Prominent St George Freemason Harold Allen will be farewelled today in a special ceremony.
The Bexley man, 82, died on Sunday, October 8, after a short illness.
He was a well-known figure at the St George Masonic Lodge where he had been a life member.
He has also previously acted as Junior Grand Warder of the United Grand Lodge of NSW and ACT.
He was first initiated into Freemasonry in 1957 and went on to serve in the Office of Worshipful Master at a number of St George Lodges during his almost 60 year Masonic career.
Mr Allen lived and worked in the St George area all his life, firstly as a carpenter and later as a supervisor at the Sydney Water Board.
He was a member of many local organisations including Bexley RSL Club and RSL sub-Branch, Bexley Bowling Club, Australian Wildlife Society, Royal Australian Life Saving Society and local scouts.
St George Lodge Secretary Patrick Medway paid tribute to his friend.
"I have known Harold and his family for over thirty years and have always found him to be a very dedicated Freemason. He has been active throughout the local community in local bowls and the RSL as well as in his Masonic Lodge at Bexley,’’ he said.
“Over the past four years he has been involved in major renovations of the St George Masonic Centre at Bexley where he was Chairman of the Centre Management Committee.
“He has served in the office of Worshipful Master of several district Masonic Lodges such as Lodge Kingsgrove, Lodge Bexley and Lodge St George No 7 for some 16 times which must be a local record over his masonic career.
“He lived respected and died regretted by the brethren of his lodge".
He is survived by his five sons and two daughters. His wife Dorothy died in 2014.
He will be farewelled during a special ceremony on Wednesday, October 18 from 1pm at the South Chapel of Woronora Cemetery.
