W.Bro Ron Brooke, a Past Master and Honorary Member of Innsworth Lodge, passed to the Grand Lodge Above on Sunday the 19th April 2020. Ron was just 8 months from his 100th birthday and he will be greatly missed by all the Innsworth Brethren.

Ron Brooke joined Innsworth Lodge from Apollo Lodge (7886) in the District of Cyprus on 24 January 1998. He was proposed and seconded by Brethren he knew in Cyprus, where he had been serving with the RAF. Ron was an ex WO Engineer in the RAF and he joined in with everything; even the Lodge Blackpool visits on at least two occasions, which gave him the opportunity to visit his grandson.

He became Master of Innsworth Lodge in September 2001, was appointed to PPAGDC in 2007 and promoted to PPJGD in 2014. Ron held the appointment of Lodge Almoner from 2005 to 2012 and only agreed to relinquish the post because of his wife’s poor health. As a ritualist he presented some excellent pieces of work and his delivery of the 2nd Degree Tracing Board deserves particular mention.
W Bro Ron Brooke was proposed and confirmed as an Honorary Member of the Innsworth Lodge (8751) at the Lodge Meeting on 28 April 2018. He was granted Honorary Membership in recognition of his service, loyalty, dedication and positive contribution to the work and well-being of the Lodge.

In these unusual times, the Innsworth Lodge Meeting, due to take place on 25 April 2020, has had to be cancelled and the Brethren could, therefore, neither stand in recognition of Departed Merit in the Lodge nor remember W Bro Ron at the Festive Board with “Absent Brethren”, when the hands of the clock were “square”.

The WM of Innsworth Lodge, W Bro Bryan Roberts, decided that he would like the Brethren to make the effort to have a private minute’s silence and raise a glass, to honour Ron’s memory at 2100 hours on 25 April. He asked each one of them, that could, to take a photo or selfie toasting Ron at that time, for publication in the Gloucestershire Masonic Chain. A “Lockdown” tribute to honour their dear, departed Brother and Friend – a “virtual tribute” from the Lodge.

Postscript:

W Bro Ron’s funeral is planned to take place at 1430 on the 5th May 2020, at Coney Hill Crematorium. Only family members are allowed inside the building and numbers are limited to 5 people.
Ron’s death is not believed to be Covid-19 related.