R.W.B. Timothy J. Best Expected to be Grand Master-elect

Tim’s story begins against the backdrop of growing up in the Midwest. From the echoes of his childhood to the corridors of his career, the compass of his life has traced a unique path. Just before midnight, Tim claimed the title of the last baby born in Milwaukee, Wisc. in 1960.

Tim grew up as the son of a Baptist minister, moving often but mostly raised in Western Michigan. After his junior year in high school, he obtained his private pilot’s license and took to the airways as often as he could. After graduating from high school in 1979, Tim’s family relocated to Southern California, where he met his future wife, Teresa. They married in 1986 before embarking on a journey that led them to Schroon Lake, N.Y., where Tim graduated from the Word of Life Bible Institute.

Their path eventually led them to St. Helens, Ore., where Tim initially worked with youth at a local church before finding his calling in law enforcement. He began a successful career with the Hermiston Police Department in 1992. Upon graduating from the Oregon Police Academy, he worked as a Patrol Officer, a School Resource Officer, a Patrol Sergeant, and an Administrative Sergeant. He was also a Deputy Medical Examiner assigned by the District Attorney’s Office. He attended and graduated from the Institute for Law Enforcement Administration in Plano, Texas, and held several certifications with the state of Oregon. Unfortunately, things don’t always go as planned, and he was forced into early retirement due to a health issue but is grateful for his years of service and to have his health back.

Upon retirement in December 2009, Tim missed the “Brotherhood of the Badge” which led him to fi nally ask a good friend about Masonry. Drawn to it by the rich history woven into the beginnings of our nation, he soon found himself knocking on the west door of the Lodge, and his Masonic career began. His good friend, M.W.B. R. Michael Wick, served as Tim’s coach and mentor, conferring his third Degree in 2012 at Hermiston Lodge No. 138. Tim had a fast track through the chairs due to a few Brothers moving out of the area and served as Worshipful Master for two consecutive years (2015, 2016). Tim was asked by M.W.B. James L. Morgan, P.G.M. in 2018 to serve as his District Deputy for the Grand Lodge of Oregon for District No. 21, and the following year (2019) by M.W.B. Ron Eggers. He enjoyed his time serving in the district, working with the local Lodges, and getting to know the Brothers while supporting the efforts of the Grand Lodge. During that time, he was a member of the Membership and Publicity Committee and the Long Range Planning Committee for the Grand Lodge of Oregon.

That all changed when Tim, thinking he was going to serve a third year as a District Deputy, was appointed by M.W.B. Mike McGuyer to be his Senior Grand Deacon and join the Grand Line in 2020.

Tim is a member of Hermiston No. 138 and Arlington No. 88. He is a member of Baker Valley and Pendleton Valley Scottish Rite. He served as the secretary for Pendleton Valley and in 2021 was invested with the Knight Commander Court of Honor. He is a member of the Union York Rite Bodies and Al Kader Shrine.

Tim and Teresa reside in Hermiston, Ore., and have raised three sons, all of whom are married, and they now have six grandchildren. Their oldest son, Christopher (Emily), resides in Virginia and has three sons, Asher, Tobias, and Gideon, as well as a daughter, Phoebe. Their middle son, Joshua (Lauren), lives in Hermiston, and their youngest son, Jacob (Sara), also resides in Hermiston with two children, a son Collin, and a daughter Signe. When Tim isn’t immersed in Masonic activities, you will fi nd him spending time with his grandchildren, or hooking up the camper as he and Teresa head out for a weekend adventure. Baseball has been a family tradition, and he attempts to take them to at least one Major League Baseball game a year. In Virginia, they go see the Washington Nationals or the Baltimore Orioles, and at home, it’s the Seattle Mariners!