Meet Our Trustees
Northwest Lions Foundation for Sight & Hearing
PDG C. Phillip Thorleifson
District 19-B Trustee
Past District Governor Phill Thorliefson has been a Lion since 1972 and is both a Life Member and a Melvin Jones Fellow. He has been a member of the Marysville Lions Club for four years and before that Mill Creek Lions and Edmonds Lions. He served as President of each of those clubs and is the current president of the Marysville Lions. He was chairman of the 19B Hearing Foundation when it merged with the Northwest Lions Foundation. Additionally, Phill chaired the building of the Park for the Blind in 1976, chaired and published the 19B Zone Roster from 1984-2004, and is active in the Snohomish County Sight & Hearing Foundation.
Phill is a homegrown Seattleite. After graduating from Ballard High School in 1946, Phill served in the US Navy's Submarine Service for two years. He earned his bachelor's from Pacific Lutheran College in 1952 and his Masters of Education from Western Washington University in 1964. Phill taught elementary school grades 2-6 for 32 years. On top of that, he was "on loan" to teach Teaching Methods at Western Washington University from 1970-1974.
Phill and his wife, Amy, have been married for 55 years. They have two daughters, four grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
Contact Phill at: ; 360-659-8484
You can find Phill at: Marysville Lions Club, meeting 6:30pm 1st and 3rd Thursdays @ Village Restaurant, 3rd & Ash in Marysville
PZC Bonnie Williamson
District 19-C Trustee
Past Zone Chair Bonnie Williamson has been continuously on the Northwest Lions Foundation's board since 1998, but a Lion for 20 years: 10 years at Tumwater and another 10 at her current club in Shelton. Her past club positions include Tail twister, orientation, Sight & Hearing Chair, Membership Chair, and two terms as club President. Bonnie is a Melvin Jones Fellow and loves to help with White Cane Days, Play it by Ear, and other community events, including Oysterfest, the Golf Tournament, and the Youth Exchange Essay Contest.
Bonnie grew up in Aberdeen, Washington, and currently lives on a lake near Shelton with Mel, her husband of 53 years. Bonnie and Mel (who's also a Lion) have three children and two grandsons. She describes her career as being a "wife, mom, teacher, Lion." When she has a break in her schedule, Bonnie enjoys reading, traveling, painting, and computer publishing.
Contact Bonnie at: ; 360-427-1964
You can find Bonnie at: Shelton Lions Club, meeting 1st and 3rd Tuesdays @ Alpine Way Retirement Center, 900 W Alpine Way in Shelton
Lion Russell Fineman
District 19-D Trustee
Russ Fineman has been a member of the Moses Lake Lions Club since 2005 and prior to that a member of the Gig Harbor Lions, where he served as President. Russ enjoys working to improve his community and to bring sight to those less fortunate. While in Gig Harbor, he was the zone C1 founding director of the Northwest Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center. Since moving to Moses Lake, he has established their first eyeglass recycling collection hub.
Russ grew up in Lancaster, California, and received a degree in computer design. He spent over 40 years working in various roles in that field, including field service, sales, tech support, disaster recovery, computer room design, help desk manager, and computer center operations manager. If it's digital, he's the man with the brains!
Russ has three grown children. In his free time, he likes to boat, collect stamps, build model ships, and, of course, play with computers!
Contact Russ at: ; 509-707-0043
You can find Russ at: Moses Lake Lions Club, meeting 7:00pm 1st and 3rd Wednesdays @ Grant County Fairgrounds – Grange Hall, 3953 Airway Dr., Moses Lake
PDG Fr. Ted Bradley
District 19-E Trustee
Past District Governor Father Ted Bradley, currently a member of the Spokane Central Lions Club, has been a Lion since 1977. He has served his club as Secretary (8 terms) and President, been the Zone E-5 Chair twice, and served as District Governor. He enjoys the camaraderie of Lionism and is a Melvin Jones Fellow.
PDG Fr. Ted grew up in Spokane and has also lived in Yakima, Walla Walla, and Los Gatos, California. He holds a Masters degree in History and English. Fr. Ted is a Roman Catholic priest and has been both a high school teacher and coach. For fun, he likes to hit the links for golf or, when it's colder, the slopes for some skiing.
Contact Fr. Ted at: 509-455-3927
You can find Ted at: Spokane Central Lions Club, meeting 12:00pm every Tuesday @ Red Lion Hotel at the Park, W 303 N River Dr., Spokane
PZC Marge Shepherd
District 19-F Trustee
Past Zone Chair Marge Shepherd joins us in 2007 with her third term as the Foundation's District F Trustee. She has previously served on our Executive Committee and has been involved with Lions activities since 1964, when her husband joined. She became a member of the Yakima Valley Lioness in 1980, joining West Valley Lions in 1991. She has served her club in various offices, one of which has been Secretary/Treasurer for the past eight years. Activities she has chaired include her club's 40th Charter Anniversary in 2004, Peace Poster, White Cane Days, and Golden Ear Days activities. Marge has also spent time with the additional responsibilities of District F Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Sight & Hearing Chair. Her favorite club activities are the West Valley Specials bowling program for the developmentally disabled and mentally challenged and helping with the development and maintenance of the West Valley Community Park.
All of that activity hasn't gone unnoticed. Marge has received several awards and various commendations for her work as a club officer. She is a Melvin Jones Fellow and has received four International President's Certificates of Appreciation and the Lions International Leadership Medal.
Marge was born in Illinois but graduated from high school and college in the Yakima area. She spent 20 years as a bookkeeper/office manager and currently runs a ceramic shop, "The Mushroom Patch," during the school year. She and her husband, PDG Bill, have been married for 46 years (and lived in the same house that entire time!) and raised seven children. They have twelve grandchildren and five great-grandchildren with one more set to arrive this November.
Together, Marge and Bill are active in the extension of new Lions Clubs. She currently serves as the certified guiding Lion for the Red Mountain Lions and guiding for the Selah Valley Lions. She also enjoys reading, "usually late at night or in the car on the way to a Lions function," and gardening. Marge collects all things Lions and has a large collection of nutcrackers.
Contact Marge at: ; 509-966-3927
You can find Marge at: Yakima West Valley Lions Club, meeting 7:00pm 2nd and 4th Thursdays @ Summitview Baptist Church – Fellowship Hall, 8700 Summitview Ave, Yakima (club visitors interested in coming for dinner, please contact Marge ahead of time)
Lion Bill Lundin
District 19-G Trustee
Bill has been a member of Lions Clubs International for 10 years. He is a Past President of the Hazel Dell Lions Club, Vancouver, WA, Past Chairman of the Lions Sight Foundation of Clark County, and an active participant with the annual Clark County "Walk and Knock" food drive.
Bill has more than thirty years of transportation experience in operations, sales, marketing, and safety/risk management. Bill has been honored as an Oregon Safety Director of the Year. He enjoys the challenge of creating positive Corporate Safety Cultures influencing both highway and workplace safety.
Bill and Linda, wife of 38 years, were both born and raised in the Seattle area. They lived and worked in Seattle, Spokane, and Vancouver, Washington, during his career in transportation. They have three children and three grandchildren. Bill and Linda enjoy the opportunity to serve the community.
Contact Bill at: ; 360-604-0893
You can find Bill at: Hazel Dell Lions Club, meeting 6:30pm 1st and 3rd Wednesdays @ Round Table Pizza, 616 NE 81st St., Vancouver, WA
PZC Alan Stone, OD
District 19-H Trustee
Alan has been a Lion for 50 years. He has served his club as board member, treasurer, secretary, Vice President, and President. As a Lion, Alan is happy to have the opportunity to help others in his community. He particularly enjoys their involvement in White Cane Days, Camp Horizon, the Community Calendar, and with Thanksgiving Baskets. He also serves his community as a board member for Congregation Beth Israel in Bellingham.
Dr. Stone grew up in Chicago but now lives in Bellingham, Washington. He has a Bachelor of Science in Optics and continued his education to become a Doctor of Optometry. In the course of his career, Alan has received numerous honors, including the American Optometric Association's Key Person of the Year (1992), the President's Distinguished Service Award from the Optometric Physicians of Washington (2007), and the Clara Barton Award from the American Red Cross.
Alan and his wife, Bonnie, have three grown children and three grandchildren. When he gets the chance, he enjoys playing a few rounds of golf.
Contact Alan at: 360-734-6526
You can find Alan at: Ferndale Lions Club, meeting 6:30pm 2nd & 4th Wednesdays @ Denny's Restaurant, 5720 Barrett Rd., Ferndale
PDG Marvin Miller
District 19-I Trustee
Past District Governor Marvin is a second generation Lion. In 1947, Marv's father became a charter member of California's Waterford Lions Club and was an active member his entire life. He maintained perfect attendance for more than 50 years of service.
In 1969, Marvin joined the Escalon Lions Club. While in that club, he held many offices and committee chairs, finally serving as 100% President in 1974-75. He transferred to the Lions 500 Club in Modesto in 1978 and again became a working Lion in that Club. In 1983, he transferred to the Oakdale Lions Club and again was 100% President during 1997-98. He was Lion of the Year in 1999 and 2002. He is an Ernie Theobold Fellow and Melvin Jones Fellow. He has received three International Presidential Awards and in 2003 attended the Lions Leadership Institute at Cal Poly Pomona. At the District level, Marv has been Zone Chairman twice, Region Chairman twice, was a member of the Board of Directors for the California Lions Camp/Camp Pacifica, was a member of the Finance Committee for the District, and was Chairman of the Advanced Planning Committee. As Vice District Governor, he chaired the MERLO team. On the Multiple District Level, he served two years on the District Convention Management Committee. He was District Governor of District 4-A1 for the year 2003-2004.
Marvin was born in Modesto, California and grew up in the small farming community of Waterford, California. He worked for Stanislaus County Dept. of Public Works for 4 years prior to joining a local engineering firm in Modesto. After 26 years, and achieving part ownership, he began working for a much larger engineering firm. After 13 years with that firm, he retired in August, 2002. He continues to be involved in the field, owning his own consulting business, where he likes to think that he chooses his clients and his jobs!
Marv and his wife, Kathie, have four children. There are eight grandchildren – seven girls and one boy! Marv enjoys Vintage Auto Racing with his 1965 Cobra, woodworking in his great new shop, fishing, and crabbing, as time and the season allow.
Contact Marvin at: ; 360-385-5473
You can find Marvin at: Port Townsend Lighthouse Lions Branch Club (sponsored by the Sequim Valley Lions Club), meeting 6:30pm 2nd and 4th Thursdays in Port Townsend.