 The Honorable
Leon A. Karjola
was initiated into
the Longview,
Washington, Elks
Lodge No. 1514 in
1968, just three
days after his 21st
birthday. He later
transferred his
membership to the
Eureka, California
Lodge No. 652 in
1985, where he served on and chaired various
Lodge Committees, including the Board of Trustees
between 1986-1990, the last two as their
chairman, and served as Exalted Ruler in 1991-1992.
Lee has served on numerous District and
CHEA Elks Committees, including Jamboree
Chairman, Government Relations, Ritual Contest,
Bequests and Living Trusts Committee and
was a qualified Ritual Judge for 10 years.
He served the Grand Lodge as District
Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler for the "Great
Northwest District of California" in 1995-1996,
as a Member of the Grand Lodge Committee on
Judiciary for six years between 1996-2002, the
last two as its Chairman; Grand Lodge Parliamentarian
in 2000, as a Member of the Pardon
Commission in 2001-2002, Chairman of the
Grand Lodge Pardon Commission in 2008, as
Justice of the Grand Forum from 2003-2006, and
Chief Justice of the Grand Forum in 2007-2008.
Lee served as the First Vice President of the
California Hawaii Elks Association in 2008-
2009.
Lee married his high school sweetheart,
Cindy, without whom he freely admits he could
never have accomplished all that he has done in
and out of Elkdom. They have been married for
40 years, and they have two sons, both Elks, and
two grandchildren whom Lee is certain will become
Elks.
Lee graduated from Tom Central Washington
University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in
1969, the University of Montana with a Master
of Arts in 1970, and Western State University
with a Juris:Doctorate Degree in 1975. He is presently
engaged in the practice of law in Eureka,
California where he is a member of both the
Local and State Bar Associations.
Lee has been involved with and donated
countless hours to community service, serving
as a Member of the Mayor's Blue Ribbon
Committee on Law Enforcement, serving
on various Local and State Election Campaigns,
becoming a Life Member of the California
Waterfowl Association and the National
Rifle Association, serving our youth
by donating his time as a Little League Baseball
Coach, a Pop Warner Football Coach,
and as a sports fan rarely missing his two
sons' baseball, basketball, football, and
soccer games, by being active in the Untied
States Jaycees, becoming a Regional
Director in 1977, and by being an Exchange
Club Member and its President in
1986.
Finally, to relax in his spare time he
models wooden ships and an "N" gauge
railroad. |
