Brother Garland Hastings
Garland Simpson Hastings was born October 8th, 1911 in Elizabeth City, Pasquotank County, NC. He finished High School in 1928 with no prospect of college or finding a job, as this would be the beginning of the Great Depression.
His older brother, Samuel, was a WWI veteran, and a wholesale bakery products salesman. He invited Garland to live and work with him in his business in Norfolk, VA. He later bought him a truck and started Garland in the business for himself.
Samuel was a Mason, and Garland observed the benefits of being a Mason during the difficult depression times. Garland resolved that he would follow in his brother’s footsteps. He was still too young to join the Masons, so he elected to join the Demolay, a Masonic order for young men. He received the Degree of Demolay Feb. 12th, 1930 in Norfolk Chapter, VA. Garland wanted to be a Shriner, but first he had to be a member of a subordinate Masonic body or Blue Lodge. He was raised to the sublime Degree of Master Mason on December 2nd, 1932 in Atlantic Lodge No. 2 F.&A.M., in Norfolk, VA. He joined Royal Arch Chapter No. 68 (York Rite) and the Grice Commandery No. 16, Knights Templar. This qualified him to join Khedive Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.
After eight years in the wholesale bakery business, Garland sold out and went to work for National Biscuit Company (NABISCO) Later, Garland saw an opportunity with Lance Inc., a growing snack food company. His territory covered Newport News to Williamsburg, VA. Garland Hastings and Lance Foods were quite successful.
Then in 1943, Garland received his “letter” to serve in the armed forces of The United States of America. He was inducted into the Army at Fort George Meade, MD. Garland was sent to the European Theater. His units saw action in France, Germany, and Bavaria. Among his decorations were the Bronze Star and the Combat Infantry Badge. After crossing the Danube River, Garland ended up in a foxhole on the banks of the Ennes River near Steyr, Austria. On May 8, 1945, nine thousand German soldiers crossed the hydro electric dam and surrendered. In February, 1946, Garland was honorably discharged with the rank of Master Sergeant.
In 1946,Garland settled on becoming a watchmaker. He took a three year course at a technical school. This proved to be a wise choice as it provided him with many opportunities, and the respect associated with the integrity and honesty of a watchmaker.
Garland retired in 1977, after having been employed by the Federal Civil Service since 1950 in a number of classified positions. After retiring he decided to attend college, but being out of school for so long, he had to be tested for enrollment. He did quite well. He enrolled in a liberal college and attended three and a half years, fulfilling his dream as well as acquiring much knowledge.
As a Noble of the Khedive Shrine Temple, he was honored to be a member of the Century Club, which honors the 100 senior Nobles (meaning the longest in membership, not age). He would live to reach the number one position.
In 1989, Garland moved to Lattimore, NC to be near his family as he aged. He became a very active member of Mooresboro Lodge No. 388. Garland had led a frugal lifestyle and had made many wise investments which, over time, allowed him to generously assist many charities. He made it possible for Mooresboro Lodge to purchase land in Boiling Springs and build a new lodge hall thus becoming Friendship Lodge No. 388.
He was made life member of Atlantic Lodge No. 2 and Friendship Lodge No. 388, and was made an honorary member of many area lodges indebted to his generosity.
He generously supported the Masonic Home for Children, and in 2005, Garland was inducted into the Hayes Society, which honors those who have generously contributed through planned gifting to the Masonic Home for Children at Oxford, NC.
He has been honored several times for his contributions to the Shriners and in particular, the Shriners Hospital in Greenville, SC, and for his gifts to the Masonic charities in both North Carolina and Virginia.
On April 28th, 2008, Garland was presented his 75 year Veterans Plaque from the NC Grand Lodge, with the Most Worshipful David Cash, Grand Master presenting.
Bro. Garland died April 9th, 2010 and was laid to rest with the Masonic Funeral Rite April 11th, 2010 in Olive Branch Cemetery, Portsmouth, VA. Atlantic Lodge No. 2 conducted a beautiful ceremony with many brothers from Friendship Lodge and Cleveland County attending.
Brother Garland’s legacy lives on with the scholarship fund that he helped create and that now bears his name: The Garland Hastings Memorial Scholarship Fund.
A thank you to Warren and Nellie Crowder
for providing Garland’s history for us.
The following address was written by W. Bro. Al Tate and read to Most Worshipful Grand Master Graham Pervier and the body of the North Carolina Grand Lodge of over 1300 Masons on Saturday, September 24, 2005 at the Sheraton Imperial Hall, Durham, North Carolina:
Most Worshipful Grand Master, Distinguished Guests, and Brethren…
On behalf of the Master and the brethren of Friendship Lodge 388, it is my profound pleasure to share with you the recent generosity of one of our brothers.
This brother has extended his hand of friendship on numerous occasions in the past, not only to Friendship Lodge, but to the Masonic charities and to other lodges in and around the 35th Masonic District.
A few years ago he was the chief benefactor and the driving force behind the building of our new lodge in Boiling Springs, and has since helped out with several improvements and amenities to our lodge.
In September of last year he showed me a newsletter from his “mother lodge” in Virginia where the lodge had presented a scholarship. Then he said in his typical fashion, “Why can’t we do something like that here?”
Every lodge has members with their own particular talents. We are fortunate to have a brother who is a financial planner who showed us how to establish what we now call the Friendship Masonic Lodge Scholarship Fund.
Our goal was to raise enough money and put it into a trust account so that the proceeds from the interest could be awarded as an annual scholarship gift to a deserving student graduating from Crest High School. Without any help, and in less than a year’s time, we did it. This June the first Friendship Masonic Lodge Scholarship Award was presented for $500.
I interjected this short story to tell you that last month we learned that $50,000 was added to that account. This will allow either a much larger award or multiple awards to be given in the years to come.
We also learned that $150,000 was given to Friendship Lodge to create a trust to be used for the express purpose of the perpetual care and maintenance and any capitol improvements to our lodge and grounds. We have named it the “Covenant Trust Fund”.
Ah….There’s more. The best is yet to come.
We learned that $200,000 had been given to the Masonic Home for Children at Oxford; and that $200,000 had been given to the Masonic Home for Children in VA; and that $200,000 had been given to the NC Masonic Foundation; and that $200,000 had been given to the Shriner’s Hospital in Greenville, SC; and with a few other gifts to area lodges, the gifts totaled more than $1,000,000.
I speak of our Brother Garland Simpson Hastings. Not only has he touched our hearts with his generous gifts, he has been an inspiration to us to work together as a lodge, to accomplish great things. He has shown us that dreams, visions, and plans are a necessary first step in building anything.
Yes, we have a beautiful new lodge and grounds, but for the last few years we have capitalized on that to raise significant amounts of money (by ourselves) for the Masonic charities, and additionally, within the last two years, raised over $30,000 for individuals and families in our community who needed our help. Brothers, this is what Masonry is truly about.
As one feeds and grows on the other, our visibility in Cleveland County has soared to new heights, and so has the enthusiasm soared in our lodge. Brothers work together at functions such as the Masonic Family Day, held earlier this month, and in the kitchen before every meeting, and we can now boast of 50 to 70 or more brothers at most any meeting, stated or emergent.
Although Brother Hastings is very outspoken and assertive at our meetings, he is by nature a humble man, and wants little attention or recognition. He was invited to attend this Grand Lodge meeting, but declined, probably suspecting we might do this very sort of thing.
We try in earnest to find some way to thank him for his gifts and his leadership. He wears a white apron, and other than pro-temping as Chaplain, to our knowledge he has never held office in our lodge, or any other lodge. Instead, his leadership is by example and inspiration. (Did I mention that he has been a Mason for 73 years?) He obviously loves Masonry very much and his brothers in the Craft as well.
All we can do is present him with this little and, to us, insignificant token that tries in vain to express our heartfelt thanks. Allow me to read the plaque. [Inscription read]
Yesterday, I asked you, Most Worshipful Grand Master, if we might give Brother Hastings some recognition here. Thank you sir, for indulging me and giving us this opportunity to publicly thank him.
Thank you, Brother Garland Hastings!
