01/11/2026
Past Master Paul G. Shircliff recognized by East Gate Lodge with the first H. Loren Elliott Lifetime Achievement Award
January 10, 2026
On behalf of the members of East Gate Lodge No. 216, it is our distinct honor to present an award created for this singular moment: the H. Loren Elliott Lifetime Achievement Award, conferred upon our brother and Past Master, Paul “Gary” Shircliff, this tenth day of January, two thousand twenty-six.
This award bears the name of H. Loren Elliott, the first Worshipful Master of East Gate Lodge, and it was conceived to recognize a Past Master of this lodge whose service spans more than half a century and whose influence has been both enduring and exemplary. It is fitting, indeed inevitable, that the first recipient of this award be Brother Shircliff.
For more than fifty years, Gary has been a steady and unmistakable light in Freemasonry in Western Maryland and throughout the state. He has freely given his time, his counsel, and his friendship to generations of Masons. Many in this room can trace their own Masonic formation—directly or indirectly—to his quiet guidance, his high standards, and his unwavering commitment to the Craft.
Gary’s Masonic journey began early, when he joined the Cumberland Chapter of DeMolay in 1955. That early devotion to Masonic values matured into a lifetime of service, recognized by his designation as an Honorary Member of the DeMolay Foundation and his investiture in the Legion of Honor in 2013.
Gary was raised a Master Mason in East Gate Lodge on April 17, 1968, and from that moment forward, this lodge has benefited immeasurably from his leadership. He served East Gate Lodge as Worshipful Master in 1974 and again in 1979, and for decades thereafter as Marshal of Installations, Secretary, Secretary Pro Tem, Treasurer, committee member, and chairman of special events—including our 90th and 100th anniversary celebrations. Few brethren can claim such breadth of service; fewer still have rendered it with such consistency and distinction.
Beyond the lodge, Gary’s Masonic labor has been expansive. In the Scottish Rite, he advanced from the Fourteenth Degree in 1968 to the honors of Knight Commander of the Court of Honour and later to 33° Inspector General Honorary. He served faithfully for many years as Personal Representative to the Sovereign Grand Inspector General, shepherding the Rite in Western Maryland with diligence and integrity.
His service extends as well through the York Rite bodies, the Red Cross of Constantine, the Allied Masonic Degrees—where he was a founding member of the Ohr-Reed Council—Ali Ghan Shrine, the Order of the Eastern Star, and the Western Maryland Past Masters Association, which he led as President and sustained for nearly two decades as Secretary and Treasurer.
At the Grand Lodge level, his record speaks for itself: Grand Inspector and Vice President of the Board of Grand Inspectors, Deputy Grand Lecturer, Grand Pursuivant, Right Worshipful Junior Grand Warden in 1990, member of the Board of Managers, and contributor to public relations efforts across the jurisdiction. In 2018, the Grand Lodge of Maryland fittingly recognized his extraordinary devotion with the Thomas J. Shryock Award for Distinguished Service—an honor reserved for those whose impact is both profound and lasting.
Yet for all these titles and offices, Gary’s legacy is defined not by rank, but by character. He is a veteran, a small business owner, a community leader, and—above all—a Mason whose life reflects the principles we profess. His service has never been about recognition, but about responsibility.
No lifetime of service is rendered alone. Throughout these many decades, Gary’s devotion to Freemasonry has been matched by the steadfast support of his wife, Nancy. Her patience, encouragement, and generosity of spirit have made possible the countless hours Gary has devoted to this lodge, to the Craft, and to our community. East Gate Lodge has long benefited not only from Gary’s labors, but from Nancy’s quiet partnership and enduring support, for which we are deeply grateful.
Brother Shircliff, this award is presented in gratitude for your lifetime of labor, in admiration of your example, and in acknowledgment of the indelible mark you have left on East Gate Lodge, on Freemasonry, and on all of us who have had the privilege to call you Brother.
It is therefore our honor, on behalf of the Past Masters of East Gate Lodge No. 216, to present to you the H. Loren Elliott Lifetime Achievement Award.
Thanks to Tommy Morris for capturing images of this historic moment for East Gate Lodge.
