Fred William Lackner, Jr.

Fred William Lackner, Jr., was born in Houston on February 25, 1905, the son of Fred W. and Laura Quensell Lackner. He went through the Houston public schools and attended Texas A&M for three years, and his business career was devoted to financial investments. He married Beulah Mae Orchard on August 30, 1930, and they had a daughter, Linda. He was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church. As a young man he belonged to the Houston Chapter of the Order of DeMolay and served on its Patrol Team from 1922 to 1926.

He became an Entered Apprentice in Gray Lodge on September 8, 1952, a Fellowcraft on December 8, 1952, and a Master Mason on January 28, 1953. Appointed Senior Steward for 1954–1955, he served on up the line and was installed as the 87th Master in 1958 by Past Master Merlin C. Davis, with Past Master Alfred C. Finn, Jr., as Marshal. The retiring Master presented him with an inscribed rosewood gavel.

His year put the new building on a firm footing. On October 1, 1958, the lodge unanimously adopted a resolution creating a Building Committee of five, with the Worshipful Master and Senior Warden as members and Wm. G. Vollus, Wm. W. Bland and Severin Knutson elected to staggered terms. The committee chose Past Master A. C. Finn, Jr., as architect, and the lodge granted an easement to the Houston Lighting & Power Company across its Hillcroft Avenue site. Past Master Horace L. Walling died on June 25, 1958.

The lodge also secured places in the Masonic Home and School for two grandchildren of Harry L. Taylor, gave a destitute deceased brother free burial in the lodge’s lot at Hollywood Cemetery and helped his family, and welcomed actor and producer Herbert O. Kramer, who affiliated from Humanitas Lodge No. 1123 in New York and invited the brethren to his current production at the Playhouse Theatre. At the Second Annual Reunion and Awards Day on March 25, 1959, Past Master Bryan Funderburke, Sr., spoke on York Rite Masonry.

Brother Lackner conducted most of Gray Lodge’s funeral services. He was made a Royal Arch Mason in Washington Chapter No. 2 on April 16, 1956, received the Council degrees in Houston Council No. 1, and became a Knight Templar in Ruthven Commandery No. 2 on June 22, 1956. He became a Shriner of Arabia Temple in May 1958 and joined Bellaire Chapter No. 1021, Order of the Eastern Star, in October 1960.