Most Worshipful Brother Harold Russell Waldo

Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of Utah 1938.

Our Grand Master is a Lawyer-he likes to have things clearly stated and in order. So, following are some of the stakes that have marked the trail over which he has come, thus far:

Born: In Canon City, Colorado, May 26, 1888, the second son of Judge Charles E. and Lida B. Waldo.

Educated: High School, Canon City, Graduating in 1904; next three years learning the drug business; then entered the Law School at the University of Colorado, from which he graduated in 1910 with the degree of L. L. B.

Practice in Law: Worked in his father's law office, Canon City, for over a year, then came to Provo, Utah, in December of 1911, entered the legal department of the old Telluride Power Company. When this property was sold to the Utah Power and Light Company in September, 1912, he decided to remain with the Nunn's interests and was transferred to Boise, Idaho, as counsel for the Beaver River Power Company, now the Telluride Power Company. When the Idaho system was sold to the Idaho Power Company, in October, 1915, he returned to Salt Lake City, and since that time he has been in charge of the legal affairs of all the Nunn's interests, including the Telluride Power Company, and engaged in the general practice of law. He was admitted to the bar in Colorado in 1910, in Utah in 1912, in Idaho in 1913, and to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States, in 1916.

Business Connections: Secretary and Director of the Telluride Power Company, Utah Fire Clay Company, Telluride Motor Company, Big Springs Power Company, and Columbia Industrial Loan Company, and director of the Utah Lake Irrigation Company, and Goshen Valley Irrigation Company.

Other Activities: He is chairman of the Trustees of Deep Springs (California) who direct the school for boys established by L. L. Nunn to continue the educational work he established at Olmsted (Utah); a member and the Secretary of the Board of Trustees of Westminster College, Salt Lake City; a member and one of the Trustees of the First Presbyterian Church of Salt Lake; a member of the Executive Board of the Salt Lake Council, Boy Scouts of America, and a member of the Utah Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Marriage: On December 31, 1912, he married Katherine McKenzie, in Canon City, Colorado, and has four children, John F., Charles E., Katherine, and Harold R., Jr.

College Fraternities: Sigma Phi Epsilon, and Delta Phi (legal). Clubs: University Club and Bonneville Knife and Fork Club, both of Salt Lake City.

Masonic Record:

Blue Lodge: The Grand Master was initiated March 11, 1922, passed May 1, 1922, and raised, May 20, 1922, in Acacia Lodge No. 17, of Salt Lake City. He was Master of his lodge in 1928.

Grand Lodge: In Grand Lodge he served as Grand Lecturer, 1934 and 1935; was elected Senior Grand Warden January 22, 1936, and regularly advanced and was elected Grand Master September 27, 1938.

Scottish Rite: Received the degrees from the 4th to the 32nd, inclusive, with the fall class of 1925; Commander of the Salt Lake Council of Kadosh 1931-1932, and preceptor Utah Consistory 1937-1938. On October 22, 1935, he was advanced to the rank and decoration of K.C.C.H.

York Rite: The Grand Master holds membership in Utah Chapter No.1, R. A. M., of which he was High Priest in 1937; in the Grand Council of Anointed Priests of Utah; in Utah Council No.1, R. & S. M.; and Utah Commandery No.1, K. T., Salt Lake.

Shrine: Brother Waldo was created a Noble of the Mystic Shrine in El Kalah Temple, in the spring of 1926, and is now Marshal in that organization.

The present writer had it in mind to close this long list of dates, facts, and figures with a brief paragraph which would represent our appraisal of the Grand Master. But he submitted a statement very different from the one we had intended to use and he knows Harold Russell Waldo far better than we do, so here is what he has to say on the subject:

"I can't make a speech or remember names but hope to get by on the strength of the fine group of officers serving with me and the momentum of the splendid administration of my predecessors."

Utah Grand Lodge Proceedings, 1938.

PGM, Harold Russell Waldo died on September 13, 1977 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Utah Grand Lodge Proceedings, 1978, page 47.