Kevin Willis, the habitually bow-tie clad man with the plan, is a very active member of Freemasonry and a friend to many. However, what many do not know is the interesting life that Bro. Willis has lead within masonry and outside of it.
Bro. Willis was born in Winchester, Massachusetts in 1968. His childhood was split between living in Reading, MA and Manila, the capital of the Philippines. Bro. Willis lived in Manila for three years with his family, while his father helped build a water treatment plant in city. While living on the Pacific island, Bro. Willis became active in the Cub Scouts, and then the Boy Scouts. A group he stuck with even after he moved back to Reading. During his time as a Scout he obtained the rank of Scout First Class, and he says that some his fondest memories as a child come from his adventures with the group. From exploring the Japanese tunnels at Corregidor, to camping out in General MacArthur’s World War II base.
Bro. Willis was active in the Scouts up until the mid-1980’s when he began attending Reading High School. After graduating high school, Bro. Willis enrolled in Northeastern University where he earned a degree in Political Science. Upon earning his undergraduate degree Brother Willis made the decision to attend law school at Suffolk University in downtown Boston. He worked fulltime while attending Suffolk, and he remembers the mixture of school and work as one of the most stressful times in his life. Regardless of that, he enjoyed his time at Suffolk and says that he wouldn’t change a thing about it.
In 1996, at the age of 28, Bro. Willis took his degrees and joined Freemasonry. Making Mount Horeb Lodge in Woburn his Mother Lodge. He first heard about masonry through a friends dad who spoke highly the organization. However, it was his father-in-law who introduced him the group and got him going. Brother Willis served Mt. Horeb Lodge as Worshipful Master from 2009-2011, and during that time he accomplished much that he is proud of. Such as Raising his son, and bringing in a total of 19 new brethren to the lodge. Bro. Willis is currently a 32° mason, and is also involved in York Rite (1998) and the Shrine (2015).
Brother Willis was interested in Scottish Rite since he joined masonry, however did not join until 2011. He enjoys every aspect of the body, and he is especially active in Mount Olivet Chapter of Rose Croix, where he currently serves as the Master of Ceremonies. Bro. Willis remains active in Rose Croix because he enjoys the people in the body and the close-knit atmosphere of the group. Additionally, his wife enjoys the people just as much as he does and is always willing to accompany him to an event.
When he isn’t at lodge or some other masonic function, Bro. Willis has many hobbies he partakes in. Including skiing, kayaking, and playing the drums. His favorite style of drumming is the fast paced tempo of rock and roll.
Brother Willis currently works as a Trusts and Estates Lawyer for Ropes & Gray LLP, in Boston, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Grand Lodge. However, he still finds time to be active in Masonry, and can often be found at Grand Lodge events, or at the regular meetings of Somerville Lodge. If you’d like to know more about Bro. Willis, don’t be afraid to strike up a conversation with this friendly brother. If you can’t find him, remember, he is the one wearing the bow tie.
