Even thought Las Palmas Lodge had many well qualified Masters, it wasn't until 1989 that we had one of our own to be elected Grand Master.

Sam Marko Pavlovich was initiated a Mason in Las Palmas Lodge on March 27, 1952, passed on September 4, 1952 and raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason in Las Palmas Lodge on December 11, 1952.  He served our Lodge as Master in 1967.  He was the Inspector of the 416 Masonic District from 1968 until 1979.  At the Grand Lodge Communication in October of 1989 he was elected Grand Master of Masons in California.  On June 19, 2003, he received his 50 year Masonic veterans award.

Sam Marko Pavlovich PGM (1921 - 2008)

Richard Wakefield Hopper was initiated an Entered Apprentice Mason in Las Palmas Lodge on October 24, 1963, passed to the degree of Fellowcraft on January 31, 1964 and raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason on March 5, 1964 in Las Palmas Lodge.  His father, James Hopper, had been Master of Las Palmas Lodge in 1950 and his maternal grandfather was also a member of Las Palmas.  After a couple of years in the officer's line, he moved to Visalia, California where he affiliated with Visalia-Mineral King Lodge No. 128 as a plural member.   He was Master of Visalia-Mineral King Lodge in 1998.  On May 28, 2003, he was awarded the Hiram Award by Visalia-Mineral King Lodge.  At the annual Grand Lodge Communication in September of 2007, he was elected Grand Master of Masons in California.  In 2010 he was appointed an  "Inspector at Large" for Division VI, a position that he still holds.

Richard Wakefield Hopper PGM

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