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Mt. Zion Lodge Update 10/6/2004

R\W\Ronald D. Gallantier

Grand Representative to the Grand Lodge of Ceara Brazil

Ron Gallantier was born in New York City on February 11, 1935 and began public school there. World War II was approaching and his mother had remarried by then. Her second husband was asked to do the blasting for an air station in Bermuda. He took the job and soon wrote home with instructions to “find a nice little place in the country near Hoosick Falls. The air is good up there,” he wrote. For almost a year his mother looked while Ron and his sister stayed with their aunt and her children in North Sea, Long Island and attended Parochial school in South Hampton, Long Island.

In May of 1942 they moved to their present home in the Alps, where he attended school in Averill Park. He was allowed to finish 10 years of schooling, but then it was necessary for Ron to support his family, since his stepfather suffered from silicosis. Ron worked for two years, first in a Troy factory later as a laborer.

When he turned 18 Ron joined the US Navy and advanced rapidly. At the end of four years, Ron was in charge of the ships bomb elevators crew and was the only member of the ship nuclear weapons loading team who wasn’t career designated. He returned home in March of 1957 and went immediately back to work with the Troy Labor Union, but within a week was working with Otis Elevators where he remained for a year and nine months. After leaving Otis and holding several minor jobs while attending Hudson Valley Technical Institute Ron finally reenlisted in the Us Navy in August of 1960 retiring in 1975 as Chief Petty Officer. All in all Ron served on six aircraft carriers, three as Ship Company and three as part of an air group. A tour in Guantanamo, a tour as a drill instructor and one as an ordinance instructor where he taught the S2D armament system, the Torpedo pre-setter, a pneumatic ejection device, and all phases of the Bullpup guided missile. As a collateral duty he was in charge of the technical library.

Since retiring Ron was initiated in the Masons on April 19, 1976, passed on May 3, 1976, and was raised on May 17, 1976. He served as Master of Star Lodge #670 in Petersberg and Mt Zion Lodge #311 in Troy.

Ron also continued his education and has a degree in associates of applied science from Hudson Valley Community College.

In addition, he still maintains his certificate of competence for explosives (blasting license) although he did allow his explosive license (to purchase) to expire.

Ron has also served on the Town of Nassau Planning Board since 1990.

Ron has been active in Masonry and Mt. Zion Lodge for many years and is well deserving of the honor we are to bestow upon him this evening.

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