Please introduce yourself. Tell us your name, where you’re from, how long you’ve been an Ohio Mason, your home Lodge, and any positions you may hold today.
My name is Charles “Charlie” Murphy, and I’m from the 11th Masonic District in Northwest Ohio. I joined Genoa Lodge #433 in 1991 and am still a proud endowed member of that Lodge today. I have served the Lodge in almost every progressive officer chair at one time or another, as well as Secretary and Chaplain. I am currently serving the lodge as its Senior Warden for the 2023-2024 Masonic year.
How did you find Freemasonry?
My father-in-law, WB Donald Harrington introduced me to Freemasonry. I greatly respected him and wanted to be more like him. He was also a very active Shriner, and I asked him what it would take for me to become a Shriner like him. It was that question that started me on the path of one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.
What initially kept you coming back to Lodge?
The brotherhood of the fraternity and the acceptance of my brothers is what keeps me coming back. I never had a brother growing up, and I always relish the opportunity to spend time with my Masonic brothers, sharing the brotherhood. My tenure as a Grand Lodge officer also afforded me the opportunity to see that other opportunities were out there just waiting to be explored. I take pride in the Masonic Bulletin, a monthly publication of which I am Editor, the Royal Scofield Society where I currently serve as Dean, and Shriners Hospitals for Children, where I currently serve as Chairman of the Board of Shriners Children’s in Erie.
The opportunities are there for brothers to explore; we sometimes just have to recognize that they are there for all of us.
Other than serving as Grand Master, what is something you’re proud of in your Masonic journey?
The proudest moment I’ve had as a Freemason was when my son, Price, asked for a petition. I was able to raise him to the degree of Master Mason along with my father-in-law, and it was a very proud moment for all three of us. Although my father-in-law sadly passed away several years ago, it was a bond we shared that we never would have had without Freemasonry.
Is there someone you’ve met that inspired you to be a better man and Mason? Tell us about them.
There was not some one person in particular who inspired me to be a better man and Mason along the way; rather, it’s been everyone. Whenever one meets brothers, whether for the first time or if it’s someone you’ve known for years, it becomes obvious how important our fraternity is. It’s important to us individually, to each other and to our communities. If meeting like-minded men isn’t an inspiration in itself, then nothing is.
Is there anything else about your time as Grand Master you would like to share?
My tenure as a Grand Lodge Officer was one of the most rewarding periods of my life, because it gave my wife and me the ability to travel across the state and beyond, together, meeting brothers, sisters and their families with whom we may never otherwise have become acquainted. Sadly, my wife Zoellen passed away in 2021, but the memories we generated together – as a team – will last with me forever.
Read our other interview with past Grand Master Bro. Braatz!