Time in the Garden

by PJ Roup, 33°, Editor, Active for Pennsylvania

When her husband Joe passed away in July of 2019, Mildred Carberry felt like she had lost her whole world. Joe was a long-time active member at the Valley of Altoona, and Millie, as her friends called her, grew up in the Masonic family. She was a Rainbow girl and Past Worthy Matron in Eastern Star.

Faced with mounting medical bills from Joe’s illness, Millie was worried. “Joe was my life. He and I shared everything,” she said. “And now he’s gone.” Millie’s family reached out to the Valley of Altoona who in turn contacted the Grand Almoner.

I received a White Flower Society check from our Grand Almoner and made the trip across the state to meet Millie for the first time. When I called her to confirm the trip, I assured her that I wouldn’t stay long—just a quick visit to check in on her so that I could report back to the Valley. Three hours after I arrived, I finally took my leave when her dinner was brought to the room. During our time together, I learned how she met Joe, looked at pictures of her family (she was so proud of all of them), and reminisced about her Masonic connections. It turns out that despite our age and geographical differences, we had several mutual friends—both inside and outside of Masonry.

P.J. Roup, 33˚, Active for Pennsylvania, presents donation check to Millie Carberry.

Following my initial visit, Millie received flowers from Commander Glattly and First Lady Monica. She called me to tell me just how much that meant to her. On my next visit (just weeks before the lockdown), she showed me the card that came with the flowers and told me with a smile that she had received a call from Monica.

“For her to take the time to call and check on me just blows me away,” she said. “It’s great to feel like I matter even though Joe is gone.”

“It is so rewarding to reach out to our widows,” Monica said. “They each have such great stories about their husbands, their families, and their lives. They are an integral part of our Masonic family.”

The last time Millie and I spoke was over Christmas. We caught up on life, complained about the lockdown, and agreed we couldn’t wait to get back to normal. I never got the chance to visit her again. Millie passed away in early January, and I have no doubt that she is reunited with Joe.

I so enjoyed my time in the garden with one of our White Flowers.