Illustrious Brother Cline was
born November 23, 1924, in Clinton, Indiana, the
son of George and Edith (Whippo) Cline. He
passed away January 20, 2009. He was 84.
Illustrious Brother Cline was raised to the
sublime degree of Master Mason in Russell Lodge
#154 in Georgetown, March 1, 1966. He served as
Worshipful Master in 1970-71, and District
Deputy Grand Master, 1971-84. He was a Grand
Lecturer and Past Grand Organist of the Grand
Lodge of Illinois. He was an Honorary Member of
several Lodges in the Georgetown area due to the
vast amount of Degree work he did.
Illustrious Brother Cline became a 32° Sublime
Prince of the Royal Secret, Ancient Accepted
Scottish Rite, in the Valley of Danville in the
Fall of 1966, as a member of the “Class of
Exemplars”. He served as Sovereign Prince of the
Walter A. Stevens Council Princes of Jerusalem,
1985-86. Brother Cline was coroneted a 33°
Mason, Honorary Member of the Supreme Council,
on September 27, 1988.
Illustrious Brother Cline was a member of Ansar
Shrine and the York Rite Bodies of Danville. He
was a recipient of the Knight York Cross of
Honor, a Past Grand Governor of the York Rite
College, and served the Grand Commandery as
Eminent Grand Organist, 1987-88. He also held
memberships in the GAO Grotto, VFW, and was a
Past President of the Illiana Organaires. He
attended the Trinity United Church of Christ and
Central Park Church of Christ.
Illustrious Brother Cline graduated from Clinton
High School and served in the United States Air
Force during WWII. After returning from the war,
he worked four years for the Rock Island
Railroad and thirty-four years with the C. &
E.I. Railroad where he was a telegrapher, clerk,
and train dispatcher. He also owned and operated
Cline Motor Clinic for twenty-three years. He
enjoyed working on cars and playing music for
local nursing homes and churches. He also
repaired and donated organs for groups and
organizations that were in need of them.
Illustrious Brother Cline married Betty J.
Wilfong on December 23, 1942. She preceded him
in death on April 4, 2005. He is survived by
four sons, one daughter, and numerous
grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was
preceded in death by his wife, one son, and two
brothers.
A celebration of life will be held at 10 am on
Saturday, January 24, 2009, at Sunset Funeral
Home in Danville. Burial will follow at Sunset
Memorial Park. Visitation will be at the funeral
home from 2 to 8 pm on Friday, January 23, 2009,
with a Masonic Service at 7:30 pm. Memorial
donations may be made to the American Heart
Association.
Thus ends the record of a just and upright
Mason. So mote it be.
Jackson Cline