My name is Jose Assa Fiss, I was born in a small town named Banes, province of Oriente in Cuba, on June 16, 1936. I had to start working at a very tender age, one day in 1949, when I was about thirteen years old, a young man approached my boss, who was a Mason, to ask him if he would sponsor me in to the De Molay, which was known as AJEF, for Association of Youngsters Hope of the Fraternity.

Going to adult school to learn the basic skills of the English language was one of the best things that ever happened to me, for I met Rosa Maria there, the woman that became my wife in 1957, and who is still my wife in 2005.

Also in 1957 I started to work for General Motors Assembly Division, a job that I held for thirty years. In 1974 I met a man there who asked me if I was a Mason, my answer was "no but I would like to be." He sent me to a man named Robert Kirkwood, a General Foreman at the plant. Bob Kirkwood got my application, signed it, and coached me through all three degrees.

I retired from GM in 1987, and that is when I started to attend lodge regularly until I was appointed Jr.Steward, and went through all stations, at the end of my year as Worshipful Master, Illustrious Albert G. Cowan 33°, and Companion Gordon C. Alexander, Most Excellent Past Grand High Priest, honored, and introduced me to the York Rite.