Grand First Principal
Royal Arch Mason, BC and Yukon
2023 – 2024

Most Excellent Companion Dan McCoy, GZ 2023/2024

Personal

Most Excellent Companion McCoy was born in the mid-50s at Galt, Ontario and raised on a local dairy farm. Farm life gave him a lifelong love of tinkering in general and motorcycles in particular, which led to trading his way through a series of exceptionally “oddball” machines, culminating with his current 1971 BSA Lightning.

Looking for an easier lifestyle than dairy farming, he joined the Canadian Armed Forces for a career that was to last over 35 years. Asked by the recruiter about his hobbies led to enrolment as a Weapons Technician and a career that has taken him coast to coast and around much of the globe, highlighted by a yearlong posting to the Former Yugoslavia. His basic tradecraft included weapons and explosives maintenance, range operations, aircraft maintenance and loading and 20 plus years on the bomb squad.

Meeting his wife Joyce while posted to Alberta, they took off on what has been a 40 year adventure spanning many places and varying commitments. His later employment included a series of headquarters jobs responsible for such things as overseeing and inspecting Explosives Storage and Disposal operations, Personnel and Career Management and Safety Management and Investigation. These were interspersed with field jobs ranging from Squadron Operations to Air Liaison Officer to the United Nations and the Chief Warrant of a Tactical Helicopter Squadron. He finished his career in the best position he could imagine, in the Aviation Safety world, a job that took him around the North America and Europe as a guest speaker on aviation safety policies and issues.

Dan took up SCUBA diving in the late 1970s, a hobby which culminated in certification as a Master Instructor/Instructor Trainer, as well as a partnership in a dive shop in Alberta. Not long into that process, Joyce took up diving in self defence. While diving has provided many memories and taken them many places, he has retired from the industry, although they do still manage the occasional dive trip to somewhere warm.

Masonic

Initiated into Astra Lodge 179, Alberta in March of 1994, he became its Worshipful Master in 1999. While maintaining membership at Astra, there followed a series of affiliations and demits, tracking his career through the Grand Lodges of Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec, Ontario and finally coming to rest with his retirement in British Columbia. A couple of highlights of his Masonic career were attending Lodge Kleovoulos 109 on the Island of Rhodes, Greece, while on a 10 day leave from the former Yugoslavia, as well as Pinner Lodge 3423 in North London while on a speaking engagement to Canada House.

MEC McCoy was exalted in Cold Lake Chapter No. 39 Royal Arch of Alberta in 1996, becoming its First Principal in 1999. He went on to became Scribe Ezra of Coronation Chapter GR Quebec and then Secretary of District 2 (West) of that province. Upon moving to BC, he affiliated with Cyrus Chapter No. 10, and upon its consolidation with Discovery Chapter was elected as First Principal of the newly formed North Island Chapter. He has also served several offices in varying jurisdictions of Cryptic Rite, Allied Masonic Degrees, Red Cross of Constantine and Knights Templar.

Dan and Joyce are enjoying their retirement and look forward to travelling and meeting as many Royal Arch Companions as possible over the coming year. We look forward to seeing you, and I wish you all a productive and enjoyable year.

In Companionship.

MEC Dan McCoy