAL SURGERY DEGREE FROM BAYLOR AND SERVED CALHOUN
COUNTY AS A DENTIST AND MEMBEROF THE STAFF OF MEMORIAL MEDICAL HOSPITAL IN PORT LAVACA FROM 1974 UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT IN 2012. JACK IS A MEMBER OF THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF PORT LAVACA AND IS AN ACTIVE DEACONOF THAT CHURCH.
JIM WAS DRAFTED IN THE ARMY IN 1966, WAS SELECTED FOR OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL AND WAS COMMISSIONED A SECOND LT. IN 1967. HE ATTAINED THE RANK OF CAPTAIN AND RECEIVED THE ARMY COMMENDATION MEDAL TWICE FOR MERITORIOS SERVICE. HE IS A VIET NAM VET HAVING SERVED WITH THE FIRST CALVERY DIVISION. HE GRADUATED FROM SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGEOF LAW WITH A JURIS DOCTORATE DEGREE IN 1976 AND HAS BEEN A CRIMINAL TRIAL ATTORNEY SINCE THEN. HE IS MARRIED TO HIS WIFE BRENDA AND TOGETHER THEY RAISED FIVE SONS AND TEN GRANDCHILDREN.