Lucy Mataalii Wallwork Keil
Lucy Mataalii was born 1 Feb 1931 in Pago Pago, American Samoa. She was the 3rd child and first daughter of Tifaga Asuega Mataalii and Siniva Simele. She was named after Lucy Mack Smith, Joseph Smith’s mother. She lived there until she was in her mid-teens and with her father and brother she went to Laie, Oahu, Hawaii to help build a home for the rest of the family to migrate to Hawaii to be sealed as a family. Elder Matthew Cowley, a member of the Quorum of Twelve, had encouraged my grandfather to take his family and be sealed in the temple in Hawaii to set the example for the members in Samoa.
While living in Laie, she met my father, William Benjamin Wallwork, who was an electrician and came to the house to do some electrical work. He also had a photography studio in Laie at that time. They fell in love married and moved to San Francisco. My mother finally made her way to Chicago where my dad was attending Coyle Electrical School.
I, Wendy Elizabeth Wallwork, was born in 27 Dec 27 1950 in St. Luke’s Presbyterian Hospital.
On 15 Feb 1953, Janise Talalupe Wallwork was born. Sometime in between now and when Debby was born we lived in Laie with my grandparents for a number of months. On 30 Oct 1955, Deborah Lynne Wallwork was born the only one of the girls born in a Catholic hospital. On 24 Jan 1958, Tracie Musuai Wallwork was born and on 9 Nov 1960, Pamela Siniva Wallwork was born. They later adopted a son, William, who was born 22 Nov 1979 and he was sealed to them in the Los Angeles Temple.
My father passed away on 16 Dec 1981 in Chicago and about 10 months later my mother and some siblings moved back to Redondo Beach, California. She was a widow for many years and later met and married Olaf T. Keil in San Pedro, California on 23 Apr 1993.
My mother has held many church callings including Relief Society president, a counselor in Primary, ward organist, and pianist in Relief Society. My mother and father were sealed in the Los Angeles Temple on 16 Jul 1976 and four of us were sealed to our parents at that time. Debby was sealed to our parents later when she and her husband, James Edward Lupo, were sealed in the Chicago Temple.
She is still employed at McStarlite Company in Harbor City, California. She has many talents and shares them with her family. She has 10 grandchildren and 6 and soon to be 7 great grandchildren.
As remembered and recorded by Wendy Wallwork Kaneen
While living in Laie, she met my father, William Benjamin Wallwork, who was an electrician and came to the house to do some electrical work. He also had a photography studio in Laie at that time. They fell in love married and moved to San Francisco. My mother finally made her way to Chicago where my dad was attending Coyle Electrical School.
I, Wendy Elizabeth Wallwork, was born in 27 Dec 27 1950 in St. Luke’s Presbyterian Hospital.
On 15 Feb 1953, Janise Talalupe Wallwork was born. Sometime in between now and when Debby was born we lived in Laie with my grandparents for a number of months. On 30 Oct 1955, Deborah Lynne Wallwork was born the only one of the girls born in a Catholic hospital. On 24 Jan 1958, Tracie Musuai Wallwork was born and on 9 Nov 1960, Pamela Siniva Wallwork was born. They later adopted a son, William, who was born 22 Nov 1979 and he was sealed to them in the Los Angeles Temple.
My father passed away on 16 Dec 1981 in Chicago and about 10 months later my mother and some siblings moved back to Redondo Beach, California. She was a widow for many years and later met and married Olaf T. Keil in San Pedro, California on 23 Apr 1993.
My mother has held many church callings including Relief Society president, a counselor in Primary, ward organist, and pianist in Relief Society. My mother and father were sealed in the Los Angeles Temple on 16 Jul 1976 and four of us were sealed to our parents at that time. Debby was sealed to our parents later when she and her husband, James Edward Lupo, were sealed in the Chicago Temple.
She is still employed at McStarlite Company in Harbor City, California. She has many talents and shares them with her family. She has 10 grandchildren and 6 and soon to be 7 great grandchildren.
As remembered and recorded by Wendy Wallwork Kaneen
Lucy with parents Tifaga and Siniva Asuega Mataalii
