To Brian Pursifull, Stephen Jon Oliver was more than a fellow Shriner — he was a father figure and friend.

Before his death in 2020, Oliver served as president of the Little Dixie Shrine Club and in an emotional, full-circle moment, Pursifull donned the fez of his mentor as he was installed as this year’s president.

Mexico hosted representatives of the Little Dixie Shrine Club of Mexico, Tiger Shrine Club of Columbia and Capital Shrine Club of Jefferson City for the 2026 Installation of Officers at the Mexico Elks Lodge on Saturday.

“I put that fez on my head and I feel like there is nothing I can’t accomplish,” Pursifull said. “It gives me power.”

John Fredrick, Divan member of the Moolah Shrine Center in St. Louis, said the philanthropic fraternity of Shriners is dedicated to raising awareness and funds for its hospitals.

Pursifull became a Shriner roughly 13 years ago with the help of Oliver’s guidance and now, as president of Mexico’s chapter, his goal moving forward is to “keep the finesse in the Fez.”

“When you put that fez on your head, you don’t represent yourself anymore,” he said. “You’re representing a lot of different human beings, but you’re also representing the children whom we love and take care of.”

According to Pursifull, there have been many great presidents who served the club well before him and filling their shoes is an impossible feat.

“I paid attention, and if I could take just a little bit out of each one of their presidencies, I could fill my own shoes, but I could walk in their path,” he said.

Shriners International helps children receive care at no cost to families — the bills are supported through contributions from community members and fundraising efforts.

At Saturday’s ceremony, Dan Erdel of Erdel, Owings, Tanzey and Newton, P.C. presented the Shriners with a check for $30,000.

“It’s been my privilege in Mexico to know and admire many fine Shriners,” Erdel said.

Although he was never a Shriner himself, Erdel said he has had the opportunity to encourage some of his clients to make distributions to the Little Dixie Shrine Club. Ralph Roth is an example of one such client. He also wasn’t a Shriner, but, according to Erdel, Roth wanted to leave money for the “guys in the Soybean parade that drive around in the little carts hooting and hollering.

Throughout the years, Roth’s trust has contributed a total $961,721.75 to Shriners Children St. Louis in honor of the Little Dixie Shrine Club. And while the money goes through the Shriners International headquarters in Tampa, Erdel said the money comes straight back to the local hospital in St. Louis and it does not detract from any other money that would be coming from the national organization.

“The point to the Shriners is that, I know you guys donate a lot of your time — you leave your family, you leave your business, you leave your employment, you have to show up to events you don’t really want to go to, or it infringes on other things you could be doing — and you say to yourself, ‘Is this really worth it? Are we making a positive difference in young peoples’ lives?’" Erdel said. “Well, there’s $961,000 that proves it so appreciate yourself because there’s a lot of people that are standing on the wayside you don’t even know are looking.”

2026 Officers

Little Dixie Shrine Club Officers
President - Brian Pursifull
Secretary - Tom Foster
Treasurer - Patrick Talbott
Second Vice President - JC Davis
First Vice President - Steve Sales

Tiger Shrine Club Officers
President - Bill Neal
Secretary - Patrick Talbott
Treasurer - Patrick Talbott
Second Vice President - Tom Foster
First Vice President - Jason Acton

Capital Shrine Club Officers
President - Dennis Gamble
Secretary - David Buttig
Treasurer - Corey Dawson
Second Vice President - Phillip Perkins
First Vice President - Bill Wirtel