Sidney Waldrop

Obituary Sidney "Sid" Merrell Waldrop, age 93 of Fort Collins, Colorado, passed away on Wednesday, September 4, 2019, at Poudre Valley Hospital. Sidney was a gentle man and will be greatly missed by all those whose lives he touched. Sidney was born February 11, 1926 to C. Lester and Leila Malee Waldrop in South Carolina, the only son of three children. Leila passed away when Sid was 10 years old. Lester married Agnes Henderson and they had two daughters. Sidney attended public schools in Easley, South Carolina. Sid was very proud that he earned degrees later in life although he never graduated from high school. He earned an A.A. at Allan Hancock College, Santa Maria, California; B.S. at Southern Colorado State College, Pueblo, Colorado, and M.S. at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado. Sid earned numerous technical certifications with the various branches of military, the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Branch of the Internal Revenue Service, and Colorado State University. On June 12, 1946, Sidney M. Waldrop was united in marriage to the late Sara Rebecca Moser in Greenville, South Carolina. Sara passed away on October 23, 1997. On February 19, 1999, Sidney and Mary Katherine Malmsten Kettle Williams were married in Fort Collins, Colorado. Mary passed away on October 24, 2014. Sid served our great country in the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army Air Corp, and U.S. Air Force. After serving his country for 28 years, he retired with honors from the Air Force in 1972 as a Chief Warrant Officer. Upon his retirement, he was serving as a missile/nuclear safety officer with the Aerospace Defense Command. Following his successful military career, Sid then began a career with Colorado State University, starting as a Safety Engineer and retiring as the Director of Environmental Health Services. He was responsible for public health, mechanical, fire and chemical safety, infection and biohazard control, radiation control, environmental protection, and controlled/hazardous waste management, and chief emergency response coordinator working with local, state police and fire officials, the Environmental Protection Association, and the Federal Emergency Management Administration. He was certified by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals of the Americas, Inc. as a Certified Safety Professional (CSP), and as a Hazard Control Manager (CHCM) by the (International) Hazard Control Manager Certification Board. Sid was a lifelong member of Freemasonry and was very active in the local Masonic Lodge. He was initiated April 22, 1948 (then assigned overseas with military); passed September 13, 1951; raised September 18, 1951 by Bates Lodge No. 189 of Easley, South Carolina under the jurisdiction of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Ancient Free Masons of South Carolina. He was dimitted from Bates Lodge No. 189 and affiliated with Fidelity No. 192 of Fort Collins, Colorado on March 11, 1975. He was honored as Worshipful Master of Fidelity No. 192 in 1981 and has received the degree of Actual Past Master from the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Colorado. He served as Lodge Secretary, Emeritus Secretary, and chair of the Lodge's Masonic Education Committee. He also served as Senior Steward of the Research Lodge of Colorado and has served on three Grand Lodge Committees: Masonic Education, Masonic Renewal, and Patriotism. Sid received his 50-year pin as a Master Mason. Sid received degrees of Mark Master, Past Master, Most Excellent Master and the Royal Arch on October 16, 1952 in Cherokee Chapter No. 13, R.A.M. of Marietta, Georgia. He then transferred from that Chapter and affiliated with Cache La Poudre Chapter No. 11, R.A.M. of Fort Collins, Colorado. He was High Priest of Cache La Poudre Chapter No. 11 in 1981-82 and thrice again in the 90's. He was anointed into the Order of High Priesthood of the Grand Chapter Royal Arch Masons of Colorado. Sidney served as King in his Chapter. Sid was also a member of Holy Land Chapter No. 8 R.A.M. of Jerusalem, Israel. He received a pin in recognition of fifty years as a Royal Arch Mason. Sidney received the degrees of Royal Master, Select Master and Super Excellent Master on November 19, 1952 from Marietta Council No. 74, R. & S. M. of Marietta, Georgia. He then transferred his membership to Council No. 21, C.M. of Fort Collins, Colorado. He was thrice Illustrious Master of Larimer County Council No. 21. He received the Orders of the Silver Trowel in both Colorado and Arizona. He was appointed into the Grand Council line by the then Most Illustrious Grand Master Thomas L. Rider in September 1983 and served as Grand Representative to New Hampshire for two years and was Grand Representative to Georgia. Sid served as Most Illustrious Grand Master of the Grand Council of Cryptic Masons in Colorado for York Rite year 1989-1990 and was a permanent member of the General Grand Council of Cryptic Masons International and also served his Grand Council as Chairman of its Cryptic Masons Medical Research Foundation Committee. Sidney was one of the founding members of the "Ish Sodi" honor system for awarding nonGrand Council Companion Cryptic Masons in Colorado for their outstanding service. He served his Council as Deputy Master. Sid worked with officials of Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, and Kansas in the annual four state High Plains Rendezvous where candidates receive the degrees from degree teams representing the several states involved. He also received 50-year recognition in the Council. He received the Order of the Red Cross and the Order of Malta on October 24, 1952 and the Order of the Temple on November 17, 1952 from Constantine Commandery No.26, of Marietta, Georgia. Sidney was with DeMolay Commandery No. 13 K. T. stationed in Fort Collins, Colorado. First served as Eminent Commander of this Commandery in 1983-84. Sid was a member of the Past Commanders Association of Colorado. He was serving as Commander of DeMolay Commandery four times and on two Grand Commandery Committees. He served the local Commandery as Generalissimo as part of its drill team. Sid received the 4th through 14th degrees from Centennial Lodge of Perfection, the 15th through 18th degrees from Sangre de Cristo Chapter of Rose Croix, the 19th - 30th degrees from Pikes Peak Council of Kadosh, and the 31st and 32nd from Rocky Mountain Consistory at Denver, Colorado in their November 1976 reunion. He was a member of the Denver Scottish Rite Bodies and served as a member of its 19th and 20th degree teams. He also helped the Cheyenne, Wyoming bodies in the 30th- 32nd degrees. He was a member of the Scottish Rite Foundation and of the Scottish Rite Research Society. Sidney's Memberships in Masonic and Appendant Bodies: Pikes Peak Priory No. 21; Knights York Cross of Honor Centennial York Rite College No. 87 Colorado College, Societas Rosicruciannae in Civitatibus Foedertis Philalethes Society Member and Past Sovereign Master of Centennial Council No. 206 and was Charter Sovereign Master of High Plains Chapter No. 405 of the Allied Masonic Degrees, he has also received several of that Masonic system's lesser known degrees. Kincora Council No. 8, Knight Masons. (Irish system of Freemasonry) Royal Order of Scotland Shriner with El Jebel Temple, A.A.O.N.M.S. (formerly of Yaarab Temple, Atlanta, Georgia) Larimer County Shrine Club Past Chapter President of Cheyenne Chapter No. 5, National Sojourners, and, was representative in presenting National Sojourners awards to R.O.T.C. honorees at Colorado State University and the University of Northern Colorado Past Camp Commander of Alexander Hamilton Camp of Heroes of '76 Northern Colorado contact presenter in "Building the Flag" programs Collins Chapter No. 26, Order of Eastern Star Galilee Shrine No. I3, White Shrine of Jerusalem Past President, Fort Collins Masonic Home Association Former Member of the Board, Colorado York Rite Life Memorial Fund, Inc, Past DeMolay Chapter Advisory Board and Chapter Dad Former Member of the now defunct St. AJban's Research Society Member, Correspondence Circle of Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076 of London, England Member, Scottish Rite Research Society. Sidney's Civic Activities and Other Memberships: Recent Member and Past President of the Larimer County Board of Health Past Honorary Member of the Larimer County Environmental Concerns Committee Past Member Larimer County Emergency Planning Committee Past chairman of the Poudre Fire Authority Fire Code Technical Review Committee, also served as instructor for the Fire Authority in Colorado State University's Research Related Hazardous Materials Emeritus Member American Society of Safety Engineers, Past President of its Pikes Peak Chapter Past President of Larimer County Safety Council Charter Member of the Colorado State Hazardous Materials (Chemical, Radiation, Biohazard and Animal) Emergency Coordinator team Emeritus Member Campus Safety Association (International) and past chair of its Publication Committee Former Member Fort Collins Chamber of Commerce Environmental Concerns Committee Past Coordinator for and Presenter of Patriotic programs for the Veterans Service Organization to the Public Schools of the Poudre Schools District Former Participant in First Grade Reading Program at Dunn Elementary School Honorary member, Colorado Chapter, American Society of Safety Engineers Eight Degree Astarian (Metaphysical Society) Former Member of Colorado Society of Safety Engineers Former Member, Colorado Chapter of the Industrial Hygiene Association Member and Past President, Mended Hearts of Fort Collins, Chapter 114 Member, International Order of Odd Fellows Member, Air Force Association Member, "Fort Collins Round Table" (Service Club) Member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion Member, Martinist Society (Christian Metaphysical Society) Member, Military Officers Association of America Set up the Fort Collins Masonic Museum (along with his first wife Sara) Sid was a past member of the Christ United Methodist Church of Fort Collins where he served his church as its Lay Leader and on several committees. With his wife Mary K., he attended services at Unity Church of Fort Collins for many years and he was very active in maintaining the church gardens. While his favorite activity was being of service to others, he also loved reading. One of his favorite magazines was Popular Mechanics. He enjoyed tinkering with electronics and doing projects around the house. Sidney is preceded in death by his parents, his first wife Sara Moser Waldrop, his second wife Mary Katherine Waldrop, his sister Ethel Waldrop Rogers, and his stepson Roy Daniel Kettle. He is survived by his son Gary (Renee) Waldrop of Springfield, VA and his daughter Teresa (Larry) Banman of Kremmling, CO; his stepsons Ralph (Shann) Kettle of Fort Collins, CO, William (Sandra) Kettle of Benton City, WA; his stepdaughters Christine (Charles) Wallace of Allen, KS, Cynthia Cregger of Elizabeth, CO; his sisters: Rubynelle Waldrop-Lynne, Catherine Waldrop-Jenkins, and Linda Waldrop-Gunther; seventeen grandchildren and twenty-nine great-grandchildren, along with many other family and friends. In lieu of flowers anyone wishing to honor Sidney may donate to: Fidelity Lodge no. 192, 225 W. Oak, Fort Collins, CO 80521. The Lodge then distributes the donations to areas of need within their many charitable causes. Memorial Service Masonic Lodge Friday, September 13, 2019 9:30 AM Email Details 225 West Oak Street Fort Collins, Colorado 80521 Directions Graveside Service Resthaven Memory Gardens Friday, September 13, 2019 1:00 PM Email Details 8426 S. College Avenue Fort Collins, Colorado 80525 Directions Read More Services You can still show your support by sending flowers directly to the family, or by planting a memorial tree in the memory of Sidney Waldrop