James Arthur Schad of Lake City passed away Friday, January 29, 2016. He was 84 years old.
He was born March 16, 1931, in Huron County, Michigan to George Franklin and Ella Margaret (Ross) Schad. He married Joyce May Lounsbury on March 13, 1954.
Raised on a farm in Michigan’s “Thumb”, Jim graduated from Cass City High School in 1950. He served in the United States Army for two years, 1952-1954. Nineteen months of that time was spent in an artillery unit guarding the largest air base in Korea. Upon his discharge from the Army, he was employed by General Motors for 33 years. After nine months as a die cast operator, he held various management positions, retiring in 1986.
Jim was a member of the Lake City United Methodist Church.
Jim was a Past Master and life member of the Vienna Lodge, No. 205, F. & A. M., Clio. He received a lifetime appointment as Grand Representative to the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Puerto Rico in 1983. He has served the Michigan Masonic Grand Lodge as General Chairman of the Grand Lodge Arrangements Committee twice, as well as advising a number of other Grand Lodge Arrangements Committees over the years. He served on the Public and Community Relations Committee for one year, the Beacon Committee, and had served on the Grand Lodge Speaker’s Bureau since 1993.
He was a Mason of the Year for Vienna Lodge No. 205 in 1982 and Mason of the Year for Lake City Lodge No.408 in 2006 when he was selected District Mason of the Year in 2006.
He served on the Michigan Masonic Home Board of Control for five years 1987-1992, receiving the Distinguished Service Award from the Michigan Masonic Home in May 1992. He served on the Masonic Home Board again from 2002-2007, retiring as vice-president.
For fourteen years 1987-2001, Jim served as Michigan’s Representative to the George Washington Masonic Memorial in Alexandria, Virginia. He was selected as the Memorial’s State Representative of the Year for North America in 1994. From 2001-2009 he served as advisor to the Michigan GWMM Committee. From 2009-2010 he again served as the Michigan chairman. He was a GWMM State Representative Emeritus.
Jim served the Michigan Masonic Grand Lodge as Assistant Grand Tiler for six years. He served as Worshipful Grand Tiler for seven years 1997-2004, when he was elected Worshipful Grand Tiler Emeritus, a lifetime appointment by the delegates at the 2004 Grand Lodge session.
Jim and his wife Joyce were named the Michigan Masonic Charitable Foundation’s Ambassadors of the Year in 2012.
In 2013 Jim received the Scottish Rite Medal for Masonic Service from the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry for the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction of the U.S., which includes fifteen states.
He was a member of Cadillac Chapter No. 103, Royal Arch Masons; Cadillac Council No. 70, Royal and Select Masons; and was a life member of Genesee Valley Commandery No. 15 in Flint. He was also a member of the York Rite College No. 5 in Flint, receiving the Gold Honor Award in 1985. He was a member of the Royal Order of Scotland; a member of the Scottish Rite Valley of Detroit, A.A.S.R; a member of St. Martin Conclave, Order of the Red Cross of Constantine; and a member of Saladin Temple, A.A.O.N.M.S. He was a life member of Vienna Chapter No. 283, Order of the Eastern Star, and was appointed an Honorary Kentucky Colonel by Paul E. Patton, Governor of Kentucky in 1996.
Jim was an honorary member of Lake City Lodge No. 408, Houghton Lake Lodge No. 579, Manton Lodge No. 347, Clam Lake Lodge No. 331, Linden Lodge No. 132, Swartz Creek Lodge No. 458, Cass City Lodge No. 317, Marlette Lodge No. 343, S. Ward Lodge No. 62, and Traverse City Lodge No. 222, F. & A.M.
He leaves his wife Joyce; one son, James A. Schad, Jr. of Mt. Morris; five grandchildren, Peter Schad of Flushing, James Oneal (Rebecca) Schad of Elk City, Oklahoma, Matthew (Michelle) Schad of Stafford, Virginia, Jennifer Fish of Hinsdale, N.H., and Danielle (Anthony) Thomas of Milton, Florida; 10 great-grandchildren; 3 brothers, Donald (Onalee) Schad of Burton, Ted (Gloria) Schad of Marlette, Carter (Joyce) Schad of Caro; a sister, Mary Hutchins of Marlette, and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, a son Larry Thomas Schad, a grandson Larry Thomas Schad, Jr., a brother Charles Schad, a sister Margaret Baker, and an infant sister Clara.
A memorial service will be held for Jim on May 28, 2016 at 1:00 p.m. at the Lake City United Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the “Michigan Masonic Charitable Foundation” with a memo “MMSAP-Jim Schad”., 1200 Wright Avenue, Alma, Michigan 48801-1133.The Mich. Model Student Assistance Program provides workshops, free to all teachers and staff, to help identify students at risk for
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