Fagaoalii Satele Sunia

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Fagaoalii Satele Sunia
First Lady of American Samoa
In role
January 3, 1997 – March 26, 2003
GovernorTauese Sunia
Preceded bySusana Leiato Lutali
Succeeded byMary Ann Tulafono
Personal details
Born
Fagaoalii Lefagaoali'i Satele

(1946-08-03)August 3, 1946
Faga'alu, American Samoa
Resting placeTauese P. Sunia Memorial
Fogāgogo, American Samoa
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1969; died 2003)​
Children10

Fagaoalii Lefagaoali'i Satele Sunia (c. 1946 – September 5, 2015) was an

died in office in 2003.[1][2] Sunia established and operated the Read to Me Samoa Program to promote reading in American Samoa.[1] She also created the Tauese P. Sunia Memorial, a museum and visitor attraction dedicated to her late husband located at her home in Tutuila.[1]

Sunia was one of the few women to be

ordained a deacon in the Congregational Christian Church in American Samoa.[2]

Biography

Early and personal life

Born Lefagaoali'i Satele, Sunia was named after

Samoa.[2][3]

She initially attended school in American Samoa, but graduated from

nursing school and became a nurse at LBJ Tropical Medical Center.[3]

Sunia married her husband, future Governor Tauese Piti Sunia, in 1969; the couple had ten children.[3][4] The Sunias moved back to American Samoa in 1981 at settled in the village of Leone, American Samoa.[3]

Fagaoalii Sunia held several honorary titles, including Leilua, Lomialagi and Sina.[2]

First Lady of American Samoa

Sunia served as the

Polynesian Airlines flight to seek treatment for abdominal pains.[5] First Lady Sunia was accompanying her husband on the flight at the time.[5]

Following the Governor's death, Sunia devoted much of her time to her family and her church, the Congregational Christian Church in American Samoa (CCCAS) in Leone, American Samoa.[1] Governor Sunia had been a CCCAS deacon.[2] Fagaoalii Satele Sunia was ordained as deacon to succeed her late husband, making her one of the few female deacons in the Congregational Christian Church (CCCAS) denomination.[2] Additionally, she was a member of the CCCAS' Women's Fellowship.[2]

She also established the Tauese P. Sunia Memorial, a memorial and museum at her home in Fogāgogo, which became a tourist attraction.[1][3]

Sunia suffered a stroke shortly after midnight on August 30, 2015.

Faga'alu on Monday morning, August 31, 2015.[1] Sunia suffered a second stroke on the afternoon of August 31 and lapsed into a coma.[1]

Fagaoalii Satele Sunia died from complications of her strokes at

Faga'alu on September 5, 2015, at the age of 69.[1] She was survived by 8 of her 10 children and ten siblings.[2]

Fagaoalii Sunia's funeral was held at the Leone Roman Catholic Church, near her CCCAS church, on September 25, 2015.[2] Dignitaries in attendance included American Samoan and Samoan relatives, former First Ladies and politicians.[2] Her casket, which was draped in the flag of American Samoa, was accompanied by territorial police officers.[2] Sunia was buried next to her late husband at her home in Fogāgogo, American Samoa.[2]

Senator Timusa Tini Lam Yuen sponsored a house concurrent resolution honoring the former First Lady in the American Samoa Fono.[2][6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Sagapolutele, Fili (2015-09-08). "Former First Lady Fagaoalii Sunia passes away". Talanei.com. Archived from the original on 2015-09-22. Retrieved 2015-10-04.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Farewell for former First Lady Fagaoali'i Sunia". Talanei.com. 2015-09-25. Archived from the original on 2015-10-04. Retrieved 2015-10-04.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Feagaimaalii-Luamanu, Joyetter (2015-09-09). "Former First Lady "Faga" Sunia, passes away". Samoa News. Archived from the original on 2015-09-25. Retrieved 2015-10-11.
  4. ISBN 9780810867727
    . Retrieved 2015-10-04.
  5. ^
    Honolulu Advertiser. Archived
    from the original on 2015-10-03. Retrieved 2015-10-04.
  6. ^ Sagapolutele, Fili (2015-09-24). "Fono Mourns With Family of Former First Lady, Fagaoali'i Satele-Sunia". Samoa News. Archived from the original on 2015-10-01. Retrieved 2015-10-04.
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