About
Tyler J. Powell
About
Tyler J. Powell
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Tyler J. Powell
Tyler is a native of Utah's Uintah Basin and was raised on a farm near Roosevelt, where he learned the values of hard work and love for family. He graduated from Union High School in 2013. Tyler began his career at Hullinger Mortuary in 2014, later graduating from the SLCC Mortuary Science Program in 2019 and becoming a licensed Utah funeral director and embalmer, with additional certifications and professional honors. He excels in the technical, scientific, and restorative aspects of embalming within funeral service while continually pursuing education, research, and leadership in the profession.
Tyler married his wife, McKenna Terry, in 2019; together they have served in significant leadership roles. Tyler holds a Bachelor of Science in History, is an avid reader and lifelong learner, and enjoys time outdoors, family activities, and life with McKenna.
Tyler James Powell was born in Utah and raised on a farm near Roosevelt, with his parents, Brent and Ann Marie Hunsaker Powell, and three younger brothers: Christopher, Derek, and Taryn. He grew up learning the importance of family and hard work.
Tyler with his Upright String Bass. Fall 2012.
He attended Neola Elementary School, followed by one year of sixth grade at Roosevelt Middle School (later renamed Kings Peak Elementary School after sixth grade was moved to RJHS). Tyler was a member of the first class to attend both seventh and eighth grade at the newly built Roosevelt Jr. High School, where he participated in orchestra and jazz band, playing the upright string bass, and as a stage hand in the auditorium. He then attended Union High School, participating heavily in orchestra, jazz band, and band, and taking advantage of concurrent enrollment courses at Utah State University Uintah Basin.
While attending high school, he worked for a time for Robert and Judy Hamblin where he milked cows. Later, he worked for Kevin and Calleen Ercanbrack and their company, Grab n’ Growl Dutch Oven Catering. He graduated from Union High in 2013.
In 2013, Tyler was called to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Monterrey Mexico East Mission. He entered the Provo MTC, West Campus, in October 2013 and flew to Monterrey, Mexico, in December. After being hospitalized for an illness, he returned home in January 2014 and received a medical release.
In April 2014, Tyler was hired at Hullinger Mortuary in Roosevelt, where he still works with fellow funeral directors Roger Hullinger and Tammy Haslem, and good friend, John Mitchell. He attended Utah State University Uintah Basin, and then graduated from the Salt Lake Community College Mortuary Science Program in May 2019. He participated in the program with and was mentored by several fellow Utah Funeral Directors.
Tyler at SLCC Graduation with the 2019 Mortuary Science class. L-R, Back: Professor David Hess, Amy Underwood, Sheresa Jensen, Jessica Stewart, Tiffany Tenney, Professor Jeff Zealley, and Tyler; Front: Triston Franklin and Daniel Sessions. Not pictured is classmate and friend, Michael McDougal. May 2019.
Tyler looking for pathogens under a microscope as part of a college Biology Lab. Fall 2015, USU Uintah Basin, Vernal Lab.
Tyler has been a Utah State licensed funeral director and embalmer since May 2019 and earned his Certified Crematory Operator certification from the National Funeral Directors Association that same year. He enjoys being in the preparation room and excels in the technical aspects of embalming and restorative arts. These two areas require him to work daily within fields of anatomy, biology, and chemistry. In other areas of the mortuary, Tyler uses skills in accounting and finance, communications, counseling, data entry and management, English and writing, public speaking, purchasing, and technology. He is continually researching new preservation and restorative methods, as well as literature surrounding mortuary law and funeral history.
Tyler married his sweetheart, McKenna Terry, in February 2019, in the St. George Utah Temple. McKenna was raised in Kanab, Utah, and has shared her love of the southern Utah red rocks with Tyler. McKenna, a talented clarinetist, earned a Bachelors of Arts degree in Music Education from Southern Utah University. She was hired in 2018 to teach band, choir, orchestra, musical theater, and drama at Altamont High School. After teaching at AHS for three years, she was transferred to Roosevelt where she is the band director at Roosevelt Junior High School. She is currently working on earning a Master’s Degree in Music Education from SUU.
The Terry family, a family of experienced educators and musicians, have welcomed Tyler into their family as one of their own.
Family is very important to Tyler and McKenna. They take as many opportunities to be with family and attend family events.
Tyler and McKenna, February 2019.
Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond their control, Tyler and McKenna have not been able to have children of their own at this time. Together, they have had eleven failed infertility treatments, including five failed IVF treatments, and multiple miscarriages. These loses and struggles have brought them closer together as well as increased their faith and spirituality. It has also placed them in positions where they are better able to serve others with more empathy and compassion.
Tyler and McKenna, after being called as Bishop of the Roosevelt Fifth Ward. October 2019.
In October 2019, after only eight months of marriage and at the age of twenty-four, Tyler and McKenna accepted the calling to serve as a Bishop for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Roosevelt Fifth Ward, Roosevelt Utah Stake. He was released in August 2020, for about two minutes, before being called as the Bishop of and to organize the newly created Central Park Ward. Being called as a Bishop, the leader of a local congregation within the Church, at a young age and as newly weds, was a challenge for Tyler and McKenna, but both of them saw growth individually and as a couple.
They currently serve in the Roosevelt Eleventh Ward in the Roosevelt Utah West Stake.
Tyler serves on the Education and Career Pathway Advisory Committee for the Salt Lake Community College Mortuary Science Program. He is a member of the Utah Funeral Directors Association and the National Funeral Directors Association. In January 2022, Tyler was awarded the Emerging Leader Award by the Utah Funeral Directors Association.
Tyler is an advocate for education, higher learning, and continuing education. With this in mind, Tyler qualified for and earned the designation of Certified Funeral Service Practitioner (CFSP) from the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice in July 2022. He graduated from Utah State University in August 2023 with a Bachelors of Science in History, with minors in Native American Studies and Sociology. The writing for his Junior Project compared German and Japanese suicide during World War II, and for his Senior Project Tyler researched the establishment of cemeteries in Utah’s Uintah Basin.
Tyler is an avid reader and book collector. He enjoys listening to audio books during his day to day tasks, and cherishes time when he can sit with a physical book. He knows the power that reading and literacy can have on the individual and society. Tyler always carries a book with him or has one near by. He is continually ready to recommend a recent good read to anyone who asks.
In any spare time, Tyler enjoys camping, cooking and eating, emergency preparation, family history, organizing, talking with people, watching documentaries, doing yard work, and going on walks with McKenna and their dog, Daisy. He enjoys being in the outdoors and values all family time.
Tyler must also mention that he is a huge fan of “The Office.”
"I already won the lottery.
I was born in the US of A, baby."
- Creed Bratton, "The Office," S8 E3.
McKenna, Tyler, and Daisy. July 2025.
The Brent and Ann Marie Powell Family
L-R: Tyler, McKenna, Derek, Kaitlyn, Harper, Brent, Ann Marie, Brittany, Hadley, Addy, Kendall, Christopher, Taryn, and Abby
Uintah Canyon, July 2025.
The Travis and Merilee Terry Family
L-R: Merrill, Navy, Kyson, Shaylin, Tatum, Tyler, McKenna, Merilee, Travis, Madilynn, Drew, Mace, Marin, and Aaron
Kanab, Utah, July 2025.
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