Behind the Curtain
“Brothers Behind the Curtain”
Well I have gotten another Brother to open the “Curtain” on his Life. This Month I was graced with a phone call from Vera Ernst asking if I would like to write an article about her husband W\Warren Ernst and the different things he has done in Masonry and in the profane world. Of course I said that would be great, I’m sure there are many things about W\Warren, not too many Brothers know. The other day I was handed an envelope and there are quite a number of activities he has been involved in that will help all of his Brothers get to know W \Warren a little better.
At twelve years of age W\Warren joined DeMolay. This is a premier youth organization for young men aged 12 to 21 who under the direction of an adult are taught leadership skills, civic awareness, responsibility and character development. This helps young men build confidence, responsibility and cooperation as well as being in service to their community. This organization also helps to foster trust, fellowship, patriotism, reverence and sharing to its members, all of these things are so needed in our society today. You can be certain that W\Warren speaks fondly of the benefits he gained from his involvement in DeMolay.
In 1960 W \Warren joined the US Navy serving one year in Pax River Maryland, in the Naval Air Station on Aircraft Rescue Boats. While in Pax River he received two (2) commendations for helping to recover 97% of an A3J Vigilantly aircraft and its Pilots which led to major changes to make the aircraft safer. Over the next three years he served in the European Theater on various Naval vessels. He was also involved in the rescue of six (6) downed Navy Airmen off the coast of Sicily in the height of a storm. He also helped rescue two (2) helicopter pilots near Barcelona Spain. He also served three months in the Bay of Pigs, Cuba. W\Warren has also received the National Defense Medal, the U. S. Expditionary Award and a Good Conduct Award.
After serving his country and coming back to his Queens neighborhood he joined Bayside Lodge #999 in 1964 and he was raised to master Mason in June 1965. He served as Master in Bayside Lodge from1973-1974. W\Warren has had many members of his family who were involved with Masonry, his father, uncles and cousins, his mother was also a member of the Eastern Star.
All the while he was working on his career and in 1980 he was appointed Vice President of the Greater New York Ice Hockey where he was coaching, teaching and mentoring approximately 200 youngsters in the ART of Ice Hockey. From 1988 to the present he has been the Vice President and Public Relations Director of the Long Island Hockey League handling twenty Ice Hockey organizations with approximately 3,000 boys and girls.
In 1989 he instituted the Long Island Hockey Scholarship, where he administers to the evaluation of applicants and the distribution of three to five $1,000.00 scholarships per year to qualified candidates. In December of this same year W\Warren was assigned as team manager of the New York All-Star team participating in exhibition games in Prague, Czechoslovakia, Helsinki, Finland, Austria and Moscow, Russia.
In 1991 W\Warren was assigned to oversee the Instruction of approximately four hundred coaches on the rules and policies of the Long Island Hockey League. Seven years later, 1998, W\Warren was appointed as the East Section Tournament Director of the State of New York, administering the qualifications of teams advancing to State and National tournaments. Presently, there are approximately 7,000 young men and women under W\Warren’s care and guidance.
Today W\Warren is an avid golfer and recently participated in the Wounded Warriors Tournament at High Bridge Hills, New Jersey and on the 185-yard par 3, 16th hole, scored a hole in one.
In 2015 W\Warren celebrated his 50th year as a Master Mason, he is a True Mason and someone who believes in helping his community by helping the young men and women with their dreams of becoming great athletes. We all thank you, W\Warren, for your tireless work and for being a shining example of what Masonry is all about. Your work, I am sure, has inspired many young people to give back and become great people in their own communities just as you have. Thank you W\Warren.
Queens District Historian,
W\Nick Isabella