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Rotary Club of Volcano
About our club
Member bios
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Born in Bremerhaven, Germany, came to the US when I was 5 years old. Graduated High School, joined the US Navy and served 7 years; 1-1/2 years of electronics school and 5-1/2 years on board the USS George Washington Carver SSB(N) 656 as a Navigation Electronics Technician, specializing in Ships Inertial Navigation System. Honorably discharged as an ETR2 SS (E5 Sub Qualified). After discharge I spent 2 years in college and then into the construction industry as a carpenter, specializing in finish work. Other work areas included welder and layout for large steel sculptures, foreman for a skylight installation company, US Fish and Wildlife, building a staff residence at Hakalau Wildlife Refuge, National Park Service, maintenance div as a painter and worker safety advocate. I am still in the construction industry, but as a Special Inspector of concrete, rebar, structural masonry, structural steel bolting and welding. I also monitor quality control and compliance to contract documents. Hobbies include wood working, metal working, Rotary, automobile restoration, and writing letters to the editor. I am the webmaster for this site and I have my own website where you can check out some of my projects; My mother, 92 years old, is living in California. I have three sisters and a brother, two of the sisters and the brother I discovered recently via the Internet (it's a long story), the sister I grew up with is a licensed Architect in California and Hawaii.
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John Tyler Spouse: Karen Tyler John was admitted to our club in 2005 He has held the offices of chair of our New Generations and Club Services John retired after a full and comprehensive career with the National Parks Service He was attracted to our club by his desire to participate in community service. John grew up on a farm in Iowa, later attending college at the University of Northern Iowa. On graduation he joined the U.S. National Parks Service as a Park Ranger and Naturalist. His career included service at Zion National Park, Utah ;Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona; Cape Hatteras National Seashore, North Carolina; Wright Brothers National Memorial, North Carolina; Shenandoah National Park, Virginia; Pu’uhonua o Honauau National Historical Park, Hawaii; Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada; Valley Forge National Historical Park, Pennsylvania; and Ft. McHenery National Monument, Maryland. During these assignments he rose from Park Ranger to District Ranger, to Division Chief, to Park Superintendent. During all of these assignments, he maintained a strong involvement in training and employee development. Thus, after service at more Parks than the average citizen visits in a lifetime, he was assigned to the National Parks Service Stephen T Mather Training Center in West Virginia where he taught Interpretation and Visitor services, Cultural Resource Management, and Equal Opportunity in personnel development. The capstone of John’s career was at N.P.S. Headquarters where he was Deputy Director for Training and Development managing four N.P.S. Training Centers and responsible for training programs for 16 N.P.S. career fields Meanwhile, his wife, Karen, who also graduated from the University of Northern Iowa, worked briefly as a speech and drama teacher and managed a farm. She is now pursuing work in fiber arts.
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Kathleen English Spouse: Tom English 2 Children 4 Grandchildren Kathleen was admitted to our club in 2001 She has served the club as treasurer, Secretary, And club historian. She is the retired Executive Director of the non profit Hawaii Natural History Association (HNHA) Kathleen became aware of Rotary through her husband Tom and other Rotarians. She was drawn to Rotary by its reputation as an international organization doing so much good in the world. Her favorite Rotary functions are distributing dictionaries to school students, creating the Volcano Village Independence Day parade and the club’s social functions. Kathleen grew up in Denver, Colorado before she went off to San Francisco to attend college where she met her future husband Tom whose family had been in Volcano for several generations. Now married, Kathleen and Tom moved to Volcano. She joined the HNHA staff. While raising two daughters, Kathleen served the association at their bookstore in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to which the HNHA donates all proceeds. After 29 years of service she retired in 2005 to the home in Volcano Villages Cymbidium Acres were she enjoys entertaining her children and grandchildren. She regards herself fortunate in having one of her daughters living nearby in the Puna district. Kathleen and her husband like to travel, spend time at local beaches and in the mountains. At home she enjoys reading, doing word puzzles, and building pyrotechnic devices. Kathleen remains active in village community affairs, where, in addition to Rotary she has served on the board of directors of the Volcano Art Center during its recent very active history as well as serving as Treasurer of the Volcano Community Foundation. |
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Charlene Meyers Husband: Amos 4 children 3 Grandchildren Charlene was admitted to our club in 2003 Since then she has been club Service chairman, club representative to the Volcano Cooper Center, the Volcano Village community center and served as our club president. Charlene is a gifted outdoor life photographer, who was formerly a caterer. She was attracted to Rotary by a desire to ‘give back to the community’, to provide service to others, and ‘to associate with wonderful people with like minds for giving.’ Charlene’s favorite Rotary functions are community service projects such as Keiki (children’s) Vision, providing dictionaries to school children, refurbishing the Kau Hospital, The Bud Doty project, improving the Hilo Municipal Park, as well as general fund raising and the Rotary social events. Charlene would like our club to support or participate in more projects helping the Volcano charter School of Arts and Sciences, as well as participating in an international matching grant project in the Pacific region. Charlene was born in and was a childhood resident of Pennsylvania, later moving in several East Coast states bfore returning to Pennsylvania where in 1971 she met and married Amos, who then became her husband. He still is. After raising their four children, she , at age 40, started a catering business which she successfully ran for 17 long years. In 1998 her husband Amos retired from teaching. In 1999 Charlene sold her thriving catering business and off they went traveling, for 1 ½ years, all over the place before settling down in Volcano in Feb., 2001. She’s been there ever since. Charlene has had a long history of volunteer work which she has continued here in Volcano. Since arriving in 2001 she has contributed work at the Cooper Center involved in many fund raising and other civic projects. Since 2002 she has, with husband Amos, volunteered at the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, conducting hikes and being jolly to park visitors from around the world. Her involvement in the Volcano Rotary Club began in 2003. since then, she has done most everything including sweeping up after the meetings. In the midst of all this, she found that people were asking for copies of her photography hobby pictures taken of the park and environs. This has turned into another Business. She and Amos find it tranquil living here. I’m exhausted just reading about it. |
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John P. (Jack) Lockwood Spouse: Martha (Marty) A) Long (boring) Narrative version: Although born on the East Coast (Connecticut), Lockwood was raised on a small cattle ranch in the mountains of Southern California, where a love of the outdoors forged his career and recreational interests. He proudly traces his ancestors back to Major Ebenezer Lockwood, a Revolutionary War hero whom the British termed a “terrorist”. Jack majored in Geology at the University of California at Riverside (1957-1961) and worked summers at the US Navy Electronics Laboratory (San Diego), where his outdoor interests expanded into a love of the sea. He received his Ph.D. in Geology from Princeton University in 1966 for research in a remote area of northern Colombia, and later conducted Post-doctoral studies as a National Academy of Sciences Exchange Scientist at the Geological Institute in Moscow, during the coldest phase of the Cold War. The most fortunate event of his life took place in 1963, when he married Martha Bell, a college friend who shared his love of the outdoors. Lockwood began a lifelong career with the U. S. Geological Survey in 1961 as a summer employee, and later conducted field studies in remote areas of the high Sierra Nevada. When he visited Hawaii in 1971 he nearly perished on an active lava flow (because of inexperience and stupidity), decided that hot lava was more interesting than cold granites, and was able to join the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff in 1974. Volcanology became his life’s work, as he initially specialized in understanding the eruptive history of Mauna Loa, and later focused on volcanic hazards and risks --- the relations of people to volcanoes . He became a leader of USGS international volcano reaction teams, and studied major volcanic disasters and eruption crises worldwide, principally in Latin America, Africa, and the western Pacific. Jack left the USGS in 1995, formed a consulting business (Geohazards Consultants International, Inc.) that conducts geologic investigations worldwide and in Hawaii. The past few years were focused on completion of a major volcanology textbook (VOLCANOES – Global Perspectives), which was published in 2010. Jack and Martha live on a small ranch on the upper slopes of Kilauea volcano, where they raise cattle, sheep, and feathered beasts. Their daughter Pamela teaches ecology and forest sustainability at Hawaii Community College, and son Glen manages a large construction business in Central Asia. Their three grandchildren reside in Volcano and Kyrgyzstan. His Rotary affiliation began in 2001 as a Charter Member of the Volcano Club, where he has focused on International Service activities. Scholarly works: Books:
B) Just the Facts version: 1939 – Born – Bridgeport, Connecticut 1957 – Graduated, Coachella Valley Union High School 1961 – Graduated University of California at Riverside – A.B. 1963 – Married Martha Bell 1966 – Graduated Princeton University – Ph.D. 1966 – Exchange Scientist, Geological Institute, Moscow, USSR 1966-1995 – Geologist, U.S. Geological Survey (1974-1995 – Hawaiian Volcano Observatory) 1995 – Founded Geohazards Consultants International, Inc. 2001 – Joined Rotary
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Larry Higgins Spouse: Sarah 3 children 10 Grandchildren 3 Great grandchildren Larry was admitted to our club in 2008. He had previously served for three years in the Hilo Rotary Club. Before that, he had served with the Cathedral City, California Rotary Club for 2 years. Larry is an architect. He was attracted to Rotary by its service and the fellowship it offers. Larry looks forward to serving through Rotary community projects. Larry was born in New Jersey. He went on to graduate with a degree in architecture from the University of Illinois and has been a licensed architect since 1954. He had his own firm where he practiced architecture in Belleville, Washington for many years. He then owned his own firm on Oahu where he imported rattan furniture. Larry’s other enterprise, for 12 years, was owning and operating ‘Sarah’s Selections’ retail clothing stores. He is now ‘phasing into’ property management and innkeeper duties here in Volcano. In his spare time, Larry is watercolor artist
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Kevin LeBourdais Wife: Deborah 3 Children 2 Grandchildren Kevin was admitted to our club in 2006 He has served on the club’s Public Relations Committee. He was attracted to our club to join in our community service projects. Kevin has most enjoyed our work at Ka’u Hospital and working to make our Labor Day Lobster Feasts a memorable social affair every year. Kevin’s brief biography is that he was born in Michigan. He moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1995 was married in 1999 and then moved on to arrive on the Big Island in 2006.
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Jerry Y. Shimoda Wife: Clara 6 Children 8 Grandchildren Jerry was admitted to our club in 2001. He had previously been a member of the Rotary Club of Kona-Mauka where he had served from circa 1977, 78. He is a charter member of our club. Jerry is a retired National Parks Service Park Superintendent. His interests lie with Rotary community service programs of all descriptions. He seeks more Rotary sponsored or supported youth service programs. Jerry was born in the Oahu plantation town of Haleiwa on the island’s north shore. He attended Oahu’s prestigious Iolani School followed byt earning a BA degree in government, a Masters d Degree in Far Eastern Area Studies. Later he earned a PhD in Public Administration, all from K-W (?) University. He then served with the U.S. National park Service from 1957 to 1996when he retired as the superintendent of the National Park at Honaunau (city of refuge). Jerry provides us with the ‘Rotary Moments at our weekly meetings
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Frank E Box Spouse, Jeanne M Testa/Box 2 children: 3 Grandchildren: 1 Great Grandchild Admitted to our club: 2006 Offices/Chairs held in our club: Sgt-At-Arms Occupation: Retired U.S. Marine Corps Major Frank was Attracted to Rotary: by a desire to ‘Feel energized’ to ’give back’. He found Rotary is a ‘Great way to do just that, building goodwill and peace in the world.” He enjoys “almost all” Rotary functions. He would like to see our Rotary support or participate in Positioning a rotating Volcano Rotary member every Sunday morning at Cooper Center with information about Rotary and Rotary Club of Volcano. Frank is a native of Hialeah, Florida who entered the Marine Corps in August 1955. He served in various overseas and states side commands as an enlisted Marine. While serving with 3rd Tank Battalion, 3rd Marine Division in the Northern I Corps Tactical Zone, Republic of Vietnam in 1968 Frank was selected for the Marine Corps Warrant Officer program. He attended and graduated from Warrant Officer Screening Course, in June 1969, again serving in various state side and overseas commands. He was as promoted from Chief Warrant Officer 3 to First Lieutenant May 1973. July 1976 and was promoted to Captain then promoted to Major November 1981. Having served faithfully a total of 29 years and 6 months was retired from the United States Marine Corps on the first day January 1985. Then he spent the next 5 years sailing the South Pacific in his Sailboat “KONA STAR.” With his wife Jeanne who retired from the United States Army in September 1995. They still spend summers sailing in the Northwest, Canada ands Alaska. His special interests include travel, hiking, and sailing. He has been a volunteer with the interpretation Branch, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park for the past 9 years and also volunteers at the US Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory where he has help update multiple individual seismic stations used to determine the location and depth of earthquakes.
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2 Children 1 Grandchild Linda-Jane Irwin, MD bio
I was born in Hilo and raised on the Big Island and Oahu. After attending Rice University in Texas I went to the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) for my MD and Masters degrees. After my internship at the University of Iowa Hospitals I was heading back towards the islands having secured a neurology residency at UCLA. However, I became engaged and changed my residency to UTMB.
My husband was a Texan so my practice (both university and private) was mostly in Texas and that is where we raised our family of two children. After we went our separate ways and the kids were grown, I went back to university practice so that I could also return to graduate school for another Masters in Marine Mammal studies.
When I retired I was finally able to move home to the Big Island and Volcano. I now spend time working in the park and the forest near my house, in the community and with Rotary. I have also gone on a number of Earthwatch projects, most recently to Mongolia with my daughter and son-in-law. I have a trip with my granddaughter every summer, sometimes including her father (my son) or my daughter. I have particularly enjoyed local Rotary projects at the Ka’u Hospital and with youth. Internationally I was fortunate enough to travel to Africa for one of the Rotary Polio Immunization projects.
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Gwendolyn O'Conner's Award Winning Watercolour on Silk have been internationally acclaimed since her first One Man Show over twenty-five years ago. Raised in the Islands from early childhood, her passion for Environmental Responsibility led her in 1979 to cut from the Grid, and be responsible for her own power production. All her Artwork has been created solely with Solar Power. Her Paintings can be found in numerous Public and Private Collections around the world, including; Australia, Canada, England, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Romania, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the United States. In spite of the high demand for her Originals, she is still meticulous in every detail, and never rushes her Creations. Dedicated to Peace, she is a Paul Harris Fellow, and is a member of the American State Department Art in Embassies Program. Her work is displayed in the reception room of the American Embassy in Singapore, representing Hawai’i in the show “From Sea to Shinning Sea” (2006-2009). Two of her Paintings may be found in the American Embassy in Laos (2007-2010). Her work was also chosen for the State Department’s 2008 Calendar, used by American Embassies Worldwide.
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