MEET OUR NEW NATIONAL PRESIDENT-ELECT, VAL PARRISH

We would like to introduce you to our new National President-Elect who was sworn into office at this most recent National Encampment held in St. George. Val was born in Ogden, Utah; grew up in Clearfield and currently lives in Taylorsville. He married and was sealed to Allison Phillips in the Salt Lake Temple in 1982. They are the parents of three children and have 6 grandchildren. Val earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Utah State University with a major in marketing and a minor in Japanese.

Val served as President of the Salt Lake Pioneer Chapter for 5 years, which included organizing and conducting the Days of ’47 Sunrise Service Celebration in the Assembly Hall on Temple Square each of those years, and served as Chairman of the 2022 National Encampment in Salt Lake City. Val has also represented the Sons of Utah Pioneers on the Pioneer Park History Committee and led the efforts to replace the SUP Pioneer Square Monument at Pioneer Park. Val received the Modern Pioneer Award in 2021.

In his service to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Val is currently serving as the 1st Counselor in the Fayette Branch, supporting those who are experiencing homelessness in the Salt Lake valley. Prior to this calling, he served as the Branch President of the Oxbow Branch Correctional Facility and served on the Salt Lake County Prisoner Services Committee. Other church callings have included Bishop, High Counselor, Stake Mission Leader, Stake Employment Specialist, Elders Quorum President and full-time missionary in the Japan Nagoya mission.

Val has received the Silver Beaver Award, District Award of Merit, and the James E. West Fellowship Award – Diamond Level from the Boy Scouts of America. He currently serves as the Chair of District Operations on the Executive Committee for the Crossroads of the West Council. Prior to this position, he was the Vice President of Alumni, helped write several national training programs, and was the Chairman of Daily Stage Shows and Associate Chairman of the Merit Badge Midway at National Jamborees in Virginia.

Professionally, Val worked at Fidelity Investments for 25 years until retiring in 2017. He was most recently the Director of Learning and Development and was the national lead facilitation director for the New Manager Program and led the Principal Facilitator Manager team across the country.

NEW NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS LIBRARY DIRECTOR

National Headquarters held a Thank You party for John and Diane Smith, former National Library Director and welcomed the new Library Director, Bruce Stewart. We appreciate the Smith's 6 diligent years of service, bringing the Library into the modern age!

2023 NATIONAL ENCAMPMENT - ST GEORGE

2023 Days of '47 Sunrise Service

The Salt Lake Pioneer Chapter first organized the annual July 24th Sunrise Service in 1967, and are pleased to continue this tradition today as a gift to the community.

Click the image to listen or read Elder James W. McConkie’s address at the annual Sunrise Service that kicked off the downtown Days of ‘47 events.

Joining Elder McConkie on the stand this year was Elder McConkie’s wife, Laurel; Val Parrish, President of the SUP Salt Lake Pioneer Chapter and 2024 SUP National President Elect; John Clayton; 2023 SUP National President; Nate Pierce, 2023 SUP National President Elect; Larry Gibson, 2023 SUP National Past President; Greg Christofferson, Mormon Battalion National President; Erin Mendenhall, Mayor of Salt Lake City; Lane Summerhays, Days of ‘47 Chairman; Burgess Ownes, United States Congressman; Ellen Jepson, President of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers; and the 2023 DUP Royalty.

2023 DAY OF '47 PARADE HANDCART PULL

2023 National Historic Symposium

2023 National Headquarters Clean Up Day

2023 Chapter Presidents Council

2022 Days of '47 Sunrise Service

2022 National Historic Symposium

IN MEMORIAM: John Hamilton "Bud" Morgan Jr.

We are saddened by the passing of a great ambassador who introduced hundreds of people to the SUP over the past 20 years. John H. Morgan Jr. was a member of the Salt Lake Chapter. John's pioneer ancestors were a lot of his reason to give back through education. John's grandfather started the first college in Salt Lake City to educate our pioneer ancestors in the mid 1800’s. More than 20 years ago, John became a scholarship chairman for the Salt Lake chapter of SUP giving out 2 scholarships - which became 4 the next year and adding more and more each year. Over those 20 remaining years, he gave out 2,727 scholarships and visited high schools throughout Davis and Salt Lake county.

The scholarship started out at $500 and eventually increased to $1500 for each student. He visited each school and personally interviewed each student. On the application the student needed to write a paragraph on the 8 pioneer values: my faith in God, my devotion to family, my loyalty to church and country, my hard work, my service to others, my courage, my personal integrity, my determination to succeed, my adversity that I have overcome. He encouraged the scholarship councilor at each school to choose students in need. Many of the students would be the first member of their family who had a chance to go to college. John loved SUP, his ancestors, and giving out scholarships to kids who could further their education. What a wonderful example he set for us and our chapters.

In 1979, he built the St. George Hilton Inn—the first hotel in the city—which his first wife Daisy managed for 14 years.

In trying to figure out how to attract more visitors and ensure the hotel's success, he realized that St. George residents were interested in sports and the city attracted retired people, and the idea of a senior sporting event was born. He and Daisy, along with friends Royce and Jill Jones and Sylvia Wunderli, used the Baton Rouge-based National Senior Games Association as a model for the St. George games. With a goal of encouraging good health and physical fitness for seniors, the games, originally called the World Senior Olympics, were first held in 1987 as part of a community development plan for St. George. In 1989, Utah philanthropist Jon M. Huntsman, Sr., became the principal sponsor, and the name was changed to the Huntsman World Senior Games.

The event has become the second-largest senior games in the world, behind the National Senior Olympics, and gives 10,000 men and women ages 55 and older the opportunity to compete in 27 athletic events over a two-week period. Serious athletes from Japan to Russia and from Alaska to Australia come to participate. John himself competed in the tennis event for more than 25 years. In 2013 he won two silver medals and one bronze, just missed winning a gold. He also received the Personal Best Award from the National Senior Games Association.

(Tribute by Dilworth Strasser)

2021 NATIONAL BOARD CHRISTMAS DINNER MEETING

PIONEER MAGAZINE RECEIVES AWARD

Pioneer Magazine's 2020 Volumes 2-3 editions on “The Settlement of Utah County,” won a 2020 Clarence Dixon Taylor Historical Research Award for scholarly work. The announcement and lecture can be viewed by clicking on the player to the left. Congratulations to our Pioneer Magazine Committee on receiving this well-deserved award!

2021 NATIONAL SYMPOSUM

The SUP National Symposium was held on Saturday April 24. We were all enlightened by the speakers: Thomas Alexander, Matthew Godfrey, Katherine Kitterman and Wayne Hinton. Their presentations were wonderful and it was so fun to get together again.

The excellent Dinner was catered by Meiers Catering. The Presidential Award for Meritorious Service was given to Paul Bambrough who has served the SUP in leadership roles for many years. The presentation by Elder LeGrand Curtis Jr. was very much enjoyed.

We were excited to be able to offer a virtual viewing experience and hope we can do that again in the future.

A big THANK YOU to all who helped make the Symposium such a success!

2021 NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS CLEAN-UP DAY

The National Clean Up Day was held on Saturday April 17th. There were almost 40 members in attendance! Many very needed things got accomplished including: Tree Trimming-The Building can be seen from the Freeway now, Leaf Blowing, Grass Mowing and Edging, Closet Cleaning, Window Washing, Removal of Dead Limbs, The whole front of the building got cleaned, and a volunteer Brick Mason rebuilt the planter out front that had lost grout.

Afterward we all relaxed and had a hotdog or two. Except for the Missionaries who had 4!

National is so grateful to all who came and helped! It makes a real difference in the upkeep and maintenance of our National Headquarters!

PASSING OF PAST NATIONAL PRESIDENT DICK CHRISTIANSEN

TRIBUTE BY BOB FOLKMAN
My year as president-elect of the SUP corresponded to Dick’s year as past president. To be associated with him in service to the Sons of Utah Pioneers was an honor. We travelled together to many chapter meetings in two states to train and encourage local leadership. Dick was an inspiring teacher on these occasions, and his commitment to the organization set a great example for me. He also set an example of wise judgment, integrity, and firmness in doing what was right as he carried out his leadership responsibilities. He and Marcia were a remarkable and effective team, always in full support of each other through some challenging times. There are few people who I have and will continue to miss as much as Dick and Marcia Christiansen.

TRIBUTE BY DAVID B. WIRTHLIN
I first had the privilege of getting to know Dick when he was serving as the national president of SUP and I was president-elect. Dick was totally focused on preserving the deep pioneer heritage that our organization stands for. He travelled throughout Utah and Idaho, visiting the chapters and encouraging them to strengthen their membership by effective recruiting and well-planned monthly meetings. He was especially dedicated to our country and the Constitution, and on Veterans Day he organized a program held at SUP headquarters to honor our veterans. Attired in his formal “dress blue” uniform as a major general in the US Army, Dick cut quite an impressive figure. He gave a stirring reminder to the audience of our blessings as Americans and what Veterans Day should mean to all of us.
Dick became a major general in the US Army, serving in the Army Reserve for 36 years. His career began when he was called on active duty as a 2nd Lieutenant during the Korean War. He didn’t talk much about his experience there, but he did share with me how he was ordered to hold a hill at all costs and how he set up his lines of defense, with machine guns and infantrymen placed in strategic places on the hill to stop a stubborn and relentless attack by the Chinese. His troops stayed in place during below zero weather and repulsed the attack. For this and other battles he participated in, and for his years of leadership, he was awarded several rows of battle ribbons and meritorious ribbons that decorated his uniform.
I think the trait that best describes Dick is courage, physically and spiritually. He was never afraid of hard work or any physical demands. Even at an older age he would participate in the heavy cleanup projects held around the SUP headquarters. Spiritually he was totally dedicated to keep the commandments and stay on the Covenant Path. He set a sterling example of faithfulness for others to follow.

TRIBUTE BY G.S. GALLCHER
Richard Christiansen is married to my wife’s deceased older sister, Marcia. As such, I have known Richard since the late 1950’s. In 1977, after taking a new job in Salt Lake City while my wife remained in Colorado to sell our home and I stayed in a basement bedroom with the Christiansen family. During my many months there, I never once heard a harsh word or loud emotional voice come from Richard. That is how he was, always kind, loving, lifting others, teaching with kindness and patience, and a blessing to all those he knew in his life.
Richard always tried to build up individuals—young and old. He would instruct and bless and inspire them in the work to be accomplished. He always spoke the truth, yet he was a genuine peacemaker and exhibited sincere love for everyone he ever met and dealt with.
We will never forget the annual Labor Day picnics with Richard and Marcia and their four children in their backyard in Centerville, Utah. Fresh fruit and vegetables from his massive garden and orchard were always a treat.
Richard accepted, loved, honored, and obeyed his Savior, Jesus Christ. He also loved his country and his associations within the military. He cherished all the years he spent serving with the Sons of Utah Pioneers organization. Thank you, Richard Ogden Christiansen. How can we ever forget the wonderful years spent with you and Marcia? The memories flourish in abundance.
Dear brother, God be with you ‘til we meet again.

2020 Chapter Recognition & Chapter in Excellence Awards

Pioneer Park Monument Re-Dedication

The 10-acre Pioneer Square was considered Utah’s “Plymouth rock.” This is the site of the Saints first settlement, houses, and organized government in what was called “The Old Fort.” Even the reorganization of the First Presidency took place here in October 1880. The Fort was ordered to be torn down by April 1851 and became a railroad depot.

In July 1898 it was dedicated as Pioneer Square Park, even though the grounds weren't completed until 1903. Emmeline B. Wells recorded in her diary on Monday, July 25, 1898, “Prest. Woodruff who is ninety one years old was present and spoke so everyone around him and all the people could hear him.” President Woodruff was only one of two members of the original pioneer Vanguard Company present and took the opportunity to recount the events of their first day in the Valley. Utah Congressman William H. King spoke, “Nothing which we can say upon this occasion will more fully dedicate this spot. The act of consecration occurred 51 years ago, when the pioneers ended their memorable and perilous journey, and determined that here a city should be builded.” The closing address was made by Judge Charles C. Goodwin, “As we meet to rededicate this spot made sacred by their first consecration of it; we can render to their memories no higher honor, we can do nothing higher for ourselves, than to resolve to adopt the course which they adopted—to perform each our daily duties, under such lights as may be given us, and to leave the rest to God.” The dedicatory prayer was then offered by President George Q. Cannon.

On December 3rd, 2020 the SUP Salt Lake Pioneer Chapter held a ceremony to the newly restored monument. Val Parish, Chapter President conducted. Brad Clayton, SUP National President spoke, with Elder LeGrand R. Curtis Jr. of the Seventy offering the dedicatory prayer.

NEW & RESTORED MONUMENTS AT THIS IS THE PLACE

The Executive Council and Pioneer Magazine Committee got together on October 20 and went to This Is The Place State Heritage for a tour of their new Visitor’s Center and changes to the grounds. There were some beautiful additions like the Eagle Gate and Visitor’s Center seen in the pictures. One of the SUP Monuments, Eyes Westward, was moved to just outside the new Visitor’s Center’s door. They also talked about the upcoming 2021 SUPer DUPer Day which is tentatively scheduled for July 19.

LARRY GIBSON, SUP NEW PRESIDENT ELECT

On September 16, at the National Board Meeting, the new Executive officers of the SUP were sworn in. Brad Clayton was sworn in as National President for 2021 and Larry Gibson as the new SUP President-Elect. Wayne Hinton is now Past President. The Executive Council welcomes Larry Gibson as the new President-Elect. Larry is from Highland, UT. He and his wife Shirley have 6 children, 41 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. He has 23 pioneer ancestors. We are excited to have him on the National Executive Council.