Father Dennis Koshko, 61, was born in Los Angeles, Calif., and has two sisters and one brother. He moved to Hawaii in 1967 to attend the University of Hawaii and then transferred to Chaminade College of Honolulu where he earned a bachelor’s degree in history. Father Koshko was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Honolulu on June 14, 1975. He is the pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Kailua, Oahu.

1. What is your favorite childhood memory?

I loved staying with my grandparents. My love of history and geography came from my grandfather, who always took me to the museums and historic places and explained everything to me in detail. I especially liked the La Brea Tar Pits.

2. Which person have you admired most in your life and why?

I really admired my home pastor, who was our parish priest all the way past my ordination. He was very committed to being a priest, was always kind of shy but very pleasant and ready to serve the people.

3. Did you have another career before deciding to become a priest?

I worked in Waikiki as a busboy, a room service waiter, a floor waiter, and as the co-owner of a company that provided doormen and bellman for two hotels. That’s where Bishop Joseph Ferrario met me, when I waited on him at Michel’s Restaurant in Waikiki.

4. If you hadn’t become a priest, what would you have been?

I had thoughts about being an airline pilot. I thought that was cool. I think I always had the bug to travel so anything that took me away from home was great.

5. What book are you reading now?

“Priests for the Third Millennium” by Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan.

6. What is your favorite movie?

“Dr. Zhivago” and the “Wizard of Oz” I’ve probably seen 30 times each. I never get tired of those two movies. My grandfather was a scenic artist for “The Wizard of Oz.” And “Dr. Zhivago” I enjoy because I love Russian history or anything to do with the czars and things like that.

7. What is your favorite television show?

I’m big on the Discovery Channel, the National Geographic Channel, and the History Channel. Travel, discovery, something new, things you didn’t know about. I also love National Geographic Magazine. I’ve got a huge collection in mint condition in cases going back to the 1980s.

8. Where is the one place you have never been but always wanted to visit?

The Panama Canal. From a historic point of view, it was such an undertaking that it intrigues me. I’ll get there one of these days.