William Lee Blanks

Spouse:		Lady Ann
Home Commandery:		Southside No. 83
Year Served:		1983
Born:		August 6th, 1925
Died:		April 12th, 2022

1983 Officer Corps

Sir Knight William L. Blanks	Right Eminent Grand Commander
Sir Knight R. C. Rains	Very Eminent Deputy Grand Commander
Sir Knight Wallace E. Dunn	Eminent Grand Generalissimo
Sir Knight Thomas C. Yantis	Eminent Grand Captain General
Sir Knight R. Furman Vinson	Eminent Grand Senior Warden
Sir Knight Roland J. Maddox	Eminent Grand Junior Warden
Sir Knight L. Randall Rogers	Eminent Grand Prelate
Sir Knight Richard T. Porter	Eminent Grand Treasurer
Sir Knight Dale E. Miller	Eminent Grand Recorder
Sir Knight Lyle L. Cross	Eminent Grand Standard Bearer
Sir Knight Charles A. Hudnall	Eminent Grand Sword Bearer
Sir Knight Jerral F. Knox	Eminent Grand Warder
Sir Knight Kenneth B. Fischer	Eminent Grand Sentinel

Lodge

William Lee (Bill) Blanks was raised to the Sublime Degree of a Master Mason on January 21, 1952 in Granbury Lodge No. 392. June 10, 1974 he affiliated with Southside Lodge No. 1114, served as Worshipful Master of this Lodge during the year 1980-1981 and is an endowed member. In 1982, Brother Bill was appointed by MWGM J. M. (Jimmy) Wilson to serve Masonic District No. 64-D as Right Worshipful District Deputy Grand Master. Bill was honored by Southside Lodge in 1994 by presentation of the Golden Trowel Award. Bill was again honored by the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Texas in December of 2011 when he was presented his 60 Year Certificate and Pin in a fitting ceremony at Southside Lodge.

Chapter of Royal Arch Masons



Companion Blanks was exalted a Royal Arch Mason on October 24, 1959 in Polytechnic Chapter No. 404. He affiliated with Southside Chapter No. 378 on March 27, 1974, served as High Priest in 1976-1977 and holds an endowed membership in this Chapter. Bill is also an affiliated Past High Priest of Fort Worth Chapter No. 52. He was appointed by MEGHP Paul D. Warren to serve Captiular District No. 27 as Right Excellent District Deputy Grand High Priest in 2000. Bill is a recipient of the Cornerstone Award. In October 2011, Companion Bill was presented the Golden Keystone Award by MEGHP G. Clay Smith for his many years of dedicated service to Capitular Masonry.

Council of Royal and Select Masters



Companion Bill was greeted a Royal and Select Master in Polytechnic Council No. 339 on November 5, 1959. March 27, 1974 he affiliated with Southside Council No. 315 and served as Thrice Illustrious Master in 1976-1977. Bill is also an affiliated Past TIM of Fort Worth Council No. 42 . He served the Most Illustrious Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters as District Deputy Grand Master of Cryptic District No. 27 in 1996, appointed by MIGM Donald L. Smith. Companion Bill received the Cryptic Triangle Award in May of 2000. Companion Blanks is an endowed member of Southside Council.

Commandery of Knights Templar

Sir Knight Bill received the Chivalric Orders of Templar Masonry in Southside Commandery No. 83 on September 17, 1960. He served Southside Commandery as Commander in 1971 and several years as Templar Instructor. Sir Knight Bill served the Grand Commandery of Texas as District 6 Templar Instruction Committee member from 1973 to 1977. After spending 9 years going through the Grand Line, Sir Knight Blanks was elected Right Eminent Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery Knights Templar of Texas serving in 1983-1984. In 1997 Right Eminent Sir Knight Bill received the Knight Commander of the Temple Award presented by the Grand Encampment, Knights Templar of the USA and the Excalibur Award from Southside Commandery. RESK Bill is an endowed member of Southside Commandery.

Companion Knight Bill received the Order of the Purple Cross from the York Rite Sovereign College of North America, also making him an Associate Regent, and Gold Honor Award from Trinity York Rite College No. 154 in 1994. He served this distinguished Masonic Body as Governor in 1997.

Knight Priest Blanks is Past Preceptor of Our Redeemer Tabernacle No. IX, Holy Royal Arch Knights Templar Priests, serving in that office in 1990.

In 1998, Knight Companion Bill served as Puissant Sovereign of St. Timothy Conclave No. 65, Fort Worth, TX, The Masonic and Military Order of the Red Cross of Constantine, and continues to work in all aspects of this invitational order.

Brother Bill received his Scottish Rite Degrees in Dallas on April 24, 1960, transferring as a Charter Member when Fort Worth Consistory was formed on November 26, 1973. He was honored in 1977 as a Knight Commander Court of Honor (KCCH) and in 1983 was coroneted a 33 Degree Inspector General Honorary. Brother Blanks works on the 20 Degree Team and the 33 Degree Coronation Team. In 2010, Brother Bill received his Blue Hat celebrating 50 years as a Scottish Rite Mason. Brother Bill is an endowed member of Fort Worth Scottish Rite Bodies.

ight Eminent Sir Knight Blanks is a member of the Order of High Priesthood, Super Excellent Masters Degree, Order of the Silver Trowel, Knights of the York Cross of Honor (KYCH), Royal Order of Scotland, Honorary Legion of Honor of the Order of DeMolay, Worth’s Shamrock Council No. 54, Knight Masons USA, Robert Bruce Brannon Council No. 270, Allied Masonic Degrees of the United States of America. Brother Blanks is a member and Past Worthy Patron of South Fort Worth Chapter No. 835, Order of the Eastern Star having served Seven Terms as Worthy Patron. Brother Bill is a member of General William J. Worth Chapter No. 463, National Sojourners, Inc. and is Past Commander of Cowpens Camp, Heroes of ’76. He is also a member of Moslah Temple Shrine.

Brother Bill was born into a ranching family August 6, 1925 in San Angelo, Texas. He served his country during WWII from 1943 to 1946 as a member of the U. S. Navy, in the South Pacific Theater. He married Ann Reed (Miss Ann) of Granbury, Texas on March 20, 1948. Bill and Ann are active members and Elders of Central Christian Church, Disciples of Christ, Fort Worth, Texas.

Obituary

William L Blanks April 12, 2022 Tolar, Texas – Passed away on Tuesday, 4/12/2022 in Glen Rose, Texas. He was born 8/6/1925 in San Angelo, Texas to William Henry and Emma Lee Blanks. He grew up in West Texas on a ranch and graduated from Iraan High School. He served in the Navy from 1943 to 1946 in the South Pacific. On 3/20/1948 he married Anna Joyce Reed of Granbury, Texas. In 1954, they moved to Fort Worth where they resided until 2017 when Ann passed away and Bill moved to Tolar, Texas to live with family. In 1962 Bill founded the firm of Blanks Welding Supply and worked there until his retirement in 1997. Bill was raised a Master Mason in Granbury Lodge on 1/21/1952 and served in many areas and was recognized as a 70 year Master Mason Member in 2021. Bill was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Laura Ann Blanks Robbins. Bill is survived by his sister Morgann Tayllor Jack and numerous nieces and nephews. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 11am on 4/28/2022 at Central Christian Church in Fort Worth where they were active members until 2017.