William Jules "Bill" Mollere

"A native and life-long resident of Baton Rouge, Bill passed away peacefully on November 9, 2018 at age 72.  He was the son of the late Ralph Philip Mollere and Nettie Lee Lindley Mollere, and is survived by his brother Gary; step-sister Sharon and her husband Louis; niece Sarah and her husband Nick.  His brother Gary, along with Bill's long-time friend Lydia Raborn Cook whom he had known since high school, were at his side when he passed away. A Masonic Service will be held at First United Methodist Church, 930 North Boulevard on Friday, November 30, 2018 from 11-11:30am, followed by a short reception. A Memorial service will begin at 12:15pm in the sanctuary of the church.Bill was a graduate of Baton Rouge High School and Louisiana State University, where he earned a B.A. Degree majoring in Political Science, with minors in History, Speech, and Philosophy. He was a Student Worker at LSU and for State Government while at LSU, earning two years of service credit. Upon graduating, he joined Gulf South Research Institute (GSRI), later becoming a Program Director. In 1973, he joined the Governor's Office of Environmental Policy, which in 1984 became the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). He survived five different administrations, and advanced to become the Administrator for the Solid Waste Division of DEQ.  After retiring from the state in 2003, he consulted for several environmental engineering firms until 2011. He was elected President of the Louisiana Solid Waste Association (LSWA), a state-wide trade group which provides seminars and certification training for its membership.  A hobby in genealogy led him to join the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), where he served as President of the local chapter. He was also a Member of the First Families of Louisiana.Bill's fraternal work began as a teenager with the Order of DeMolay. He served as chapter Master Councilor, rising through the District and State organization's ranks to serve as State Scribe and Acting State Master Councilor for a partial term. In addition to receiving the highest honor given an active DeMolay, he was honored as an adult advisor with the Cross of Honor and the Legion of Honor. He was also elected State Dad by the general membership. With his appointment as Executive Officer for the jurisdiction of Louisiana, he was named a Deputy and later elected an Active Member of DeMolay International. In 1993, he was elected Grand Master of the International Order of DeMolay.During his college years, he was a member of Acacia fraternity. As an adult, he served on the Alumni Board and President of the Acacia House Corporation for 15 years, and received the Order of Pythagoras and the Award of Merit, the national fraternity's highest award.His Masonic work began when he was raised as a Master Mason in 1967 at Baton Rouge Lodge #372 (later merged into Trinity Union), and served as Worshipful Master in 1980. He joined the Scottish Rite bodies in Baton Rouge in 1968 and earned his 32nd degree, later serving as Venerable Master. He received the Knight Commander of the Court of Honour (KCCH) in 1977, and in 1991 he was coroneted a 33rd Degree by the Scottish Rite. In 2007, he was named the Sovereign Grand Inspector General for Louisiana Scottish Rite, and held the position until his retirement shortly before his death in November 2018. The Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction, elected him an Emeritus Member, and as such, his portrait remains on display in the House of the Temple in Washington, D.C.Bill was active in Jerusalem Shrine based in New Orleans, prior to Baton Rouge having its own temple. He became Potentate of Acacia Shrine, and was a member of the Board of Governors for the Shrine Hospital in Shreveport. Bill was a Past Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery, Knights Templar of Louisiana and Past President of the local High Twelve chapter. He served as President of the Scottish Rite Research Society, President of National Sojourners Louisiane Chapter, and an Honorary Past Master of East Gate Lodge #452. Bill was appointed a District Deputy Grand Master of the 13th District, then as Grand Senior Deacon, and as Grand Chaplain for three years. He was elected Grand Junior Warden in 2012, and in 2015, he became Grand Master of Masons for the Grand Lodge of Louisiana.A long-time member of First United Methodist Church, Bill enjoyed being a mentor to young adults, teaching a senior-high Sunday school class for twenty years. He remained an active member in the church and in the SEEKERS Sunday school class, editing the weekly newsletter for the 50-member class.In lieu of a floral tribute, the family suggests a donation to: Baton Rouge Scottish Rite Childhood Learning Center, P.O. Box 15766, Baton Rouge, LA 70895-5766, or The Louisiana Scottish Rite Foundation, P.O. Box 64, Shreveport, LA 71161-0064 (the Louisiana Scottish Rite Foundation funds five Childhood Learning Centers, and is a 501(c)3 charitable organization).