Detroit Commandery No. 1, Knights Templar is proud to present biographical information on select distinguished Sir Knights in the paragraphs below.

Wilber Marion Brucker was born in Saginaw, Michigan, on 23 June 1894; graduated from the University of Michigan, 1916; enlisted in the Michigan National Guard and served with its 33d Infantry Regiment on the Mexican Border, 1916–1917; attended the First Officers’ Training Camp, Fort Sheridan, Illinois, and was commissioned a second lieutenant of Infantry; served in France with the 166th Infantry, 42d Division, in the Chateau Thierry, St. Mihiel, and Meuse-Argonne operations, 1917–1918; was assistant prosecuting attorney of Saginaw County, Michigan, 1919–1923, and prosecuting attorney, 1923–1927; married Clara Hantel, 1923; was assistant attorney general of Michigan, 1927–1928, and attorney general, 1928–1930; was Governor of Michigan, 1930–1932; was a captain in the Officer Reserve Corps, 1922–1937; was a member of the law firm of Clark, Klein, Brucker, and Waples, 1937–1954; served as general counsel of the Department of Defense, 1954–1955; served as Secretary of the Army, 21 July 1955–19 January 1961; administered the Army during a period of major technological advance, especially in the missile-satellite field, and at a time when the Army’s place in the national defense structure was overshadowed by a "massive retaliation" philosophy; under his direction the Army instituted a five-element (pentagonal) organization concept for the division, established a Strategic Army Corps for emergency reaction, and launched the Free World’s first satellite.

As the Secretary of the Army, Wilber Marion Brucker (July 21, 1955–January 19, 1961), dedicated the Army song "The Army Goes Rolling Along" on Veteran’s Day, November 11, 1956; thereafter returning to legal practice in Detroit in the firm of Brucker and Brucker, 1961–1968; was a member of the Board of Directors of Freedoms Foundation; died at Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, on 28 December 1968.

Sir Knight Wilber Marion Brucker was a member of Detroit Commandery No. 1, Knights Templar, served as a Grand Commander for the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Michigan, as well as served as the Grand Master for the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the United States of America.

Eddie Rickenbacker was born October 8th, 1890 in Columbus, Ohio to Swiss immigrants.  In 1917 he enlisted in the United States Army and by June 26th, 1917 had attained the rank of Sergeant First Class.   Eddie was very much interested in aviation, and within a year had been accepted into the Army Air Corp.   On April 20th, 1918 he shot down his first plane, which was commanded by Manfred von Richthofen (the Red Baron).  Rickenbacker earned the French Croix de Guerre in the month of May 1918 by shooting down five German planes.   He was credited with bringing down 26 adversaries during his service, and by 1931 Eddie had earned the Congressional Medal of Honor (although belated).  He flew a total of 300 combat hours, more than any other U.S. pilot in the war.

By 1938, Eddie had purchased Eastern Airlines. Immediately after World War II, Eastern became the first airline to purchase and operate the Lockheed Constellation, and had a short lived stint at the most profitable airline in the post-war era. During the late 1950's Eastern's fortunes declined, and Eddie was forced out of his CEO position and later left his position as chairman of the board by the mid 1960's.

Eddie died in 1973 in Zurich, Switzerland, and was buried in Columbus, Ohio.  In the mid 1970's, the Lockbourne Air Force Base in his home town of Columbus was renamed Rickenbacker Air Force Base in his honor.

Sir Knight Edward Vernon Rickenbacker was a member of Detroit Commandery No. 1, Knights Templar.

His friends, associates and employees referred to him as eccentrically frugal. Thrifty though he may have been, his associates and employees were among the first in the country to benefit from profit sharing bonuses, paid sick leave and holiday policies. Ironically, it was reported that Kresge wore his suits until they were nearly threadbare and lined his shoes with paper when the soles wore thin. Thrifty as he was in his personal life, Kresge would become known for his public generosity.

Sebastian Spering Kresge was born July 31, 1867, in Bald Mount, Pennsylvania, to Sebastian and Catherine (Kunkle) Kresge. Both Sebastian Sr. and Catherine were poor while young Sebastian was growing up. Having recognized this circumstance early in life, young Sebastian offered to work full-time after high school graduation and gave his wages to his parents. They, in turn, paid for his college education.

While attending business college, Sebastian held various jobs - teaching, clerking, and owning half interest in a bakery. Then, between 1892 and 1897, while selling specialty hardware for a company in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, young Kresge met a dime-store merchant whose business strategies paved the way for a chain of "five and dime" stores around the country. The merchant was none other than F.W. Woolworth.

While learning the business from this master, Sebastian saved $8,000 that he invested in the J.G. McCrory store chain. Upon becoming full partners, Kresge and McCrory opened two additional stores, one in Memphis and one in Detroit. In 1899, Sebastian traded his interest in the Memphis operation for the Detroit location, forming yet another enterprise, the first S.S. Kresge Company. He then hired his brother-in-law as a partner and, for the next seven years, the two operated stores in six additional cities.

Raised a devout Methodist and staunch Republican, and schooled by institutions and mentors, Sebastian learned early on to work hard and save for the future. Those traits served him well because, by 1912, he owned eighty-five stores worth $10 million. Just thirteen years later, he had accumulated a total of 300 stores worth $200 million.

It wasn't until 1961 that Sebastian spent $80 million to purchase a chain of department stores known as K-Mart. In 1963, these stores, not producing a profit, were turned into Jupiter discount stores. But by 1966, about 4,200 persons worked in 670 stores that produced sales totaling $851 million.

Sebastian felt it was his duty to give back to society a large portion of the money acquired from that society. So, in 1924, he began The Kresge Foundation. It was founded to celebrate the S.S. Kresge Company's 25th anniversary. In the next 42 years, he made generous contributions totaling over $60 million. His simple instructions to the foundation were "to promote the well-being of mankind."

Since its beginnings, the Foundation's work has helped many communities with funds for "bricks and mortar" projects at the local, national and international levels. Specifically, the Foundation supports the construction and renovation of facilities, acquisition of real estate, and the purchase of scientific equipment.

At the age of 99, Sebastian retired. Only four months later, in 1966, Sebastian S. Kresge died. He had given most of his wealth and an estimated two and a half million shares of S.S. Kresge Company stock to the Foundation. In 1999, the Foundation was among the top twenty largest foundations in the country, with assets of $2.7 billion. Since it’s founding, The Kresge Foundation has given away nearly $1.5 billion.

Sebastian S. Kresge wanted to "leave the world a better place than he found it" and he did. Because of his work and that of The Kresge Foundation, hundreds of thousands of individual lives benefited from the projects undertaken by a wide-range of nonprofit organizations.

Sir Knight Sebastian Spering Kresge was a member of Detroit Commandery No. 1, Knights Templar.

Detroit Mayor Albert Cobo addressing the public during Detroit's 250th birthday celebration on July 31st, 1951. To the right of Mayor Cobo is United States President (and also Masonic Brother) Harry S. Truman and Michigan Governor G. Mennen Williams (also a Masonic Brother).

Albert Eugene Cobo was born in Detroit on October 2nd, 1893.  He was the son of August and Elizabeth (Byrn) Cobo.  He was married in 1914 at the age of 21 to Ethel Ruby Christie.  He was a devout Republican who served as Mayor of Detroit from 1950 until he died in office in 1957.  Before his passing, he ran as a candidate in 1956 for Governor of Michigan.  Upon his death on September 12th, 1957, his interment was at Woodlawn Cemetery in Detroit.

Sir Knight Albert Eugene Cobo was a member of Detroit Commandery No. 1, Knights Templar.