Roger William Pageau of Northborough passed away suddenly on Saturday, July 28th. He leaves a wife, Thelma; two daughters Amy M. Seitz and her husband, Matthew, of N. Grafton and Dr. Gayle P. Pouliot, Ph.D. and her husband, Jason, of Boston; and one grandson, Nolan R. Seitz.
He was the 86th Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts, serving between 2007 and 2010.
Funeral services and calling hours were held privately.
Raised in Littleton, NH and educated in the Littleton Public School system, Pageau graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management. In 2003 he retired as Treasury Manager for National Grid, Westborough after 35 years of service. Brother Pageau was the Grand Treasurer, or Chief Financial Officer, of the Grand Lodge of Masons between 2003 and his election as Grand Master in 2007. From 1967 to 1973 he served with the Army National Guard attaining the rank of SP5.
Pageau was a member of Westborough’s United Methodist Church. His professional affiliations included the Association of Financial Professionals and the Treasury Management Association of New England, for which he was President in 1995-96. He also served on the Board of Directors for the American Red Cross of Central Mass from 1985 through 1992.
He was a ham radio operator, enjoyed genealogy and was an avid sports fan, especially of the Red Sox, Patriots and UNH Hockey.
In 1976 he began his Masonic career by joining John Warren Lodge, Hopkinton. He served as the Worshipful Master, or presiding officer, in 1987-88. Masons use the original definition of “worshipful,” meaning “honorable”; English mayors and judges are still addressed as “Worshipful.” As Grand Master, Pageau was called “Most Worshipful.” He was also a member of Rose of Sharon Lodge, Charlton; The Masters Lodge, Needham; Winslow Lewis Lodge, Boston; he was an honorary member of several other lodges.
Most Worshipful Brother Pageau served as a District Deputy Grand Master in 1994-95. The lodges in the Commonwealth are divided into 31 Districts lead by a District Deputy who is the Grand Master’s representative there. During that year he was named a Grand Representative for Wisconsin. In 1996 Grand Master Arthur E. Johnson appointed him Deputy Grand Master, the second highest ranking Mason in the state. In that year he was also awarded the Henry Price Medal, the highest honor conferred by the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts. Following the completion of his one-year term, he joined the Grand Lodge Board of Directors, on which he served until assuming the position of Grand Treasurer.
He was active in several Masonic organizations. Brother Pageau was a member of the Scottish Rite in the Valley of Worcester. Between 1995 and 1997 he led the Chapter of Rose Croix, one of four bodies within Scottish Rite, as Most Wise Master. In 2002, he received his 33° at the Annual Meeting of the Supreme Council, 33°, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction of the United States of America. About one-third of the country’s 1.5 million Masons become 32° Scottish Rite Masons. Of those, less than 1% receives the 33° recognizing their service to humanity, their communities, or Freemasonry. He belongs to Saint Andrew’s Royal Arch Chapter, Boston Council, and Saint Bernard’s Commandery #12 of the York Rite. He is also a member of Aleppo Shriners, Wilmington, MA.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the American Heart Association, 350 Plantation St., Worcester, MA 01604 or to the First United Methodist Church Memorial Fund, 120 West Main St., Westborough, MA 01581.