Most Worshipful Brother Harvey LeVey Riggle

Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of Utah 1968.

On January 30, 1968 the Grand Lodge, F. & A. M. of Utah concluded its ninety-sixth year and on that date elected and installed Brother Harvey LeVey Riggle as its ninety-third Grand Master. During our ninety-six years we have had 92 Grand Masters. Phil H. Emerson served two years, Parley L. Williams three years and Joseph G. Titley and Harold A. Linke served three years between them.

Brother Riggle was born in Santa Anna, California, May 28, 1922. Not since 1945 when John Francis Rowe was elected Grand Master have we had a native Californian serve as our Grand Master.

Brother Riggle received the usual schooling in his native city and was a student at the University of California in Los Angeles when World War II broke out. He joined the Navy and saw the world for three years before being assigned to Navy College Officer Training School. While attending the school he was married to Wanda Blank. At the end of the war he was honorably discharged from the Navy.

He is at present and has been for some years manager and operator of the v/v Hereford Cattle Ranch at Neola, Utah. He has taken an active part in the affairs of his community and the associations connected with the cattle industry.

He is President of the Yellowstone Cattle Association, Secretary of the Farm Creek Cattle Association and Secretary of the important Ashley Forest Cattle Advisory Board.

Our Grand Master has often stated that he has an "All Masonic Family" which includes the affiliated bodies. His wife, Wanda is presently the Worthy Grand Matron of the Order of Eastern Star of Utah.

His own Masonic career began with his Initiation in Basin Lodge No. 20, at Myton, Utah on April 8,1946. He was Passed June 17, 1946 and Raised December 16, 1946. He served as Worshipful Master in 1952. He served as worthy Grand Patron of the Eastern Star of Utah in 1960.

He is Past High Priest of King's Peak Chapter, R.A.M. of Roosevelt, which he joined in 1951. He became a member of Utah Council No.1, in October 1965 and was Knighted March 1966 in Utah Commandery Knights Templar, both bodies in Salt Lake City. He is now serving as Grand Master of the Third Veil, Grand Chapter Royal Arch Masons of Utah. He is also a member of our Scottish Rite Bodies, having received the 32 with the 129th Class on April 27, 1967.

In Grand Lodge he was appointed
Senior Grand Steward 1962
Grand Pursuivant 1963
Grand Orator 1964

elected
Junior Grand Warden 1965
Senior Grand Warden 1966
Deputy Grand Master 1967
Grand Master 1968

Perhaps Brother Joseph D. Walker, Secretary of Basin Lodge and the new Worshipful Grand Tyler, expressed it very well when he presented the Grand Master's apron at the Installation when he said, "I never saw a man go up the Ladder so fast as our new Grand Master. Last year he was our Tyler for Basin Lodge, and now he is the Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Utah".

Utah Grand Lodge Proceedings 1968.

PGM, Harvey LeVEY Riggle died on February 7, 1982 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Utah Grand Lodge Proceedings, 1983, page 67.