Joel Lamar Parish

Joel Lamar Parish was born at Huntsville, Texas, on February 17, 1915, the son of N. L. (Sam) and Maude Parish. His great-grandfather, Joel Parish, was a member of Cumberland Lodge No. 8 at Nashville, Tennessee, the lodge in which Sam Houston received his degrees. After high school he attended college for three years. He married Mary Louella Duncan on November 24, 1938, and they had three children: Michael Duncan, Joel Lamar and Dorothy Karen. A Methodist, he enjoyed photography and yard work, and he made his living as a salesman and photographic expert for the Southwestern Camera Company. He was a life member of the Southwestern Photographers Association and the Texas Photographers Association.

He received the Entered Apprentice degree in Gray Lodge on September 8, 1958, the Fellowcraft on January 27, 1960, and the Master Mason degree on March 9, 1960. Appointed Junior Steward for 1960–1961, he served as Junior and Senior Deacon and was elected Senior Warden for 1963–1964. He was the first Master installed in the new lodge building on Hillcroft Avenue, with Past Master Fred W. Lackner, Jr., as Installing Master and Judge and Past Master Jackson B. Smith, Jr., as Marshal.

His year was spent settling into the new home. On June 22, 1964, A. C. Watson of Park Place Lodge conferred the first degree in the building, raising William Coffield. On July 11, 1964, Grand Master John R. Collard, Jr., dedicated the building, with Worshipful Master Parish serving as Deputy Grand Master in the Grand Lodge representation; the Grand Master used a gavel made for the occasion by Senior Deacon Chester H. McDaniel, who made a matching one for the lodge’s collection. The old Chickering grand piano went to Bluebell Chapter of the Eastern Star, the Building Committee became the Building Management Committee, and rental terms were set for the Eastern Star and Rainbow bodies, with no food, drinks or vases allowed in the lodge room.

Tracy T. Word, Jr., spoke in August, and a barbecue dinner followed in October. On October 21, District Deputy Grand Master Jesse W. McDaniel presented Fifty-Year Awards to J. H. Glass, J. H. Tatum and Leon M. Weinberg, and Dr. Thomas M. Spencer, president of San Jacinto Junior College, gave the address. On January 20, 1965, Grand Junior Warden J. W. Chandler and Past Grand Master Collard each conferred a Master Mason degree in the new lodge room.

Brother Parish was a 32° Scottish Rite Mason of the Houston Bodies.