VAUGHN F. SHAFER
Right Eminent Department Commander (2006-2009)
Mid-Atlantic Department

Sir Knight Vaughn F. Shafer was born August 4, 1938, in Dunbar, West Virginia. He was educated in the school system of Kanawha County, West Virginia, and graduated from Charleston High school in 1956. He was honorably discharged from the United States Air Force in 1960 after completing a four-year tour of duty. During this time he served a year in Alaska at a remote radar site as a radar operator and two and a half years at Fort Lee, Virginia, at the headquarters Washington Air Defense Sector. He has been married to the former Sylvia Pringle of Hinton, West Virginia, for thirty-two years, and they reside in Charleston, West Virginia. He has two daughters, Cynthia and Carla, by a previous marriage and two granddaughters. He is a member and an usher of Emanuel Baptist Church in Charleston, West Virginia.
Sir Knight Shafer's business career includes twenty-seven years as a road dispatcher for a trucking company and eight years with two design and drafting companies. He worked approximately six years for Kelly Temporary Services before retiring. He now works part-time for Cunningham, Parker and Johnson Funeral Home in Charleston, West Virginia.
Sir Knight Shafer was initiated in Kanawha Lodge No. 20 on May 7, 1980; was passed on June 2, 1980; and was raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason on June 18, 1980. He served as Worshipful Master of Kanawha Lodge No. 20 in 1985-1986, 1986-1987, 2003-2004, 2004-2005, 2005-2006, and 2006-2007. He became a member of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Valley of Charleston, Orient of West Virginia, in 1980, and a member of Beni Kedem Shrine Temple of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of Mystic Shrine of North America on November 1, 1980, and is an honorary member of Nemesis Shrine in Parkersburg, West Virginia. He was exalted to the Most Sublime Degree of Royal Arch Mason in 1983 in Tyrian Chaptcr No. 13 and is now serving as Grand Lecturer of the Grand Chapter, Royal Arch Masons of West Virginia. He has also received the Super Excellent Master Degree in West Virginia. He was dubbed and created a Knight Templar in the Valiant and Magnanimous Order of the Temple in Kanawha Commandery No. 4 in 1983. He served as Eminent Commander of Kanawha Commandery No. 4 in 1986-1987 and as Most Excellent High Priest of Tyrian Chapter No. 13 in 1995-1996. He served as Right Eminent Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery, Knights Templar of West Virginia, in 1999-2000 and is an honorary member of the following Grand Commanderies: Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Virginia, and Maryland. He was constituted a Knight Commander of the Temple in 2000. He is a member of the Forty-Fivers, Association of Past Grand Commanders.
        He is a Past Sovereign of the West Virginia Conclave, Red Cross of Constantine, and is now serving as Treasurer; Past Governor of Charles W. Wise York Rite College No. 137 of the York Rite Sovereign College of North America and received the Order of the Purple Cross in Atlanta, Georgia, in July of 2004; a member of Mountain State Priory No. 55, Knights of the York Cross of Honour, and KYGCH (one quadrant); a member of the Past Masters Club of Beni Kedem Temple and is now serving as Secretary; a member of Mount Calvary Tabernacle No. XIX, Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priests, now serving as Sixth Pillar; a member of Saint Lawrence the Martyr Council No. 21, Allied Masonic Degrees, now serving as Junior Warden; a life member of West Virginia Council No. 7, Knight Masons of the United States of America; a member of the West Virginia College, Masonic Societas Rosicruciana In Civitatibus Foederatis; a member of Charleston Court 111, Royal Order of Jesters; a member of Bosworth Council No. 46, Grand Council, Royal & Select Masons of Ohio; a member of the Grand Master's Club of the Knights Templar Eye Foundation and also a Life Sponsor of the Eye Foundation. He is also a member of Charleston Lodge No. 1444, Loyal Order of Moose.
He was appointed Right Eminent Department Commander, Mid-Atlantic Department, by Sir Knight Richard Burditt Baldwin, Most Eminent Grand Master, on August 16, 2006, at the 63rd Triennial in Houston, Texas.

<BGSOUND SRC="http://www.knightstemplar.org/music/knowingmeknowingyou.mid">
"Knowing Me, Knowing You"