Tufuga Samuelu Atoa, 71, pioneer for the Church in Samoa, died at his home in Apia June 29, 1998. At the time of his death, he was serving as the national director of public affairs for the Church in Samoa.
He also served as a counselor in the first stake organized in Samoa, stake president, high councilor, regional representative for the Samoa and Tongan regions, executive secretary to the area presidency, and as president of Apia Samoa Temple.Brother Atoa was also devoted to his country, serving as administrator of the 7th South Pacific Games held in Apia in 1982 and as Olympic team manager in 1996. In 1994 he received the Distinguished Service Award by the Western Samoa Sports Federation and the National Olympic Committee. He was selected to receive the BYU Alumnus Service Award this October.