W Bro 'Wally' Dangerfield PPJGD

Eulogy by W Bro Philip Casper PPDepGSuptWks

Wally was born and brought up in Potters Bar. He left school at 15 and worked as a butcher for a while. When he was young, Wally was involved in a bad motorbike accident, when a lorry pulled out in front of him; resulting in him being in a coma for nineteen days. He was a keen real ale drinker and loved a glass of red wine. He was married to Val, but sadly lost her about 10 or 12 years ago to cancer.

He served as a member of HM Armed Forces (he was in the Life Guards and Paras), but was invalided out after being severely injured in Belfast. After that, he worked in security for Hawker Siddeley and Roche before retiring and working as a part-time driver.

Wally was a great animal lover - of dogs and especially Black Labradors - and used to keep a great collection of carp. Sadly, however, he had to give them up when he needed to move home, due to immobility.

Wally was initiated into Freemasonry in Chipping Barnet Lodge No 5599, on 15 November 1990, where he remained a faithful member ever since.

From that time Wally joined, and retained continuous membership of, several Lodges; joining the East Hertfordshire Lodge No 3748 on 13 November 2008. In addition to this and his Mother Lodge, he was aalso a member of the Michael Batham Jones Lodge No 9675, the Stuart Lodge No 8578 (with a short break and then re-joined), the Hertfordshire Masters Lodge No 4090, Bengeo Lodge No 6801 and a London Lodge; the Doneraile Lodge No 3558.

Wally was awarded Provincial Honours with Acting Office, as Provincial Grand Standard Bearer, three years before going through the chair, due to his work for charity; organising golf days etc. He was also a committed 'bucket-waver' for the RNLI, Help for Heroes and MacMillan; standing for many hours in the cold and supermarket doorways.

He was a member of two Hertfordshire Chapters; being Exalted into Ellenbrook Chapter No 8155 in February 1993 and then joining Halsey Chapter No 1479 in 2010. He later joined a London Chapter, Facta Non Verba No 3409, in 2014.

Wally was a long-time member of the East Hertfordshire Lodge and many members, and no doubt many of our visitors, will recall his Walking Charge and the garrulous jokes at the Festive Board whenever proposing the Toast to Visiting Brethren. He was also a faithful supporter of Bengeo Lodge No 6801; he always attended their meetings and every LOI; eventually joining the Lodge in 2014.

Wally was always warm and welcoming, with entertaining stories to the younger and new Brethren and anyone else who would listen. I can’t speak about his time at other Lodges and Chapters but, knowing Wally, I’m sure that he would have been well liked, well respected and his passing will be greatly regretted by all who knew him.