by KIM HILSENBECK
With titles like Grand Royal & Most Ancient Matron and Grand Sovereign of Stars, one might think the holder of those titles is a hoity toitey person.
But Tommie Chambers, 65, of Kyle, is just as humble and kind as they come.
A member of the Masons since age 18, Chambers, an Austin native, carries on the family tradition.
“My father was a Mason,” she said. “I’ve been in Masonry my whole life.”
These days, she is part of both the International and Accepted Masons and the Order of Eastern Stars. She is trying to revive the Kyle/Hays County chapter and already has several members. She said she also belonged to the Prince Hall Order for a while.
Over the years, Chambers rose to the near highest levels of the Masonic organization, which combined with the Order of Eastern Stars a few years back. Both are said to be “secret” because they generally do not discuss what happens in their order with anyone outside the group.
But Chambers said Masons and Eastern Stars are service organizations of a religious nature. She touched on some of the actions of the local chapters of which she is or was a member.
“We do a lot. We’re part of the Shriners. We go to nursing home facilities, we care for people, we do community type stuff to help the elderly, we raise money for the children’s hospital in Memphis,” she said.
St. Jude?
“Yes, that’s the one,” she replied.
She recently recalled how she learned about the Masons many years ago.
“My father had a car problem one time when I was little girl,” she said. “He got out and gave a sign [to passing drivers]. Cars started stopping.”
Here Chambers sounds incredulous about the incident. She wondered what the sign was all about and how those other men knew to stop.
“One of them came over to my dad and said, ‘Yes, brother, what can I help you with?’ He wasn’t a brother of color, you know,” Chambers said. “They were white men.”
She said one of the men took her father into Houston to get a part for the car. Two more men stopped to help install it.
When her father asked what he owed, Chambers said the men told him, “You owe me nothing, brother.”
Chambers was intrigued. Her neighbor back then was an Eastern Star.
“She told me about the order but said, ‘Just don’t talk about it with anyone,’” Chambers said with a little giggle.
The whole concept fascinated her.
“I joined when I was 18 years old,” she said.
She remained in that order well over 20 years. It’s been 12 years with the new order.
How did those men way back when know her father was a Mason?
“When you get into this order, you will know how to define a mason and a star. You will know them,” she said.
Chambers said years ago, the Masons and Eastern Stars were less integrated racially when she started.
“It was kind of segregated. Then it started branching off – people of all colors, race and creed,” she said.
Part of what she does for the Order of the Eastern Stars is attend conferences. This former employment supervisor for the Texas Workforce Commission, who is now both retired and on disability, travels to places like Delaware, Arkansas and Ohio.
“We have members in every state,” she said. “Florida is the largest.”
Next month July 13-20 Chambers heads to Buffalo, NY, for the Supreme Convention. She may return with another title to add to her growing list: Auxiliary Rose.
If she is inducted to the Auxiliary Rose, she’ll wear a white dress with a red coat.
“That’s as high as you can go,” she said. “It’s the equivalent of a 33rd order Mason.”
