Jack Elam, left, will officially receive a certificate and 50-year pin in recognition of his 50 years as a Mason. The presentation will be made at the March 7 meeting of Kosciusko Loge 418, Milford. Worshipful Master Robert Dumford, right, will make the presentation. (Photo by Deb Patterson)

WINONA LAKE — Jack Elam, Winona Lake, will celebrate his 50th year with the Masonic Lodge on March 27. A 50-year pin will be presented at the March 7 meeting of Kosciusko Lodge 418, Milford.

Suggestions of Elam joining the Masons began while working with Budget Loan Company in New Castle. The manager, a Mason, would mention the lodge to Elam every now and then. After moving to Syracuse in 1963, he began to know a large number of men who were Masons. But to become a member, he had to apply on his own free will.

One day he ran into the late Carroll Koble and was talking to him and stating he was thinking about joining. Koble went down the street to his brother, Keith, a local barber who was secretary of the Syracuse lodge and got an application. That was the start. Elam was soon voted in as a member of Syracuse Lodge F & AM 454. That membership transferred to the Kosciusko Lodge 418 F & AM when the Syracuse Lodge merged with the Milford lodge in the mid-1990s.

Masons, a fraternity for men, has principles where its members show tolerance, respect and kindness toward others; practices charity and care for the community as a whole and strive to achieve high moral standards in their own personal life. According to the Masonic Lodge website, honor and integrity are at the core of the Masonic belief system. Members are obligated to practice self control and treat the people around them with respect, regardless of their own personal opinion of that person.

Elam gained his first three degrees of Masonry the first several months — Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft and Master Mason. Today Elam has earned 29 more degrees and is a 32nd Degree Mason with the Scottish Rite in Fort Wayne.

Over the years he twice held the elected office of Worshipful Master at the Syracuse Lodge and was elected Worshipful Master with the Kosciusko Lodge. He has also served in other appointed and elected positions.

Over the years he has helped other members working on their degree levels. He has also lived out the principles set by the Masons. “I like it,” Elam said. “I like to help people.” There have been times when the help he has given others, has been reciprocated by others helping him.

Outside of the Masonic Lodge, Elam is active at the First Christian Church, Warsaw, a denomination his ancestors helped start in Kentucky; along with being active in genealogy and history. His interest in genealogy and history led him to tracing his family back to Pocahontas, writing several books on his family’s history and his wife Janet’s, submitting writings for the Kosciusko Historical Society magazine “Thaddeus” and doing genealogy work for individuals. He is currently working on the history of the first Masonic Lodges in Indiana.

He was active in the historical society in Syracuse for a long time and after moving to Winona Lake became active in the Kosciusko Historical Society, serving as director for close to five years. He was also coordinator for the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce for a number of years.

Elam, a Korean War veteran serving in the U.S. Air Force from 1951-59, recently participated in the Honor Flight.
Elam and his wife of close to 65 years have two children, Beth and Joe; three grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.