Royal Arch Masons of Tennessee

​RICHARD EARL VAN TASSELL WAS BORN IN BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT SEPTEMBER 19, 1939, THE SON OF DELMAR AND ELIZABETH VAN TASSELL. HE ENLISTED IN THE MARINE CORPS RESERVE IN SEPTEMBER 1956 AND FOLLOWING GRADUATION FROM BRUNSWICH HIGH SCHOOL, BRUNSWICK, MAINE, REPORTED FOR ACTIVE DUTY IN JUNE OF 1957. HE SERVED IN THE UNITED STATED MARINE CORPS UNTIL FEBRUARY 29, 1980 WHEN HE RETIRED WITH THE RANK OF SERGEANT MAJOR. AS A CIVILIAN HE WORKED VARIOUS JOBS UNTIL BECOMING LANDSCAPE MANAGER WITH BELZ ENTERPRISES OF MEMPHIS; RETIREING FROM THAT POSITION ON DECEMBER 22, 2002.

HE MARRIED THE FORMER PATRICIA FERN GUMP OF WANA, WEST VIRGINIA AT PARRIS ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA ON DECEMBER 11, 1959. THEY HAVE THREE CHILDREN, RICHARD, RAYMOND AND AMANDA AND TWELVE GRAND CHILDREN AND TWENTY- TWO GREAT GRAND CHILDREN.

BROTHER VAN TASSELL WAS RAISED A MASTER MASON ON SEPTEMBER 23, 1985 IN MILLINGTON LODGE NO. 671 AND SERVED AS WORSHIPFUL MASTER IN 1990. HE IS PAST MASTER OF WEST TENNESSEE PAST MASTERS ASSOCIATION AND SERVED THE GRAND LODGE AS COUNTY CHAIRMAN, SHELBY COUNTY AND WAS A MEMBER OF THE APPEALS AND GRIEVANCES COMMITTEE AND MEMBER OF THE ARRANGEMENTS COMMITTEE. HE IS GRAND REPRESENATIVE TO THE GRAND LODGE OF CALIFORNIA. HE WAS THE GRAND STEWARD FOR 2006/2007. AT THE GRAND LODGE SESSION 0F 2018, BROTHER VAN TASSELL WAS PRESENTED WITH THE ANDREW JACKSON MEDAL AWARD.

COMPANION VAN TASSELL WAS EXAULTED IN MILLINGTON CHAPTER NO. 225 IN MARCH 1986 AND SERVED AS HIGH PRIEST AND RECEIVED THE ORDER OF HIGH PRIESTHOOD IN 1991. HE SERVED SEVERAL YEARS AS SECRETARY. IN 1993 HE SERVED THE GRAND CHAPTER AS GRAND MASTER OF THE THIRD VEIL. IN MARCH 1998 HE WAS ELECTED MOST EXCELLENT GRAND HIGH PRIEST OF THE GRAND CHAPTER OF TENNESSEE. CURRENTLY HE IS CHAIRMAN OF THE JURISPRUDENCE COMMITTEE AND RITUAL COMMITTEE. HE IS GRAND REPRESENATIVE TO THE GRAND CHAPTER OF MAINE. DURING THE YEARS 2005-2008 HE SERVED AS AMBASSADOR TO THE GENERAL GRAND CHAPTER ROYAL ARCH MASONS INTERNATIONAL.

COMPANION VAN TASSELL WAS GREETED IN MILLINGTON COUNCIL NO. 131 IN APRIL 1986 AND WAS ELECTED ILLUSTRIOUS MASTER AND RECEIVED THE ORDER OF THE SILVER TROWEL IN 1994. HE SERVED SEVERAL YEARS AS RECORDER. IN 2000 HE SERVED AS ILLUSTRIOUS KING OF TENNESSEE COUNCIL OF ANOINTED KINGS. HE IS GRAND REPRESENATIVE TO THE GRAND COUNCIL OF MAINE.

SIR KNIGHT VAN TASSELL WAS KNIGHTED IN MILLINGTON COMMANDERY NO. 39 ON APRIL 19, 1986 AND SERVED AS COMMANDER AND WAS MADE A KNIGHT CRUSADER OF THE CROSS IN 1992. HE IS A PAST COMMANDER OF MEMPHIS ASYLUM #1, ORDER OF KNIGHT COMMANDERS. HE SERVED SEVERAL YEARS AS RECORDER. IN 1994 HE SERVED THE GRAND COMMANDERY AS GRAND STANDARD BEARER. HE SERVED ON THE RITUAL COMMITTEE NUMEROUS YEARS AND IN 2005 SERVED AS KNIGHT CRUSADER OF THE CROSS. HE was GRAND REPRESENATIVE TO THE GRAND COMMANDERY OF CONNECTICUT.

BROTHER VAN TASSELL IS A PAST GOVERNOR OF WEST TENNESSEE YORK RITE COLLEGE NO. 141 AND RECEIVED THE ORDER OF THE PURPLE CROSS IN 1993 AND SERVED AS SECRETARY NUMEROUS YEARS. HE IS PAST PRESIDENT OF THE WEST TENNESSEE YORK RITE ASSOCIATION. A PAST EXCELLENT CHIEF OF TRALEE COUNCIL NO. 41, KNIGHT MASONS AND SERVED SEVERAL YEARS AS SCRIBE. HE RECEIVED THE KCZ AWARD AND IS CURRENTY GRAND SUPERINTENDANT IN WEST TENNESSEE FOR THE KNIGHT MASONS OF THE U.S.A. HE IS A PAST SOVEREIGN MASTER OF EMERAL ISLE COUNCIL NO.346, ALLIED MASONIC DEGREES AND SERVED AS ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT 2015 & 2016; A MEMBER OF THE ROYAL ORDER OF SCOTLAND, THE TENNESSEE COLLEGE, SOCIETAS ROSICRUCIANA IN CIVITATIBUS FOEDERATIS, GRADE 8; A MEMBER OF TALL CEDARS OF LEBANON, FOREST NO. 195 & 213. A LIFE MEMBER OF WEST TENNESSEE DEMOLAY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION. A MEMBER AND SERVED AS SOVEREIGN OF ST STEPHENS CONCLAVE, RED CROSS OF CONSTANTINE IN 2008. CURRENTLY SERVING AS INTENDANT GENERAL OF TENNESSEE; HE IS ALSO A MEMBER OF MILLINGTON CHAPTER NO.385, ORDER OF THE EASTERN STAR AND SERVED AS WORTHY PATRON IN 1996. HE IS A MEMBER OF THE TENNESSEE LODGE OF RESEARCH. AND A MEMBER OF ZAMAN GROTTO. HE IS A MEMBER AND PAST PRIOR OF TENNESSEE PRIORY #15 KNIGHT YORK GRAND CROSS OF HONOR.

BROTHER VAN TASSELL RECEIVED HIS SCOTTISH RITE DEGREES IN THE VALLEY OF MEMPHIS IN APRIL 1987; HE IS A MEMBER OF SHELBY AND TIPTON COUNTIES SCOTTISH RITE CLUBS. HE IS PAST PRESIDENT OF SHELBY COUNTY SCOTTISH RITE CLUB. HE WAS AWARDED KNIGHT COMMANDER COURT OF HONOR IN NOVEMBER 1993 AND CORONETTED A 33rd DEGREE MASON IN CHARLESTON, S.C. IN OCTOBER 2001. HE SERVED AS WISE MASTER, MEMPHIS CHAPTER ROSE CROIX AND IS A MEMBER OF THE DIRECTORS STAFF. HE IS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE FOUNDATION BOARD

NOBLE VAN TASSELL ENTERED AL CHYMIA SHRINE ON AUGUST 21, 1987; SERVED AS PRESIDENT OF THE AL CHYMIA PAST MASTERS IN 1996. CURRENTLY HE IS A MEMBER OF THE HOSPITAL STAFF AND COMMANDER OF THE LEGION OF HONOR FOR 2005. A MEMBER OF THE ORDER OF QUETZALCOATL, TEOCALI NO 96 AND MEMPHIS COURT #130, ROYAL ORDER OF JESTERS. (DEMITTED IN 2008). HE IS CO-CHAIRMAN OF THE BOOSTERS LUNCHEON CLUB.