By Staff
Special to The Star
Dec. 6, 2001
The Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, at its 200th anniversary meeting in Charleston, S.C., recently selected Masons from East Mississippi for significant honors.
Selected to receive the distinguished honor of Thirty Third Degree Scottish Rite Mason were Bernard Phillip Hoy of Meridian and Irving H. Gatlion of Laurel. The honors were conferred in Charleston on Oct. 3.
Bernard Phillip Hoy was born in Henderson, Ky., where he attended public school. He and his wife, Ruth were married in Morganfield, Ky., and have two children; Phyllis and Ronnie (deceased) and three grandchildren.
They moved to Meridian in 1959, where he operated Meridian One-Hour Cleaners for 42 years. His Masonic career began in 1954 where he joined Corydin Lodge in Kentucky.
He joined the Meridian Scottish Rites Bodies in 1987 and has served in a number of offices, including venerable master. He presently serves as chairman of Masonic Title Holding Corp.
Also selected to receive the honor of Knight Commander of the Court of Honor was H.F. "Frank" Evans of Meridian. His honor will be conferred Saturday, at the Hamasa Temple AAOMS.
Evans was born in Bedford, Ohio, and attended public schools there. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1960 and was assigned to Naval Air Station Meridian in 1965.
He met and married his wife, the former Eugenia Hale of Chunky. After leaving the Navy, he joined the 238th Combat Communications Squadron at Key Field and retired in 2000 with the rank of chief master sergeant.
His Masonic career began when he joined Oakland Heights Masonic Lodge in 1966 and the Meridian Scottish Rite and Hamasa Temple AASR in 1970. He has played the organ at most of the Scottish Rite events for a number of years.
Evans and his wife attend Northcrest Baptist Church. They have two daughters; Joyce Sullivan of Hattiesburg, and Rosiland Evans of West Monroe, La.