DDGHP – 13th District
Companion Guy McDowell was born 1950 in Benton, Illinois. He is a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park, MD.
He is married to Angela McDowell (Shirley) and they currently reside in Ewing, IL. On July 8, 2022, they celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary. They are blessed with two sons and four grandchildren.
Right Worshipful Brother McDowell was raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason on April 17, 1981, at Alt Heidelberg Lodge No. 821, United Grand Lodges of Germany, Brotherhood of Freemasons, Heidelberg, Germany. He became a member of Benton Lodge No. 64, November 6, 2016 and a plural member of Sesser-Goode Lodge No. 744 on April 2, 2019. RWB McDowell has served continually as Worshipful Master of Benton Lodge No. 64 since December 2022 and currently serves as the District Deputy Grand Master of the 9th Southern District.
Companion McDowell was advanced to the degree of Mark Master on February 6, 2018, and exalted a Holy Royal Arch Mason on February 10, 2018 at Murphysboro Chapter No. 164 in Murphysboro. He served as the Excellent High Priest in 2019; and, currently serves as the District Deputy Grand High Priest for the Thirteenth District.
Companion McDowell was greeted as a Select Master on February 10, 2018 of Murphysboro No. 49 of Cryptic Masons in Murphysboro and was received in the Circle of Integrity as a Super Excellent Master on September 21, 2019. He served as the Thrice Illustrious Master in 2021. SK McDowell was dubbed and created a Knight of the Valiant and Magnanimous Order of the Temple in 2018 at Beauseant Commandery No. 86 in Murphysboro. He served as the Eminent Commander in 2019.
Companion McDowell is a member of the Southern Illinois York Rite College No. 33, Mt. Vernon; Little Egypt Council No. 400 Allied Masonic Degrees; a proud recipient of the Ish Sodi award and inducted as a Fellow of the Society of Knights of Ish Sodi, July 29, 2022; inducted as a member into the Illinois Priory No. 11 Knight of York Cross of Honour, July 30, 2022; and, inducted as a member of the Order of Knights Preceptor, July 30, 2022.
Companion McDowell currently serves as the President of the Jesse B. Thomas Chapter No. 547, National Sojourners, Inc. and was proudly inducted into the Heroes of ’76. Brother McDowell’s 6x Great Grandfather George McDowell fought with Brother and General George Washington at the Battle of Brandywine at Chadds Ford Township, Pennsylvania, where he survived two bullet wounds.
RWB McDowell supports his local community as a Board Member of the Mason and Odd Fellows Cemetery Board, Benton, and as the current President of the Ewing Township Cemetery Board, Whittington which manages six cemeteries within the township.
Chief Warrant Officer Three (CW3) McDowell, Retired, served his country honorably for 22 years as a soldier in the U.S. Army and a Counterintelligence Special Agent. After retiring from the military, Mr. McDowell continued supporting his country for another 21 years as a contractor and then as a Federal Agent for the U.S. Department of Energy. After retiring from the Department of Energy, Mr. McDowell formed his own company and has for eight years provided security support consulting to various government agencies both federal and state.
Guy McDowell is a member of Palestine Baptist Church, Whittington, IL where he occasionally serves as a fill-in Sunday School Teacher. After my God, my Country and my Family, Masonry is my greatest passion. It brings me such joy and peace of mind and the deepest desire to learn more about my God and my fraternity.