Before he ever wore an Elk’s jewel, he wore a Navy uniform. Brother Martin served in the United States Navy, part of a generation that learned duty young and carried it for the rest of their lives. That same sense of duty walked with him through the Lodge door and never left.
He has been a member of Whittier Lodge for 56 years. In that time he has given the Order the two things Elkdom asks of every member: steady service and a generous heart. As Past Association Vice President, he worked not only for Lodge No. 1258 but for lodges across the district and the Association.
Whittier Lodge No. 1258 was instituted on November 11, 1911. When Brother Martin joined in about 1970, the Lodge was already more than half a century old. He has now been an Elk for more than half of his own long life. Members who have shared the floor with him know him as a familiar presence at meetings, dinners, and the work that never makes the program — the cooking, the serving, the handshakes at the door.
Those who have traveled with the Lodge know another side of the story. Brother Martin and his wife, Connie, have been part of the Elks’ wider fellowship — the road trips, the campouts, the aprons at a Saturday fundraiser, the formal nights when the collar comes out and the Lodge remembers what the jewels stand for. Charity. Justice. Brotherly Love. Fidelity. A hundred years is a long time to keep those words from going hollow. Together, they have kept them.
“Brother Neal has given this Lodge more than fifty years of membership and a lifetime of example. Turning 100 is his milestone. Honoring him is ours.” — Exalted Ruler Mark St. Julien
The officers and members of Whittier Elks Lodge No. 1258 extend congratulations to Brother Neal Martin and to Connie, and to all who have walked this road with them. May his 100th year be filled with the same fellowship he has given so freely.
Happy 100th Birthday, Brother Neal.
— The Members of Whittier Lodge No. 1258
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