Robert L. Goldsmith was born on January 19th, 1931 in Malden, Massachusetts. He attended the Public
Schools in the City and graduated from Malden High School
in 1949. He joined the National Guard when he was eighteen years old and served
for over twelve years. He attended the
Forestdale Community
Church in Malden and has maintained that membership.
He moved to Melbourne, Florida in
1953 and in 1957 married Evelyn Claire Meadows. They had three children; two
daughters, Roxie and Robin and one son Robert Lee. They have seven
grandchildren, and one great grandson. Evelyn passed away on August 30, 1991 of
cancer.
On July 30, 1999 he married his
lovely wife and constant companion, Joan, and made the move to Jacksonville,
Florida where they reside.
He started his business career in
1956 owning 2 gasoline stations and 1958 he formed Harbor City Oil Company,
Inc., and retired on July 1, 2001.
During his many years in Melbourne
he served as the Director of the Eau Gallie Chamber of Commerce, an Officer in
the Eau Gallie Lions Club and as a member of the Rotary Club of Eau Gallie. He
was one of the original sponsors of the Eau Gallie Midget Football League. He
served on the Police Auxiliary for five years and then as a full time Policeman
on the Eau Gallie Police Department.
His membership in Masonic
affiliated organizations are many and he has served in the following capacities
through the years: he petitioned Harbor City Lodge #318 F. &A.M. and was raised
to the sublime Degree of Master Mason on December 10th, 1969. He
served as Worshipful Master in 1973. He is a Life Member of the Master and
Wardens Association of that District and served as Chairman in 1973.
He is a member of the Ancient and
Accepted Scottish Rite Bodies, Valley of Lake Worth,
receiving the 32° in May of 1970. In
1976 he served as Master of Ceremonies in the Lodge of Perfection. In 1977 as
Master of Ceremonies in the Chapter of Rose Croix. In 1978 as Master of
Ceremonies in the Council of Kadosh and also a member of the Executive
Committee. In 1979 he served as Chancellor in the Council of Kadosh, in 1980 as
1st Lt. Commander in the Council of Kadosh and in 1981 as Commander
in the Council of Kadosh and also a member of the Executive Committee. In 1982
he severed as Minister of State in the Lake Worth Consistory and in 1983 he
served as Preceptor in the Consistory and in 1985 he served as Venerable Master
of Kadosh and again as a Member of the Executive Committee. In 1987 he was
again elected to serve as a Member of the Executive Committee.
He was invested with the Rank and
Decoration of Knight Commander of the Court of Honour in 1977 and on December 10th,
1983, he was Coroneted an Inspector General Honorary 33°.
He is a member of the Spaceport Scottish Rite Club, having served as both
Secretary and President.
He is a Life Member of the York
Rite Bodies of Cocoa, Indian River Chapter No. 27 R.A.M., Hiram Council No. 13
R. &S.M. and Brevard Commandery No. 24 K.T., and Honorary Member of Melbourne
Chapter No. 59, R.A.M., Melbourne Council No. 38 R. &S.M. and Melbourne
Commandery No. 41, K.T., and also in the York Rite Sovereign College of North
America having membership in John B. Phelps York Rite College No. 31.
He is a Charter Member of Space
Coast Council of Knight Masons of the United States of America; a member of Cape
Canaveral Chapter No. 366, National Sojourners; a member of the Royal Order of
Scotland and also a member of Saint Sebastian Conclave of the Red Cross of
Constantine; a Life Member of Sesame Grotto, M.O.V.P.E.R., of Polk County,
Lakeland, Florida; a member of Azan Temple A.A.O.N.M.S., Melbourne, Florida and
a Life Member of the Past Masters Unit. He is also an Honorary Life Member of
Hadji Temple A.A.O.N.M.S. in Pensacola, Amara Temple A.A.O.N.M.S. in Palm Beach,
and Sahib Temple A.A.O.N.M.S. in Sarasota; a member of the Royal Order of
Jesters, Court No. 188, in Melbourne, Florida.
He received the Grand Cross of
Color of the Order of Rainbow for Girls in 1973 and received the DeMolay Legion
of Honor in 1981. On May 3, 1988 he was
elected an Honorary Member of the International Supreme Council – Order of
DeMolay.
In 1975 he served as the Grand
Lodge Masonic Youth Activities Committee, raising over $3,000.00 for the Masonic
Youth by selling “Easy” pins (encourage and support youth).
He served as Grand Marshal of the
Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Florida in 1976.
In 1977 and again in 1979 he served
as Vice-Chairman of the Grand Lodge Masonic Youth Activities Committee.
In 1978 he served as District
Deputy Grand Master in the 23rd Masonic District.
In 1980 and 1981 he served on the
Board of Trustees of the Masonic Home of Florida and in 1982 he served as
Chairman of the Board of Trustees
At the 151st Annual Grand
Communication held in Orlando in April of 1980, he was elected to the Office of
Junior Grand Warden, elected Senior Grand Warden in 1981, elected Deputy Grand
Master in 1982 and Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Florida in
May of 1983.
Continuing to serve the Grand Lodge
of Florida, he served as Chairman of the Jurisprudence Committee in May 1984 and
as Chairman of the Appendant and Allied Orders Committee in May of 1985. In May
of 1986 he was appointed Chairman of the Digest Committee and in May of 1987, in
1990, and in 1991 and also in 1993 he was appointed Chairman of the
Jurisprudence Committee of the Grand Lodge of Florida. In 1994 he served for
the next year as the Vice-Chairman of the Jurisprudence Committee.
On May 3rd, 1989 he was
appointed Deputy of the Supreme Council (Mother Supreme Council of the World) of
the Thirty-Third and Last Degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of
Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A., in the Orient of Florida.
On October 13th, 1989 he
was unanimously elected Sovereign Grand Inspector General in Florida and on
October 18th, 1989 was Crowned an Active Member of the Supreme
Council, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of the Southern Jurisdiction,
U.S.A. The Grand Commander Honored him further by appointing him to four
important committees, the Benevolence and Fraternal Assistance Committee, the
Jurisprudence and Legislation Committee, the Visitations – Foreign and Domestic
Committee and the Nominations Committee.
In 1991 he was appointed the
Supreme Council’s Representative to the Supreme Council in the Republic of Cuba,
and in 1999 he was also appointed Representative to the Supreme Council in the
Country of Slovenia, after having traveled there to assist in the installation
of the first Officers of The Supreme Council of Slovenia.
In March of 1993 he was appointed
as the Chairman of the Jurisprudence and Legislation Committee of The Supreme
Council and continues to serve in that position, in October 1993, he was
appointed the Grand Orator of The Supreme Council and served until October
2003. At the Supreme Council Meeting in October 2003, he was elected The Grand
Minister of State of The Supreme Council.
In March of 2003 he was appointed
as Chairman of the Committee on Benevolence and Fraternal Assistance.
At the Supreme Council Meeting in October 2005, he
was elected Grand Prior of the Supreme Council.
For his
outstanding merits for Freemasonry and the Scottish Rite, Illustrious Robert L.
Goldsmith 33° was conferred with the "GRAND CROSS of HONOR" in the Valley of
Ljublana, Slovenia, on June 7th, 2005.
The title, the honor, and the privleges of "HONORARY
MEMBER" OF the Supreme Council for Slovenia was conferred upon Illustrious
Robert L. Goldsmith 33° on March 24, 2007.
He serves as President of the
Scottish Rite Foundation of Florida, U.S.A., Inc. which has a budget of $700,000
and sponsors and helps in the financing of 12 Childhood Language Disorders
Clinics through-out the Orient of Florida.
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