In Memoriam
Date of Passing:
Saturday, March 27, 2010Donald G. Nowak, 87, of Jamesville, NY, passed away on March 27. Donald was born in Hempstead, New York, to Thomas Hogg of Galachiels, Scotland, and Alvina Groll Hogg of New York City. After his parents’ deaths when Donald was an infant, family friends, Charles and Emily Nowak, adopted him. He was raised in Dayton Ohio, where he attended Madison Township High School. Donald attended the University of Dayton and Miami University (OH), where he was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity and football team.
Donald served as a quartermaster, 3rd Class (LC), V-6 in the U.S. Navy in WWII. During his naval training in Wooster, Ohio, he met his future wife, Aileen M. Burlingham. After the service he began his career in the Advertising Production Department of McCall’s Magazine in Dayton, Ohio. After their marriage in 1946, Donald and Aileen moved to Syracuse, New York, where Donald worked in the Advertising Production Department of the Barlow Advertising Agency. He moved into account management at the Fellows Advertising Agency and with partner Bart Chapman founded Chapman-Nowak & Associates in 1951. In 1971 Donald formed his own agency, D.G. Nowak & Associates. Over the years he purchased several agencies in the Central New York area. Seeing potential for business with state agencies, he purchased one of the leading agencies in Albany and renamed the firm Nowak Voss in 1974. In 1979 Donald purchased the Barlow Johnson Agency, which also had offices in Syracuse and Albany, becoming Nowak Barlow Johnson.
Donald was an active member of many professional, civic and social organizations. He was vice chair of the board of directors and chair of the Convention Bureau of the Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce; president of Dewitt Kiwanis Club; and was a member of Advertising, Marketing International Network (AMIN); American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA); and the Syracuse Press Club. He was president of the Erie Canal Museum, Upstate Heart Association and the S.P.C.A.; chairman of the board of directors of the NYS Heart Association; a trustee of the Discovery Center of Science and Technology and Visiting Nurses Association; and a member of the Central New York Republican Finance Committee.
He was a volunteer firefighter in the DeWitt Fire Department. He served on the board of directors for the Onondaga Golf and Country Club; was a governor of the Century Club; president of the Syracuse Sigma Chi Alumni Club; and a member of the Syracuse Golf Bandits and Masons, 32nd Degree; Fayetteville Lodge F&A.M.; Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite; Tigris Temple; Royal Order of Jesters.
Donald was a member of DeWitt Community Church. Donald is survived by his wife of 64 years, Aileen M. (Burlingham) Nowak; his son, Tim Nowak of DeWitt; daughter, Donna (Paul) Nowak-Hughes of Albany; and granddaughter, Amanda Nowak of DeWitt.
Contributions may be made in lieu of flowers to the SPCA, 5878 East Molloy Rd., Mattydale, NY 13211.
In Memoriam
Date of Passing:
Wednesday, March 3, 2010Charles A. Gray died March 3, 2010, at Francis House. He was born in Syracuse, New York, on September 16, 1928, son of Charles William and Elizabeth Marie (Koch) Gray.
Charles was educated in Solvay public schools through his freshman year in high school. He attended Southside High Schoool in Elmira, New York, for his sophomore and junior years. He attended Syracuse Central High School in Syracuse, New York, for his senior year. After graduation from high school, he attended various courses of the American Institute of Banking, receiving certification of AIB in 1958. Later he attended and graduated from the N.A.B.A.C. School for bank auditors and comptrollers at the University of Wisconsin in Madison in 1961. He became a certified internal auditor (CIA) in 1962. He was appointed NYS director of the Bank Administration Institute 1970-72. He began his banking career with Merchants National Bank & Trust Company in 1946. Initially he was in the proof department, then the bookkeeping department and became a teller. He transferred to the comptroller’s department and was appointed auditor. Later he was elected vice president and auditor (the youngest officer of Merchants Bank). Merchants Bank and Irving Trust Company started a bank holding company known as Charter New York Corporation. Charter New York Corporation changed its structure and became Irving Bank Corporation. Charles was named regional bank auditor and was responsible for the internal auditing of Irving Banks in Rochester, Syracuse, Endicott, Hancock, Moravia, Clinton and Lake Placid. The Bank of New York obtained Irving Bank Corporation in a hostile takeover, and Gray retired after over 40 years in banking.
He was predeceased by his parents, C. William Gray and Elizabeth M. Gray. Charles is survived by his sister, Doris (John) Henderson of Camillus; brother, C. William (Joan) Gray Jr. of Geneva, Illinois; and several nieces and nephews. Gray was a member of First English Lutheran Church in Syracuse, serving as church school treasurer for over 20 years. He was elected a member of the church board of trustees as the youngest ever at First English Lutheran. He served as treasurer of the Lutheran Society of Onondaga County and treasurer of the Lutheran Student Foundation at Syracuse University. He currently was a member and attended Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Fayetteville, New York. In 1966 the New York State Synod split into the Metropolitan and Upper New York synods. Charles was elected treasurer of the Upper New York Synod. The Upper New York Synod includes all Lutheran churches in New York state except for Metropolitan New York City. In 1987 the Lutheran Church in American reorganized, and the Upper New York Synod became Upstate New York Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and Charles continued to serve as treasurer until 2002. He was founding director and treasurer of the Lutheran Foundation of Upper New York. In 2009 the foundation was closed and the directors became the Investment Committee of the Upstate New York Synod.
Charles was initiated a member of Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity at Syracuse University in 1962 and served as financial advisor to the Sigma Nu Chapter at Syracuse until 1998. On August 2, 1987, the Coulter Cup was presented to Charles A. Gray. This award is presented annually by the fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta to “the graduate brother who is judged to have provided the most exceptionally outstanding service to an undergraduate chapter based upon length of service, brotherhood, dependability, integrity and high moral character.” He was president of the Interfraternity Council at Syracuse University 1980-83. Other positions held were president of the Central New York Chapter of the Bank Administration Institute 1970-72. He was a member of the Central New York Chapter Insitute of Internal Auditors and president 1985-1986. Gray had been a member of the Lions Club for over 40 years. He was a charter member of the University-Drumlins Lions Club from 1962, serving as treasurer except for two years (1973-75) that he served as president. He was presently a member of the Eastwood Lions Club.
Charles A. Gray was raised a Master Mason in Syracuse Lodge No. 501, F.&A.M. on May 21, 1964. He served as master from 1978-79 and treasurer until the merger with Liverpool Lodge No. 525. The Meritorious Service Award of the New York Council of Deliberation was conferred June 14, 1982. He served as treasurer of the Valley of Syracuse, Central City Bodies, for over 40 years. Charles was created a Sovereign Grand Inspector General, 33rd-degree honorary member of Supreme Council of the Northern Jurisdiction of the United States of America on September 28, 1999, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. He was a member of Tigris Temple, A.A.O.N.M.S., and currently served on the Finance Committee. Since October 21, 1989, he had been a member of Court 79, Royal Order of Jesters. He also held dual memberships in Memorial Lodge No. 648 F.&A.M. in North Syracuse and Liverpool Syracuse Lodge No. 501 in Liverpool, New York. Gray held membership in Central City Riverside Chapter 70, Royal Arch Masons. Charles was a member of the Masonic Veterans Association and Knights of St. Andrew.
Charles had owned the family summer cottage at Brantingham Lake since 1955. He wrote A History of Brantingham in 1998 and an updated edition in 2008; also The History of Brantingham Inn and Golf Course in 2007.
Funeral service will be 10 a.m. Thursday at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Fayetteville, NY.
Those attending may gather in Fellowship Hall after the service for a light lunch and to meet the family. Burial will follow in Woodlawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in memory of Charles for their memorial fund or to the 32nd-degree Masonic Learning Center for children with dyslexia, P.O. Box 638, 8280 State Route 69, Oriskany, NY 13424.
The Friendly Word
Our “Recruitment and Retention” campaign continues to produce results with more inquiries coming in than ever before. Many of these inquiries are being followed up with petitions for membership, and we hope to be initiating a new class before we go dark for the summer. Special thanks go out to our Senior Warden Kevin Razawich for his efforts with the website and social networking connections, as well as his fine work in conferring the Fellowcraft degree at our lodge. Membership committee chairman Bob Bowles has been magnificent in his follow up with inquiries we receive through the website and emails. Thank you both for making our campaign a huge success!
Speaking of social networking….our lodge now has a Facebook page and a Facebook group. If you are unfamiliar with facebook.com, it is a social networking site that has grown exponentially since its inception and has millions of members. The more “friends” and “members” we get on our pages, the more powerful our presence will be. Please visit and join by going to facebook.com and search Liverpool-Syracuse Masons. It will take you to both the page and group. You can leave a message, watch video, or just read the latest words from your fellow member Masons.
Please join us for our Master Mason Degree on April 5th. We will be having our 3rd degree practice at our March 15th meeting to make it easy to participate. We can always use more help…..come and be a craftsman or take a speaking part. If you have never participated in a Master Mason degree this is your chance to experience the degree in a new and rewarding way.
Our lodge will be busy hosting the Liverpool Village Easter Egg Hunt this spring. It is an annual event that draws more and more families every year. If you would like to participate or help out at the event check our website for details.
Our education initiative for new and existing brothers continues as a part of our retention effort and is aimed at educating our new brothers in the symbolism, history and etiquette of our fraternity as well as introducing them to the duties of the officers. If your lodge would like to have new Brothers attend we would be happy to accommodate them.
For a complete schedule please check our website www.syracusemasons.com.
Exciting changes are underway at our lodge. We are spreading the beneficent influence of Masonry in the lodge, out in the community, and on the web. We encourage each of you to come back to Blue Lodge and be a part of our rebirth into the twenty-first century. We are redesigning our methods to grow the Fraternity in a new digital world and we need both your help and ideas.
The Friendly Word
Our “Recruitment and Retention” campaign is in full swing and we are beginning to see some results. It looks like we will have as many as twelve candidates to put through the first degree in December. If you haven’t been to lodge in a while, we could really use your help. It is great to be able to have this many new brothers come in, and we want to have enough Masons to put on a spectacular degree.
Our lodge kicked off our retention campaign with a lively, open discussion in lodge. A special committee was formed to recommend changes in our retention practices to keep new brothers coming back, and to get existing brothers to come back again. This committee will report at our next meeting and we will adopt new methods of dealing with our newest brothers. We are excited about experimenting with change and improving our membership retention. We must also recognize that new ideas don’t mean much if they are not implemented and executed with enthusiasm and responsibility.
I am still asking our members to distribute our campaign materials around the community and the Central New York area. If you need more materials please feel free to call me. I would be happy to put together more materials for whatever you may need. If you were not at the recruitment meeting and would like to become a part of the effort please call me and I will get a materials package out to you. Remember ….this is a viral campaign….no billboards, TV or radio. It is up to each of us to do our part to get the materials in front of the public. We hope the campaign will drive interested parties to the website where they can view our video, learn more about the fraternity and our lodge, and even download a petition for membership.
Look to our website for updates and news. It is totally redesigned for easier access and better navigation. We have a great web presence for those seeking out information on Masonry and also a great resource for our members. Please visit our online home at www.syracusemansons.com or our interesting historical website at www.omdhs.syracusemasons.com.
This is a year of change at our lodge. If we all participate with an open mind, a passion for innovation, and the enthusiasm we all felt when we became new Masons…success is inevitable. Although change can be daunting, it is long in coming and badly needed. Let us be the Masons who take responsibility, lead with the needed changes, and keep the Fraternity thriving into the 21st Century.
The Friendly Word
Greetings from the east my brothers. This is a very exciting time for our Lodge as we will be kicking off new programs and tools to provide information, which will position us for success in the coming year and beyond.
Special thanks goes out to Senior Warden Kevin Razowich for his exhaustive redesign of our website. We receive many visitors on our site, and moving forward this will be our main resource for potential petitioners to learn about us and petition our lodge for membership. The home page now has a video message that plays automatically to every visitor. My hope is that this will make our home page more dynamic, and it will be updated often to inform visitors of what we are doing in the community. If you haven’t visited our site yet we encourage you to explore…. www.syracusemansons.com.
In October we will kick off a new effort to recruit and retain brothers for our Lodge. We will introduce the new website, new marketing materials, and a new viral marketing campaign. We will also be introducing our involvement in the Mark Twain Award competition and what we hope to achieve. This effort will be this years’ main focus, to rebuild our membership and improve lodge attendance. I humbly ask that each brother take it upon himself to become involved in this effort. We need strong work in the quarries to rebuild our temple….If there ever was a time to step up, this is it. Please make every effort to attend lodge and become involved. The future of your lodge depends on it.
We are at a crucial point in our history as a Fraternity. It is up to us to reinvent our approach to the craft, modernize our public relations efforts, and further tradition by updating our recruitment methods. If you get involved, I promise you a lot of fun and great results. This is our chance to become a lodge that can lead Masonry into the 21st Century.
