Table of Contents

Freemasonry — Our Way Of Life

Down through the course of history,
Our gentle Craft of Masonry
Has always sought to give the light
To those who seek — and, it is bright;

Each man, of his free will, must ask
Before we help him with his task;
Then step by step, or pace by pace,
Through each degree, our rites we trace,

To learn the lessons, and the rules,
And understand our working tools.
These do develop, in each mind,
The great, good truths of mankind.

Our way of life, this brotherhood,
We are convinced, works for the good;
Then, as we live and learn and work,
We learn to share — and never shirk.

And 'cross the land, or over the sea,
Brother will, for Brother, be,
Because we share a common bond,
And have our duty to respond.

Should trouble come, or real distress,
Of course we'll help — we can't do less.
Our Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth
Are part of life, and not just sooth.

We're proud of this great, ancient band;
Let's work, to make it super grand!

from The Royal Arch Magazine, Spring 1990

Tyge E. Irskens (1930-2006)

Worshipful Master, 1990
Woodland Hills Lodge No.811, F.&A.M.

Lucile K. Irskens writes:

The poet was my late husband, Tyge E. Irskens, who died March 9, 2006. You are welcome to use the poem.

Tyge was born Dec. 19, 1930 in Lancaster, OH, and lived his early life in Ohio. He became a Master Mason Feb. 19, 1980 in Columbus, Ohio, in the David H. Kinsman #617 lodge. In California, he joined Scottish Rite in Los Angeles, CA in 1987. He became a Shriner in Tucson, Arizona, in 1996.

Until he retired in 1990, he was employed in the aerospace industry as a subcontracts administrator, primarily with Lockheed Martin.

In 1996, we retired to Tucson, where we were married in 1955. We had two children — daughter Lisa who resides in Hermosa Beach, CA and our son Tyge II, who unforunately died in 2000 at the age of 36. There are 3 grandchildren in Indiana.