UPDATED: Grand Master of Florida Passes Away

NOTE: THIS POST HAS BEEN UPDATED ON JUNE 4TH, 2019

MW John Elias Karroum, the sitting Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Florida F&AM, passed away on Friday night, after collapsing at their Annual Communication last week. 

It was under Karroum's leadership in 2018-19 that Florida restored fraternal relations with Cuba, and after almost fifteen years of attempts, finally achieved joint recognition with its Prince Hall counterpart, the MW Union Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Masons, Florida, Belize, Central America & Jurisdiction, Incorporated, PHA.

The Florida Lodge of Research posted the following tragic message early Saturday morning on its Facebook page:

It is with a heavy heart that we must inform you all that M:.W:. John E. Karroum, Past Grand Master of Masons of Florida, has passed to the Celestial Lodge on High. 

As most of you know, M:.W:. Bro. Karroum collapsed during the annual Grand Lodge Communication in Orlando this past week. He never left the hospital following this event.

The Grand Lodge of Florida has asked that we do not attempt to contact the Karroum family at this time as they are grieving and need their privacy.
Please keep the Karroum family in your prayers as they grieve the loss of a great family man. 

Information regarding M:.W:. Bro. Karroum's funeral arrangements will be forthcoming for those who are interested in paying their respects. 

Alas, My Brother....

From his biography on the Grand Lodge website:

M∴W∴ John Elias Karroum was born in Damascus Syria. He attended and graduated from College de Peres Lazaristes and Damascus University Medical School and then graduated as a Medical Doctor in 1974. 

M∴W∴ Karroum received the Three Symbolic Degrees of Freemasonry as a member of Zahle Lodge No 1047, Chartered by The Grand Lodge of Scotland in Zahle, Lebanon, in 1977. He is a life member of his mother Lodge. He then immigrated to Venezuela, where his family lived and where he worked as a General Practitioner for two years. In 1979 he moved to the United States to pursue a higher education in Medicine. He became Board Certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology and in Dermatopathology. He practices his specialty and has been the Medical Director of Broward Medical Lab in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, since 1997.

M∴W∴ Karroum joined Boynton Lodge No 236, F. & A.M., in 2001 and served as Junior Steward, Senior Deacon, Senior Warden, and as Worshipful Master. He also served as Secretary of his Lodge from 2007 through 2015. He has served his District in various Committee Chairmanships from 2004 through 2014. He served as District Deputy Grand Master for M∴W∴ Jim J Harris in 2011 and as District Instructor in 2007. He also served on the Board of Trustees of the Masonic Home for five years. He served as Admissions and Relief Committee Chairman for one year and Chairman of the Budget Committee of the Masonic Home for the past three years. He was elected to the Office of Junior Grand Warden on May 26, 2015 at the 186th Annual Grand Communication.

M∴W∴ Karroum is a 32° KCCH Scottish Rite Mason in the Valley of Lake Worth, Lake Worth, Florida, and continues to be an active supporter of the Scottish Rite. He is also a proud member of the Palm Beach York Rite Bodies, Mahi Shriners, AAONMS, and is a member of the Royal Order of Scotland. He is Gold Card Perpetual Member of Boynton Lodge No. 236 F. & A.M. and Apalachicola Lodge No. 76 F. & A.M.

His column is broken, and his brethren mourn.

Requiescat in pace.

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UPDATE: JUNE 4, 2019:

The Grand Lodge of Florida has issued Brother Karroum's funeral service arrangements. A Masonic memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 15th at Boynton Lodge 236 in Boynton Beach.

For details, click image to enlarge.