service missionaries
Missionaries (and countless volunteers) have played key roles at the Polynesian Cultural Center even before it was dedicated on October 12, 1963 (and opened to the public two days later). For instance, labor missionaries built the Center and many of the earliest village and cultural leaders were “called” to serve in Laie by their respective Church leaders.
Since the 1980s, over 500 individuals, including couples, have donated their time and talents in practically every area and Center department. Some of those with particular skills were “drafted,” others contacted us first to “volunteer.” Some were recommended by friends who had served here, some retired from the Center but stayed on as voluntary missionaries, and some served more than once.
The following rosters are basically divided into decades according to their starting date. Missionaries are then sorted, first by ascending order of the year in that decade they began, then alphabetical order where multiple missionaries began in the same year. Searches can be done by decade, last name, or even areas of service.
WE NEED YOUR HELP, PLEASE: In some cases we are missing information and photos. If you can help us fill in any of these blanks, please submit the missing info and/or attach photos as a comment so we can make this record more historically accurate. MAHALO.
1980s Service Missionaries
Ivin & Pearl Gee
1984
The Gees, from Lander, Wyoming, are believed to be the first senior missionaries officially called by the Church Missionary Department to serve at the Polynesian Cultural Center. They helped work out some of the details of their mission: For example, Sister Gee designed and sewed their own 19th-century-style “uniforms.” They also shipped their own late-model Cadillac to Oahu, and they lived in the Temple View Apartments (TVA), but they were not assigned to any particular ward. (His journal tells of how they enjoyed attending a variety of wards.) Elder Gee passed away in 2005, and Sister Gee died in 2007.
Clifton Carfol Treglown
1988
The Treglowns are from West Jordan, Utah. Elder Treglown also served as a young missionary and was called as a mission president in Samoa (1990) while he and Sister Treglown were still at the PCC. (He passed away in 2019).
Gilbert & Maybelle Wellisch
1988 – Mission Settlement
1990s Service Missionaries
David & June Crockett
1990 – Mission Settlement
The Crocketts, who are from Salt Lake City, Utah, previously served as senior missionaries in the Church’s Natural Resources Division, cataloging and documenting water wells in the Intermountain West.
Dorene & Owen Ford
1990 – Mission Settlement & PCC history project
The Fords, who are from Arizona, were assigned to the Mission Settlement. He was a former civil engineer with the Arizona State government, so he was also assigned to work in that area at the Center, and Sister Ford also worked on the PCC history project.
Boyd & Dorothy Newman
1990 – Maintenance/Mission Settlement
Elder Newman, an electrical engineering consultant, also served with his wife in the Mission Settlement. They are from Seattle, Washington.
John & Unita Welch
1991 – Assignment areas not listed
HELP NEEDED with more info: The Welches returned to La Canada, California, after serving at the Center for 21 months.
Tyrrell & Lorraine Furse
1992 – Preventative Maintenance / Mission Settlement, and Admin Building Guest Services
Ardean & Lillian Hinton
1993 – Special Projects / Admin Office
The Hintons are from Bountiful, Utah. (More info, please, if anyone knows.)
Paul & Lois Wilson
1993 – Marketing / Business Office
Elder Wilson, a retired international Eastman Kodak executive, worked closely with the PCC sales and marketing team. Their son, Christopher Wilson, also worked for the PCC MIS department. Their late daughter-in-law, Patricia Hutihuti, and granddaughters Patricia and Kiana Wilson also performed at the Center. The Wilsons returned for a second assignment in 1995, soon after they completed the first one, during which time Elder Wilson acted as the marketing director. Sister Willson passed away (2019), and he now lives in St. George, Utah. He is also listed in a senior athletes hall of fame for tennis and golf.
Edgar & Carrie Barber
1994 – Maintenance/Mission Settlement
Elder and Sister Barber are from Virginia. He was an engineer. [More info, if known, please.]
Keith & Marion Carroll
1995 – Mission Settlement
The Carrolls are from Salt Lake City, Utah. [MORE INFO, please]
Allen
1997 – MORE INFO needed
[MORE INFO, please]
Fliekid
1997 – MORE INFO needed
[MORE INFO, please]
Henry & Aurora Florence
1997 – [MORE INFO needed]
Hawkes
1997 – Mission Settlement [MORE INFO needed]
Terry Kanahele
1997 – Mission Settlement
A former BYU–Hawaii student employee, Sister Kanahele later served as a volunteer missionary in the Mission Settlement.
Sandberg
1997 – [MORE INFO needed
Lucy Unga
1997 – Quilter & Weaver
Sister Unga originally came from Samoa. After a long career at the Center, she retired and then served as a senior missionary.
2000s Service Missionaries
Terry & Nadine Allen
2001 – Physical Facilities/Human Resources and PCC History Project
The Terry and Nadine Allens live in Phoenix. He worked for Honeywell. She was originally from Salt Lake City, where she worked in a variety of media sales, marketing and promotional jobs.
Joseph & Beth Baugh
2001 – Mission Settlement
Elder and Sister Baugh came from Murray, Utah
Ben & Renee Blackburn
2001 – Maintenance/Culinary Services
Elder and Sister Blackburn are from Price, Utah.
Gary & Margaret Carver
2001 – Human Resources/PCC History Project
Elder and Sister Carver are from Pleasant Hill, California
Eileen Clawson
2001 – Executive offices reception
Sister Clawson is from Provo, Utah
Allen & Doreen Hendrickson
2001 – Maintenance/Mission Settlement
The Hendricksons met while students at Ricks College (now BYU-Idaho) in the early 1950s
Karl & Marge Jenkins
2001 – Human Resources
The Jenkins are from Meadow, Utah, and Syracuse, New York. He retired as a US Marine with 21 years of service, and also worked as an employment specialist for 20 years with the New York State Department of Labor. She worked as a legal secretary and then became a foster mother to many different children. They previously served a mission at the PCC in 2010, and also in South Africa, Papua-New Guinea and New Zealand.
Bryon & Marianne Jenson
2001 – Maintenance/Business Office
Elder Jensen previously worked as a newspaper pressman and owned a home repair business.
Robert & Carole Jones
2001 – Maintenance/Business Office
The Jones were called from Ninilchik, Alaska. He was a former Air Force officer, high school teacher, and owned and operated a family guide business and inn. She was a homemaker, and assisted with the family business.
Carlton & Sharon Judkins
2001 – Culinary Services/Islands Office
The Judkins are from Rexburg, Idaho.
Wayne & Ardith Peterson
2001 – Mission Settlement
The Morrisons are from Terreton, Idaho. He retired from the Union Pacific Railroad, and she retired from the Pocatello Railroad Credit Union. They previously served in the Tampa Florida Mission, at the LDS Humanitarian Center in Salt Lake City, and at the PCC in 2000-2001.
Wayne & Ardith Peterson
2001 – Nursery/Guest Services and Mission Settlement
Elder Peterson worked for about 40 years in the milk industry — about half of that time as a truck driver and mechanic. Sister Peterson was a private piano and organ teacher with almost 20 years of administrative service at Snow College. They are from Ephraim, Utah.
Ronald & Janeal Bottema
2005 – Physical Facilities and Warehouse
From Hillsboro, Oregon. Elder Bottema worked for Reynolds Aluminum for 30 years in Portland, Oregon, before retiring. Sister Bottema spent 28 years as an executive secretary and transportation supervisor for 150 drivers in the Hillsboro School District.
Gale & Bonnie Bryce
2006 – Quality Assurance/Retail, Seamstresses, Mission Settlement
From Orem, Utah. Elder Bryce was assigned to Quality Assurance in Corporate Administration, and Sister Bryce divided her time between the Quality Assurance, Retail, Seamstresses and the Hawaii Mission Settlement. He retired from BYU in Provo after 33 years as a statistician during which time he consulted across the world. Sister Bryce previously operated her own residential interior design business. (The Bryces returned again to the Center in 2011, when he was the Quality Assurance team leader.
Clifford & Olive Price
2001 – Mechanic/Mission Settlement
Elder Price owned and operated a heavy equipment business for 20 years at Bear Lake, Utah (in addition to ranching). Sister Olive Price, a home health nurse and homemaker. He and Sister Olive Price are from Deweyville, Utah.
2010s Service Missionaries
Stew & Sandra Briskin
2001 – Physical Facilities/Mail Room and Tongan Craft Center
The Briskins, who lived in a wilderness area near Troy, Montana, previously served a Family History Center senior mission in Salt Lake City, and she also served two employment center missions in Sacramento, California.
Don & Joan Glasgow
2010 – Mission Settlement
The Glasgows lived in St. George, Utah, for the previous 12 years and operated a side business as potters. He retired as a school arts teacher, and included some of his water color designs in their creations. She also sold real estate.
Norm & Lynette Haugen
2010 – Mission Settlement
From West Point (near Ogden), Utah, the Haugens both retired from The Boeing Company working out of Hill AFB. Elder Haugen noted he played on the Church College of Hawaii basketball team for one semester in 1961.
Steve & Dawn Johnston
2010 – Welder/Human Resources
They are from El Cajon, California, where Elder Johnston worked for almost 40 years as a heavy equipment repair and welding specialist. She was a preschool and parent-ed teacher for about 20 years.
Don & Charlene Kimball
2010 – Finance Office/Seamstresses and Mission Settlement
From Sandy, Utah, Elder Kimball was born in Honolulu and served a mission in New Zealand. He worked professionally as a CPA and was also a part-owner of a management consulting company. They previously served an inner-city mission in Salt Lake City.
Guy & Carolee Newgren
2010 – Safety Officer/Islands Office
The Newgrens previously served part-time missions with LDS Family Services in Oregon, and also coordinated all the Church service missionaries in Oregon and part of Washington. They lived for years in San Jose, California, before moving to Canby (near Portland), Oregon.
David, Merle & son Ford Rumsey
2010 – Human Resources
The Rumseys, along with their son Ford Rumsey, who volunteered in PCC Culinary Services, are from Houston, Texas. Elder Rumsey retired after 32 years as a Delta pilot. Sister Rumsey was a flight attendant, then a homemaker for their family. They previously served as senior missionaries in the Family History Center in Salt Lake City.
Bob & Sandy Sangster
2010 – Mission Settlement/ Electrical Projects
Elder Sangster was a former electrical contractor in California and Montana. They also owned a cattle ranch in Montana, which they sold to serve on a senior mission in Armenia for four years.
Ralph & Suzanne Watson
2010 – Physical Facilities/Protocol
Elder Watson says he is “not” a retired structural engineer, and Sister Watson worked as office manager in their engineering business. They lived in Cedar City, Utah, and Elder Watson raises and trains “cutting” quarter horses.
Dave & Jackie Allen
2011 – Special Events
The Dave and Jackie Allens, from Mesa, Arizona, put his early training in commercial art to good use helping stage the PCC Haunted Lagoon and Christmas in Polynesia events that year. Sister Allen was an elementary school teacher, homamaker, and apartment manager.
Janice Boice
2011 – In-House Marketing and PCC History Project
Sister Boice, who had 20 years of video editing experience, arrived home from a full-time mission in Melbourne, Australia before beginning to serve at the Center.
Terri Bultez
2011 – Islands Office, Mission Settlement
Three of Sister Bultez’ daughters previously lived on Oahu, which gave her the opportunity to visit the Center several times earlier. served part-time for two years in the Portland Bishop’s Storehouse. She returned in 2015 to serve a second senior mission at the Center, in the Islands Office.
2020s Service Missionaries
John & Carol Allred
2020 – Theater/Seamstress and Wadrobe
Elder Allred working with Theater sound, lighting and props. He came with experience in electronics, instrumentation and as a general contractor. She made and maintained costumes for the performers, was a homemaker, taught piano lessons, and later worked as a substitute teacher. They are from Lehi, Utah.
Barbara & Earl Bradley
2020 – Woodcarvers/Electrician
Sister Bradley’s sculpting talents include wood carving. Elder Bradley, an electrician, is also a skilled cowboy and bluegrass musician. They live in Logan, Utah.
Virginia Lavell Johnston
2020 – Maori Village
Sister Johnston served as a weaver for 17 months before CoviD-19 “sent her home” to New Zealand early. She learned traditional weaving skills from master weaver John Bailey, who worked in the village. She also designed a weaving depicting the Laie Hawaii Temple in commemoration of its 100-year anniversary.
Juel & Craig Miller
2020 – Wardrobe/Physical Facilities
Sister Miller, who is from Sharon, Vermont, was employed as a medical assistant and a seamstress. Elder Miller, a retired Army officer after 25 years, worked afterward at Deseret Industries and as a golf tour coordinator. They are from Gilbert, Arizona.
Cindy Myrup
2020 – Mission Settlement
Sister Myrup, formerly a reading teacher, was assigned to the Settlement during a time when the missionaries sewed things for sale. When the focus changed, she taught guests the Hawaiian alphabet, history, quilting basics, and about the printing press. She returned to her home in Lehi, Utah.
Jay & Deanna Smith
2020 – Air-conditioning/First Aid and Culinary Services Warehouse
Sister Myrup, formerly a reading teacher, was assigned to the Settlement during a time when the missionaries sewed things for sale. When the focus changed, she taught guests the Hawaiian alphabet, history, quilting basics, and about the printing press. She returned to her home in Lehi, Utah.
John & Marilee Swickard
2020 – Documented COVID Closure
The Swickards returned to visit the PCC in 2020. They originally came to Laie as labor missionaries in their youth. Elder Swickard worked to build the Temple Visitors Center and the Polynesian Cultural Center.
Brent & Ilene Barton
2021 – HR Training and Development/Goo’s Plantation
Elder Barton worked with the President’s Council reassessing and revising the PCC Cultural Beliefs. He also reviswed the employee handbook and trained employees how to implement changes in work performance. Sister Barton worked with her husband in the “Genuine Gold” program. They live in Alpine, Utah.
Steve & Teri Ellen Burns
2021 – Culinary Services Maintenance/Retail Warehouse
The Burns, who are from Bountiful, Utah, retired as owners of a mobile auto equipment business before their mission. She was also a temple workers and piano teacher.
Jeri Black
2021 – Mission Settlement
Elder Barton worked with the President’s Council reassessing and revising the PCC Cultural Beliefs. He also reviswed the employee handbook and trained employees how to implement changes in work performance. Sister Barton worked with her husband in the “Genuine Gold” program. They live in Alpine, Utah.
Shirley Nelson
2021 – Goo’s Plantation Store
Sister Nelson arrived in Laie 16 days before being sent home during the COVID-19 closurte. She returned in January 2021, one week before the Center reopened. She has returned again to her home in Laguna Niguel, California.
Cynde Norr
2021 – Luau Coordinator
Sister Norr, who is from St. George, Utah, recently retired from a recreational equipment company where she was a buyer for all locations and online sales.
