PAUL N. CROSS GRAND MASTER OF MASONS OF MICHIGAN
Paul N. Cross was elected and installed as the Grand Master of Michigan Masonsat the 175’h Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge, on May 23, 2001 , in Traverse City. Most Worshipful Brother Paul is a member of Dearborn Lodge, No. 172, in Dearborn, Michigan.
Brother Paul was born in Windsor, Ontario, on May 28, 1955. He moved with his family to Michigan in June of 1966, graduated from Southfield Lathrup High School, Wayne State University, and Macomb Community College.
He served his country in the 101 •• Airborne Division and his community as a Police Officer and Firefighter until being retired due to a duty related injury in 1990. He is a licensed Private Detective, and is currently working as the Director of Security Operations for a multi-State security and Investigations firm.
Brother Paul started his Masonic Career in Berkley Lodge No. 536, being entered as an Apprentice on October 10, 1977, passed a Fellowcraft on November 21,1977, and raised a Master Mason on January 23, 1978. Shortly afterward, Brother Paul was appointed a Steward of the Lodge, and a member of the DeMo lay Advisory Board. He served the Lodge as an Officer, and the DeMolay Chapter as an Advisor,or the next nine years, serving as Master of the Lodge in 1986, and as Dad Advisor from 1983 to 1986, when the Chapter closed.
By this time, Brother Paul had become active at the state level, his father, Tom, having been elected to the Grand Lodge Line in 1984. Traveling with Brother Tom gave Paul an opportunity to expand his horizons Masonically, and he learned to love traveling to Lodges throughout the State of Michigan, and seeing how different areas were affected by different problems, requiring different solutions.
As he continued his journey, Brother Paul was appointed to various Grand Lodge committees, and served the Parade committee from its inception in 1984 to his election to Grand Lodge in 1996, on the Juvenile Diabetes committee from 1988 to1996, when he served as Chairman.
He also served as the assistant to the Grand Secretary at the Grand Lodge sessions for 11 years, Chairman of Grand Lodge Arrangements, and the Speaker’s Bureau, and has been the Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge, Ancient Free & Accepted Masons of Scotland near the Grand Lodge of Michigan since 1990.
Brother Paul is an Honorary Member of Southfield-Tuebor Lodge No. 573, Lapeer Lodge No. 54, Lake City Lodge No. 408, and Coloma Lodge No. 162. He has received the Grand Cross of Color (Rainbow), the York Rite Gold Honor award, and was Mason of the Year for Berkley Lodge No. 536 in 1993.
He served the Masonic Master’s Association as Sheriff in 1985, First Vice President in 1986, and Chaplain in 1996. He has also served Berkley-Highland Park Chapter No. 483, OES twice as Patron, Aries Grotto, MOVPER as Monarch, and has been an advisor to Berkley Assembly No. 46 and Van Dyke Assembly No. 69, Order of Rainbow, and Berkley Chapter and Frank A. Marshall Chapter, Order of DeMolay. He was named Assembly Dad in Berkley Rainbow twice, and is currently a Rainbow State Official. He is also a member of Royal Oak Chapter, RAM, Scottish Rite Bodies, Valley of Detroit, and the Michigan Lodge of Research and Information.
Brother Paul has been married to his wife Jan for 26 years, and they have two sons, Brandon and Shaun. Both sons are Senior DeMolays and members of Dearborn Lodge, and both continue in the family tradition of service, Brandon as a Paramedic, and Shaun as a member of the US Coast Guard.
Brother Paul feels that Freemasonry has a strong future in Michigan, once we fully adopt the principles of Masonic Renewal provided through Acacia+. The Beacon Project, the most visible aspect of Renewal, gives every member a chance to contribute to the future of our state and our craft by helping the children that represent our future.
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