Duane R. Crapser, High Priest and Prophet and
Lady Beverly
Duane is originally from Waterloo, Iowa in the middle of its beautiful rolling corn country. Beverly is from Aurora in the heart of the Colorado Rockies. They met while Duane was in the US Air Force attending Weapons School in Denver. After dating for several months and before Duane’s tour of duty in Southeast Asia, they were married. They have had 42 wonderful years together.
When he received an Honorable Discharge from the USAF in 1969 after returning from Thailand they moved back to Waterloo, Iowa where both their children were born. Their son and his fiancé reside in Medina, Ohio and their daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren reside in Dacona, Colorado.
In Waterloo, Duane was a Manufacturing Engineer for John Deere & Company. They were able to return to Denver in 1978 when Duane accepted a position as Manager of Safety & Security for Gardner Denver Co. . He subsequently joined Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site and retired from there as a Senior Quality Engineer in 1996. They located in Santa Fe, NM in 2002 where Duane began his current employment at Los Alamos National Laboratory as a Senior Quality Engineer. While living in Colorado, Beverly spent 10 years as a Senior Loan Officer in a Community Federal Credit Union, and then she spent another 10 years as an Executive Secretary at Rocky Flats Environmental Site.
Duane’s Masonic life began as a result of the influence of Beverly's Masonic family. Her Mother, Marie McSherry was a 25-year member of Eastern Star, and her Father, Joseph McSherry, was a 50-year Mason in Fort Collins, Colorado. Her Grandfather, Charles McSherry, was a 50-year Mason in Iowa and her Great Grandfather, William Stepp, was a Knights Templar in Denver in the late 1800’s. This influence rubbed off on Duane as he was made a Master Mason in 1977 in Martin Lodge No. 624 in Waterloo, and both Duane and Beverly joined the Eastern Star. A year later Duane journeyed to Cedar Rapids where he became a Scottish Rite Mason and was initiated a Noble of the Mystic Shrine in El Kahir Shrine Temple in Cedar Rapids.
Duane transferred his Shrine membership to El Jebel Temple, when they moved to Denver. He joined the Noble Cycles. This motorcycle precision drill team competed in WSA, CSSA, and Imperial Shrine competitions, and Eight times the Unit won the Shrine National Motorcycle Drill Championship. Duane held the position of 1st Lieutenant in the drill team and was the Unit's President in 1988. They also owned a motor home and a boat and were members of the El Jebel Mariners and here too he served as the Unit's President. He was also honored as being named an Ambassador for El Jebel Temple on two different occasions.
Beverly, besides being in Easter Star, has been a member of Daughters of the Nile for over 20 years. She is currently a member and officer of Yucca Temple #74.
Duane transferred his Shrine membership to Ballut Abyad Temple in 2003. He joined the Legion of Honor and was elected as it's 1st Lieutenant in 2005. They were also as Divan Aides to Lonnie and Margaret Hedrick until Dr. Al Chatfield appointed Duane to the Divan line in 2005. Last year he completed the "Imperial Leadership Program and was awarded a Certificate by Imperial Sir Nick Thomas.
Duane’s purpose and motto is “Lead and Promote the Shrine of North America by Example for our Shrine Children”
As a personal observation it is so interesting that where ever they have lived, they've taken an active leadership role in this Fraternity. What a blessing it is to Ballut Abyad Temple to have them on our Divan Team.