Crash kills Hawaii elder and wife
Past and present members of the Honolulu Church of Christ mourn the loss of one of their elders and his wife, who were killed in a car wreck on Friday, June 6.
Ralph Schultz, 62, and his wife, Perla “Lala” Schultz, 66, were driving through Glenwood, Iowa, to visit family and hike, when a bus crashed into their vehicle on the highway.
The couple worshiped with the Hawaiian congregation for over 30 years, with Ralph serving as the treasurer and later an elder.
Ralph was originally from Waverly, Ohio, and Lala from the Philippines, but the couple made Ewa Beach, Hawaii, their home.
Fellow elder Pat Aguda and his wife, Tina, met Ralph in the early 1980s while he was a student at the University of Hawaii. Tina later became close friends with Lala and was like an older sister to her.
“(Ralph) had a friend from the Philippines. He said he was going to meet her and eventually marry her,” Tina remembered.
Members of the Honolulu Church of Christ pose for a group photo.
Ralph did exactly that. He went to the Philippines to meet Lala, married her and brought her to Hawaii.
Tagiilima Esene, preacher for the Honolulu church, knew the couple for 15 years and described Ralph as a man of integrity, a planner and a kind, gentle man.
“Very fitting to be an elder because I’ve never seen Ralph ever get, you know, angry … or lose composure,” Esene told The Christian Chronicle. “His words were measured. He was very disciplined and self-controlled.”
“I’ve never seen Ralph ever get, you know, angry … or lose composure. His words were measured. He was very disciplined and self-controlled.”
Ben May, preacher for the Union Grove Church of Christ in New Market, Ala., previously worked at the Honolulu church in the 2010s. He said the Schultzes were humble, faithful disciples and recalled serving the homeless with them.
May and Ralph also watched SEC football together. May recalled sharing pizza with Ralph, an Ohio State fan, while they watched the Buckeyes play the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2015 Sugar Bowl.
Ralph and Lala Schultz
Ralph and Lala were very active, both in the church and in nature. They particularly loved running marathons and hiking.
Esene said the couple usually ran the annual Honolulu Marathon, held the second Sunday of December. But no matter what, Ralph and Lala always showed up for worship on Sunday morning — even after running 26.2 miles.
The Schultzes also traveled all over the world. Esene accompanied them to Israel in 2022, after the congregation’s trip was postponed in 2020.
One of the biblical archaeological sites they visited was King Hezekiah’s tunnel. Esene remembered points of the tunnel were too short for him and Ralph, who was about 6 feet, 3 inches tall, but the height was not a problem for the 5-foot-1-inch Lala.
“We were joking like the tunnel was made for Lala,” Esene said.
‘Both of them had tremendous joy’
Ralph and Lala were very welcoming to church members and visitors alike. Many friends and people who visited the congregation over the years shared fond memories of Ralph and Lala on Facebook when the church announced their passing.
“I don’t ever think I saw Lala without a smile on her face,” May said.“Ralph was more serious … but he did have a good sense of humor, and both of them had tremendous joy.”
Singing particularly brought Lala joy.
Ralph Schultz works with youth at the Honolulu Church of Christ.
“Lala loves to sing karaoke, not Ralph,” Esene said. “But he would always go up with her and be a good sport about it.”
Karaoke was one of many activities Ralph and Lala did together. The Schultzes were married for over 30 years and had one son, Matthew. Esene said the couple set an example in marriage, one of many ways they impacted the Honolulu church.
The Sunday after they passed, a member placed leis on the spot where Ralph and Lala sat at church.
“Both of them (were) great lights in the church. They were in the background. There were things they (did) for the Lord that people don’t know about.”
“Both of them (were) great lights in the church,” Esene said. “They were in the background. There were things they (did) for the Lord that people don’t know about.”
From leading hikes around the island to babysitting for date nights, Ralph and Lala served the church in many ways beyond the eldership. Tina said Lala loved to take photos and was the church’s official photographer for potlucks. The Schultzes also prepared communion trays every week.
Lala Schultz teaches the cradle roll at the Honolulu Church of Christ.
Lala enjoyed crocheting and made gifts for church members. She worked in the cradle roll program, and Esene described her as the glue between generations.
“Lala was like the heart and soul of our congregation,” Esene said. “Even some of our visitors who visit from other churches on the mainland only visit for one Sunday, and Lala and Ralph have already made a huge impression on them.
KENZIE JAMES, a senior multimedia journalism major at Harding University in Searcy, Ark., is a Christian Chronicle intern working in the main office in Oklahoma City.
Welcome to Billionaire Club Co LLC, your gateway to a brand-new social media experience! Sign up today and dive into over 10,000 fresh daily articles and videos curated just for your enjoyment. Enjoy the ad free experience, unlimited content interactions, and get that coveted blue check verification—all for just $1 a month!
Account Frozen
Your account is frozen. You can still view content but cannot interact with it.
Please go to your settings to update your account status.
Open Profile Settings