M. W. Brother John Lloyd Guss was born in Mifflin, Pennsylvania, April 2, 1888. He was the son of George Irving Guss and Rebecca Jane Leach. He came to Toledo, Ohio as a young man and became a successful salesman. He continued to live in Toledo until his retirement a few years ago when he moved to Defiance, Ohio.
On November 18, 1907 he was united in marriage to Miss Lizzie Pool, to this marriage two sons and one daughter were born. On December 17, 1950 he married Bessie Leninger Sullinger.
Illustrious Brother Guss was raised a Master Mason in Lotus Lodge No. 625, F. &. A. M., Toledo, Ohio, and became a Charter member of Port Lawrence Lodge No. 685, F. & A. M. of Toledo, Ohio, over which he served as Worshipful Master in the year of 1942-43. He was appointed District Deputy Grand Master of Ohio for the years 1944-45-46, and served as Grand Master of Masons in Ohio in 1953-54.
He was a member of Port Lawrence Chapter No. 176, R. A. M., of Ohio, Vistula Council No. 108, R. & S. M., of Ohio, and Eu Tah Commandery No. 66, Knights Templar of Ohio.
Brother Guss was a member of the Scottish Rite Bodies, Valley of Toledo, and was crowned a Sovereign Grand Inspector General, Honorary Member of the Supreme Council, September 29, 1955, at Detroit, Michigan.
He was a member of Zenobia Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Toledo, Ohio, and a Charter member of Saint Thomas Conclave, Red Cross of Constantine over which he presided as Sovereign in the year 1955-56.
He was a devoted Christian, an ardent Mason and an untiring worker.
M. W. Brother Guss departed this life on July 21, 1965 in Staunton, Virginia, funeral services were held Saturday, July 24, 1965, in the Garner-Guss Mortuary in Toledo, with interment in the Edgerton Cemetery, Edgerton, Ohio.