Born September 12, 1929—Died January 28, 2026
Vernon Eugene Musser was born September 12, 1929 in New Boston, Scioto County, Ohio, one of four children of Jasper L. and Ethel Marie Musser. He attended New Boston Public Schools graduating from Glenwood High School in 1947.
He served in the U.S. Army in 1948-49 after which he attended Ohio University at Athens. On June 15, 1952, he married Jeannette Mc Kay in the New Burlington Methodist Church in Clinton County. They moved to Lorain where he was employed by the Lorain Works of the National Tube Division of the United
States Steel Corporation. He left the industrial field and received a B. A. degree in German and Mathematics from Baldwin-Wallace College. He began his teaching career at Elyria High School and since 1961 had taught at Admiral King High School in Lorain. In addition to graduate work in this country, he studied in Germany on a Fulbright grant. In the summer of 1961, the summer of the
Berlin Wall, he did volunteer work at one of the refugee camps in Germany.
He was a member of the Brownhelm Congregational United Church of Christ in Brownhelm Township. His hobbies were
traveling, stamp collecting and reading. Jeannette and Vern had
one daughter, Stephanie Connor (David), who lives in Columbus,
one granddaughter, Elise Rowan (Dick), and great grandchildren,
Griffin and Marlo Rowan.
M. W. Brother Musser was raised to the Sublime Degree of which is now West Shore Lodge 804. and served as its Worshipful Master in 1971. He was exalted a Royal Arch Mason in Mystic Chapter No. 170, R. A. M., January 13, 1962. He was received in Lorain Council No. 103, R. & S. M., January 20, 1962. He was created a Knight Templar in Lorain Commandery No. 65, K. T., February 3, 1962.
He became a Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret, Ancient
Accepted Scottish Rite, November 20, 1976. He served as Chancellor of Lake Erie Consistory, Valley of Cleveland. He was coroneted an Honorary Member of the Supreme Council, 33°, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, in St. Louis in September 1982.
He was a member of Al Koran Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., Royal Order of Scotland, Cleveland Chapter No. 23, National Sojourners, Inc., Ohio Lodge of Research, the Philalethes Society, Masonic Veterans Association of Ohio and Day Chapter No. 479, O. E. S. He was an Honorary Member of the Legion of Honor, International Order of DeMolay.
He served as a District Education Officer for the 22nd Masonic District in 1973 and 1974 and as a District Deputy Grand Master in 1975 and 1976. In October 1976 Most Worshipful Brother Charles S. Ward appointed him to the office of Junior Grand Deacon. He was subsequently appointed Senior Grand Deacon,
Grand Marshal and Grand Orator. He was elected Junior Grand Warden in 1980 and Deputy Grand Master in 1981. On October 16, 1982, at Columbus, Ohio, he was elected and installed Grand Master of Masons in Ohio.
In 1986 M. W. Brother Musser was elected to the office of Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of F&AM of Ohio and served in that capacity until 1991. M. W. Brother Musser and his wife Jeannette, who passed away in 2024, resided in Worthington, Ohio.
