Remembering Brother Ed Fuller

Worshipful Brother Ed Fuller was an amazing man. He spent most of his life on the wrong side of the tracks and had plenty of stories to prove it. He wasn't the easiest person to get along with, and his refusal to candy-coat criticism rubbed many people the wrong way. I often wondered why a man like Brother Fuller would ever want to become a Freemason, yet he was one of the most dedicated and influential members our Lodge ever had.

Brother Fuller was born the same year as my father, yet he became a Freemason only two years before I did. His philosophy was that if you're not going to do something well, don't bother to do it at all. His term as Worshipful Master in 2008 transformed Dundee Lodge No. 190 in many ways. It was under his strict instruction that we won second place in the state Lodge Officer Ritual Competition.

His influence extended beyond the Lodge walls. He helped to shape our character as young men. Our beloved Brother Fuller died in 2014, but his name is still spoken in our Lodge. Sometimes it's in the form of a hilarious story about him. At others, it's a memory of something valuable he taught us, which we now pass on to newer members. He is still very much alive in our Lodge, and those of us who knew him are better Masons for it.

Brothers Ed Fuller (right) and Chad Lacek (left)

Though he was rarely in a good mood, I was fortunate to capture this picture of Worshipful Brother Ed Fuller and me expressing some fun and Brotherly Love. We all miss him.

Right Worshipful Brother Chad Lacek

Dundee Lodge No. 190