R.I.P. Neil Neddermeyer, 'Cinosam' Author and PGM of Minnesota

by Christopher Hodapp

UPDATED 6:50PM November 7, 2024: The Minneapolis Valley of the Scottish Rite has posted a tribute to Illustrious Brother Neddermeyer 33°. It is posted below.


UPDATED 11:05PM November 4, 2024: RW Brother Neil's obituary appeared in the November 3rd, 2024 issue of the Minnesota Star Tribune. It is posted below.

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I'm afraid the world is just a little bit darker now.

Word has come from Minnesota that RWB Neil Neddermeyer, PGM 2003-04, passed to the Celestial Lodge on Saturday, October 26th. 

You would be hard pressed to find a man anywhere who embodied all the principles and features of a Freemason as much as Neil Neddermeyer. He was alternately brilliant, funny, compassionate, empathetic, a wise sage when it was called for, or just a deeply involved listener when that was needed more. He could teach a complex lesson with a simple anecdote or parable perhaps better than anyone I've ever known. And the quite literally thousands of lives he's touched over the years stand as living examples of his influence.

Back in the Stone Age of the Interwebs when dinosaurs ruled the Earth, one of the first regular purveyors of Masonic online content was Minnesota's Neil Neddermeyer. Starting in the late 1990s, his emails — entitled Cinosam (spell it backwards) — appeared in e-mail in-boxes every week with tips, leadership ideas, trivia, quotes, prayers, jokes, and inspirations, long before there were Masonic podcasts, blogs, forums, or much of anything else online. Thanks to the Wayback Machine, you can see the archives of his mailings HERE. He created almost 300 of them.

He served as Grand Master of Minnesota in 2003-04, and we first met when I was invited to talk at their annual session in 2006. It was the first grand lodge I ever spoke to about my book Freemasons For Dummies. Neil was one of the earliest and loudest supporters and promoters of the book for new members, and I found out he was instrumental in inviting me to their session. He was always an outspoken proponent of grand lodges concentrating on Masonic education, and he served for a time as president of the Masonic Renewal Committee of the Conference of Grand Masters of North America. 

As one good friend put it, "Neil was a patron of Masonic Education back when many saw educators as the boring nerds who will kill our club." They weren't; they didn't; and Neil was right all along.

Back in 2010 we both gave presentations at the Rocky Mountain Masonic Conference, along with Art DeHoyos and Rex Hutchens. Neil gave a great talk about how we present Masonry to our members, with entertainingly practical applications to real-life situations. Instead of debunking our legends, Neil stressed the importance of using them for teaching Masons, because "the Truth is in the parable." In an allegory about the fraternity, he told the story of Heinz ketchup and how they wrestled for decades with the problem of getting their slow-moving sauce out of its troublesome bottle. Company advisors wanted to water down the product, compromising the quality. But it wasn't a problem with the product; it was just a bad delivery system. The real answer was to think differently about the bottle itself, not change the ketchup. Likewise, there is no problem with Freemasonry itself; it's the way Masons sometimes present it, or treat it like a repetitive habit, or fall into ruts with our meetings or our administrative style. 

Don't water down Freemasonry; fix its delivery system. 

Before Freemasonry became so engrossing to him, Neil spent 20 years as a police detective, which is perhaps what gave him such a firm grip on the handlebars of life and on the best way to navigate the obstacles. About 10 years ago, he even started an online support group for alcoholic or drug-dependant Freemasons called Masonic and Tonic.

According to his wife Julie Ottis, a Celebration of Neil's Life will be held this coming Saturday, November 9th at Masonic Heritage Lodge, 11501 Masonic Heritage Drive, in the the Minnesota Masonic Home & Heritage Center. Visitation at 9, Masonic service at 10, and funeral service at 11, followed by lunch.

I haven't seen an obituary yet, but I will post it as soon as I spot it.

UPDATE: RW Brother Neil's obituary appeared in the November 3rd, 2024 issue of the Minnesota Star Tribune:

Neil Ernest Neddermeyer, age 78, passed away peacefully on October 26, 2024. Neil was born May 28, 1946, to Francis ("Bud") and Marguerite (fka Sawyer) Neddermeyer in Minneapolis, MN. He grew up in Long Lake and graduated from Orono High School. Neil displayed his musical aptitude playing drums in Orono Junior High School and was recruited in seventh grade to play in the Orono High School marching band which he continued until graduation. Neil recalled that he and another percussionist entered the Minnesota All-State High School music contest as high school juniors; they placed second with their snare drum duet. He earned his college tuition by playing in various dance bands on weekends.

Neil was a member of the Evergreen Club of the Twin Cities, an organization comprised of active members in the music community with over 20 years of experience. He was also a member of the professional musicians' union. Neil joined the Hennepin County Sheriff's Marching Band and, along with his father, played drums for many years in summer parades. He was a member of the Zuhrah Shrine Fraternal Organization and participated in their Drum and Bugle Corp Marching Band first as a drummer and later as the drum major. He was the last original member of the Zuhrah Shrine Merrymakers, a vaudeville-style troupe providing entertainment for children of all ages.

Neil was active in the Masonic fraternal organization throughout his life and began his 57-year Masonic journey in 1967, following his father's and grandfather's footsteps into the fraternity. He served as Past Master of Wayzata Masonic Lodge #205 several times and was active in Masonic education. In 2003 he was honored to be elected as the Grand Master of Masons of Minnesota. Neil was also a 33rd Degree Mason.

He proudly served as a Hennepin County Deputy Sheriff for 30 years in homicide and crimes against children. Neil was also known as a poet with several published works, including "The Old Master's Wages".

Neil was a sincere and kind man and always quick with a quip or a limerick or a song lyric. His humor and his personality lit up any room. He was a charismatic leader. Neil lived and died on his own terms. He will be missed. He was a character with character.

Neil is survived by his wife Julie Ottis; his daughter Nicoletta (Greg) Thompson, and his grandchildren, Ike and Marlowe; as well as his nephews and their children, other relatives, and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Gene, and his sister Karen Rath.

In lieu of memorials, please send donations to the Invisible Wounds Project; the Help, Aid and Assist Fund of donor's local lodge; or the charity of donor's choice.

The Celebration of Neil's life will be held Saturday November 9, 2024, at the Masonic Home located at 11501 Masonic Home Drive, Bloomington, MN 55437. Please enter by the Dan Patch Hall entrance. Visitation will begin at 9:00 a.m. followed at 10:00 a.m. by a Masonic service, and a funeral service at 11:00 a.m. A reception will follow. Everyone is welcome to attend. www.davidleefuneralhome.com

To send flowers to the family of Neil Ernest Neddermeyer, please visit Tribute Store.

UPDATE Thursday, November 7, 2024: The Minneapolis Valley of the Scottish Rite has also posted its own notice:

 Ill. Neil Neddermeyer 33°, Inspector General Honorary, passed to the Celestial Lodge on Saturday, October 26, 2024.

Illustrious Neil was born in Minneapolis on May 28, 1946, and following his father and grandfather into our Fraternity was raised to the Sublime Degree of a Master in Wayzata Lodge 205 in November 1967. He joined our Minneapolis Valley in 1975, becoming a Master of the Royal Secret in April of that year.

Ill. Neil was invested with the Rank and Decoration of Knight Commander of the Court of Honour by our Supreme Council in October 1989 and Coroneted 33° Inspector General Honorary in November 1993.


Most Worshipful Brother Neil’s service to humanity, to our community and to Masonry is the stuff of legends. Perhaps appropriately acknowledged as a Renaissance Mason, Neil was a gifted performing artist, author and a leader.

A 57 year Mason and a Life Member of his Lodge, MWB Neil served Wayzata Lodge as Master in 1980 and again in 1993. In 2003, he was elected and installed Grand Master of Masons in Minnesota. During and after his service to our Grand Lodge, MWB Neil continued his commitment to our gentle craft as Chaplain and Lodge Education Officer at Wayzata and a Board Member of Minnesota Masonic Charities.

Ill. Neil was a Life Member of our Minneapolis Valley and served as the Commander of Kadosh from 1990 to 1992. He was active in many Zuhrah Shrine units.

The hallways and corridors of our Masonic Buildings and the pathways of life will be forever illuminated by the Light MWB Neil carried in our gentle craft.

Neil's life will be celebrated on Saturday, November 9, 2024, at the Masonic Home in Bloomington. Visitors are asked to enter by the Dan Patch Hall entrance. Visitation will begin at 9:00 a.m., followed at 10:00 a.m. with a Masonic service and a funeral service at 11:00 a.m. A reception will follow the services.

The official obit mentioned Neil's poetry. He wrote two poignant Masonic poems that became widely reprinted over the years – dare I call, them modern Masonic classics — and I'll end this post with both of them:

Perhaps He's Dead by Neil Neddermeyer

I was playing with the Shriner's band,
In a small town, hot parade.
We had stopped to drink a thank you,
For the tunes that we had played.

A hand was placed upon my back
By a women with a crutch.
As I turned I saw a pretty face,
And a smile came with that touch.

She told about a tear that came
When she saw the Shriner's band
and how she remembered one Shriner
Who had helped her once to stand.

I was in the Shriner's Hospital,
I was frightened - I was low
When an old man in a silly red hat
Showed that he loved me so.

He visited me every Sunday,
For possibly two years.
He shared my pain and laughter,
My joys, my thoughts, my tears.

He must be in his nineties now...
Well no, perhaps he's dead.
But he came to my wedding to watch me stand
The day that I was wed.

I meant to keep in contact
With him for all my life
But I'm too busy being a mother,
And too busy being a wife.

I just wanted to stop and thank you,

For the things that he had done

To make my life more meaningful,

To give my life some fun.

I watched her hobble off
As I stepped from the band.
I saw her husband and her kids,
And the crutch in her right hand.

I felt guilty for taking credit
For the Shriner who was strong but mild.
He knew no man stands straighter
Than when he stoops to help a child.

I thought, some forty years from now,
When a Shriner takes a bow,
Will he be thanked for something
That I am doing now?

Will they say that I was noble,
That my silly hat was red?
Will they say 'He's in his nineties now,
Well no, perhaps he's dead.

 

THE OLD MASTERS WAGES by Neil Neddermeyer

I met a dear old man today
Who wore a Masonic pin.
It was old and faded like the man,
It's edges worn and thin.

I approached the park bench where he sat,
To give the old brother his due.
I said "I see you've traveled East",
He said, "I have, have you?"

I said, I have, and in my day,
Before the all-seeing sun,
I played in the rubble
With Jubala, Jubelo, and Jubalum.

He said, don't laugh at the work my son
It's good and sweet and true...
And if you've traveled as you said
You should give these things their due.

The word, the sign, the token,
The sweet Masonic prayer.
The vow that you have taken.
You have climbed the inner stair.

The wages of a Mason
Are never paid in gold,
But the gain comes from contentment
When you're weak and growing old.

You see, I've carried my obligations
For almost 50 years.
It has helped me through the hardships
And the failures full of tears...

Now I'm losing my mind and body
Death is near, but I don't despair.
I've lived my life upon the level,
And I'm dying on the square.

Sometimes the greatest lessons
Are those that are learned anew,
And the old man in the park today
Has changed my point of view.

To all my Masonic brothers,
The only secret is to care.
May you live upon the level,
And part upon the square.

His column is broken, and his Brethren mourn. Rest in peace, my dear, dear friend.