Pageants
- Ericka Wells, a Laurel in the Jacksonville Ward, Central Point Oregon Stake, has been crowned Miss Oregon American Coed Queen for 1994. She represented her state at the National Miss American Coed Pageant at Orlando, Fla., in late November and was among the 10 finalists. Erika is senior class president at Crater High School. She enjoys sports and school politics.- Emily Elizabeth Huff of the BYU-H 4th Ward, BYU-Hawaii 1st Stake, represented Hawaii at the National Miss Teen USA pageant recently. Among her responsibilities as Miss Hawaii Teen USA, the sophomore cheerleader at BYU-Hawaii works with charitable organizations and speaks to young people. She strives to be a positive role model by living gospel standards and setting righteous personal goals. She is pursuing a degree in education and enjoys dance, gymnastics and playing the piano.
Professional
- Ruby P. Puckett of the Gainesville 2nd Ward, Gainesville Florida Stake, received the award for Excellence in Management Practice from the American Dietetic Association recently. Sister Puckett, director of food and nutrition services at the Shands Hospital at the University of Florida, received the award for excellence in innovation, creativity and leadership in management practice. The award also recognizes the recipient's contributions to the advancement of management practice and achievements in nutrition-related organizations, professional experience and education. Sister Puckett was nominated for the award by the Florida Dietetic Association.
- Wanda Kenton Smith, director of public affairs for the Orlando Florida South Stake, was honored by the International Women in Boating organization as 1994 IWB Woman of Distinction at the organization's bi-annual meeting recently. Sister Smith, vice president of marketing for Regal Marine Industries, Inc., has more than 15 years experience in the marine industry. She was a co-founder of International Women in Boating in 1991 after recognizing a need for an organization dedicated to the professional development of women in marine professions. She has also been the owner and president of an advertising agency and editor of water-skiing publications.
Business
- Larry C. Linton, president of the Gresham Oregon South Stake and founder and chief executive officer of Landa, Inc., America's largest manufacturer of pressure washers, has been awarded the Distinguished Service Award by the Cleaning Equipment Trade Association (CETA). Pres. Linton was on the CETA executive board for three years, serving as president in 1991-92. He played a key role in broadening CETA's scope from a manufacturers' association to one that encompasses distributors and contract cleaning businesses.
- Karren L. "Bud" Stratton, first counselor in the branch presidency of the Cosumnes River Branch, Elk Grove California Stake, has been named 1994 Manager of the Year by AM Multigraphics. Brother Stratton has worked 29 years in the company's Sacramento, Calif., office. He was chosen because his office had the best service record in the United States. A picture of Brother Stratton and his service technicians will hang in the AM Multigraphics home office in Chicago.
- JoAnn and Harvey Mickelson of the Flagstaff 5th Ward, Flagstaff Arizona Stake, were recently honored at a convention of the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC) held in Palm Springs, Calif. The couple, who built and operate the J&H RV Park, were presented with the National Best RV Park of the Year award. It was the third time the award has been presented in the 28-year history of ARVC and marks the first time that owners of a small RV park (under 75 sites) have been so honored. The award is based on uniqueness, cleanliness, customer satisfaction, management, and community and association service. Though they had demonstrated exceptional accomplishments in all requirement areas, Brother and Sister Mickelson were singled out for this award for their unique and fresh approach to RV park design and layout and the humor they used in the information and direction signs.
Military
- Kevin Zoellner, Young Men president in the Twenty Nine Palms 1st Ward, Yucca Valley California Stake, won the gold medal at the Hi-Desert Regional High-Powered Rifle Tournament in November at Twenty Nine Palms, Calif. Brother Zoellner, a sergeant in the Marine Corps, competed against military and civilian competition. More than 90 shooters fired from distances of up to 1,000 feet in 40-degree temperatures with wind gusts up to 30 miles per hour during the competition.
Education
- Ray H. Garrison of the Sharon 2nd Ward, Orem Utah Sharon Stake, has won a national award from the Text and Academic Authors Association. His book "Managerial Accounting," seventh edition, was one of only two books in its field chosen by the association to receive the 1994 Textbook Excellence Award. The group recognizes academic textbooks that have had a significant impact on disciplines for which they were written. Brother Garrison is a BYU professor emeritus.
Athletics
- Nathan Anderson and Erik Davis of the Lindell Ward, Las Vegas Nevada Sandstone Stake, teamed up to win the Nevada state high school doubles tennis championship recently. After losing the first set and trailing 4-5 in the second, the pair came back to beat a team from Reno, Nev., 7-6 and 6-2 in the state finals. Nathan, a senior, and Erik, a sophomore, at Bonanza High School formed their doubles team this season. The previous season, Nathan went to state as a singles player and Erik finished third at state with a different doubles partner.
Scouting
- Jared Gardner of the Grand Junction 6th Ward, Grand Junction Colorado Stake, joined his seven older brothers as an Eagle Scout when he received the Scouting award recently. The first of the brothers to earn his Eagle was Marlin in 1969, followed by Teryl, 1972; Wayne, 1973; Shanon, 1978; Rowan, 1982; Lanier, 1985; and Bryant, 1987. They are the sons of Clyde and Afton Gardner who have been actively involved in Scouting for many years.
Centennarian
- Klara Young Cheney turned 100 years old on Dec. 7, 1994. She was born in Fruitland, N.M., the third of seven children born to Brigham Young Jr. and Abigail Stevens Young. She and a younger sister, Marian Morgan, are the last two surviving grandchildren of Brigham Young. Sister Cheney married Silas Lavell Cheney and they had six children. He died in 1971. Sister Cheney is a gifted seamstress, with experience sewing clothes for her family, as well as costumes for performances at the Salt Lake Theater. She served in many Church positions and, while living in Ephraim, Utah, directed the Mormon Miracle Pageant at the Manti Temple. She is a member of the Sandy Regional Convalescent Branch, Sandy Utah West Stake.
Design
- Earl W. Bascom of the Apple Valley 4th Ward, Victorville California Stake, was commissioned to design the 1994 Commemorative Buckle for the National Finals Rodeo held in December at Las Vegas, Nev., by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. The buckle design commemorates the 70th anniversary of the one-hand bareback rigging which Brother Bascom designed and made in Alberta, Canada, in 1924. Bascom's rigging has since become rodeo's standard bareback riding equipment. Brother Bascom, a champion rodeo cowboy when he was younger, was born in 1906. He started his rodeo career in 1916, riding in the Mormon Pioneer Day rodeo and celebration at Welling, Alberta.
Psychiatry
- Michael J. McLure, bishop of the Martinez Ward, Augusta Georgia Stake, has been selected to serve on the Committee of Residents and Fellows of the American Psychiatric Association. He will represent the psychiatric residents of 15 Southeastern states of the United States at the executive level of the American Psychiatric Association, co-edit a psychiatric journal and represent all psychiatry residents in the country on several APA sub-committees. He will serve three years as a volunteer in the position.
Dental
- Sandra Berger of the Mission Hills Ward, Mission Viejo California Stake, was installed as District Ten Trustee of the Alliance of the American Dental Association during the organization's recent annual meeting in New Orleans. A past president of the alliance to the California Dental Association and current newsletter editor for the alliance to the Orange County Dental Society, Sister Berger has held many elective and appointed leadership positions in the local, state and national dental alliance organizations. She is the office manager for her husband's dental practice. The Alliance of the American Dental Association, a national organization for spouses of dentists, conducts community programs to promote dental health.