Eulogy of Patricia Hutihuti Wilson - September 27, 2023 11:00 am - Laie North Stake Chapel
Presented by husband and father, Christian Paul Wilson.

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Family and Friends,

Today, we gather here to celebrate the life of a remarkable woman, a devoted wife to Christian Paul WIlson, a loving mother to our daughters Lucie and Kiana, mother-in-law to Charles Taie and Kalin ‘Uluave, and grandmother to Makoa, Ali’ikai, Kala’i, Kohai, Mahina and Naomi. She left an indelible mark on all of our hearts.

Patricia lived a full and vibrant 63 years in Tahiti and Hawai’i, leaving behind a legacy of love, strength, and enduring family bonds. She was the oldest child of Temutamaru HUTIHUTI and Namataarii TARAFAU and was born on May 22, 1960 in Pape’ete, Tahiti. Her surviving brothers and sister are Tavi, Moeata, and Samuel She had two sisters named Clarita who have already passed. She also had a half-brother and half-sister.

She was a woman of great vitality, her spirit infectious, and her warmth enveloping everyone fortunate enough to know her. For over four decades, she was our partner, our confidante, and our greatest support, teaching her family the true meaning of love and companionship.

Patricia had a way of making every day brighter. Her laughter was the melody of our home, and her smile, the light that guided us through life’s many twists and turns. Her presence was a source of comfort and her words, a fountain of wisdom that will continue to inspire us.

As a mother, Patricia was the epitome of love and nurturing. She instilled in our children the values of kindness, perseverance, hard work and the importance of family. Her lessons were taught not just through words, but more importantly, through her actions – showing them every day what it meant to be compassionate, resilient, and loving.

Patricia’s love didn’t stop with our children; it extended to our six wonderful grandchildren . She embraced her role as a grandmother with open arms, hugs, kisses, and a proud beaming smile. She was their storyteller, their protector, and their biggest fan and loved to spoil them with gifts and the food they liked. The bond she shared with them was truly special, filled with countless moments of joy, laughter, and love. Her stories will continue to be told, her lessons passed down, and her love felt by generations.

After the passing of her father, Patricia became queen of the King George Islands (a group of three islands in the Tuamotu Archipelago) that is part of French Polynesia Out of necessity for her family, she and Lucie spent many years working on her family’s genealogy to correct some issues with her great-grandparents' land in French Polynesia.

Patricia had a passion for life and an unwavering faith that saw her through challenging times. Her resilience was inspiring, her strength formidable, and her love boundless. She had an innate ability to find beauty in the simplest things and taught us the importance of gratitude, grace, and humility.

Patricia’s impact reached far beyond the confines of our home. She was a friend, a mentor, and a beacon of support for many. Her generosity knew no bounds, and her door was always open. She listened without judgment, advised without imposition, and loved without conditions. Her memory will live on in the countless lives she touched and the positive change she brought into the world.

Patricia’s life was a tapestry of precious moments, woven together with threads of love, joy, and resilience. While we may feel the sting of loss, let us also feel the warmth of the love she gave, the wisdom she shared, and the memories she created. Patricia’s legacy is not one of sorrow, but one of love, and it is this love that will continue to unite us, guide us, and bring us comfort in the days to come. Working at her shop gave her the opportunity of sharing her Polynesian heritage with millions of guests. If she saw someone who was sad or in distress, she would do everything to help such as massaging their feet with coconut oil while receiving first aid, giving items for free to crying children, consoling guests that needed help, etc.

Her love for her family was boundless, and her presence was a source of constant joy and comfort. Born with a deep connection to her Polynesian roots, Patricia held her Tahitian heritage in high regard. She delighted in sharing the richness of her culture, dedicating her time and energy at the Polynesian Cultural Center village, canoe show, evening show, and promotion team since 1980 with millions of guests at PCC and around the world. Until now, Patricia also managed her own retail operation at the Hukilau Marketplace called “Tahitian Treasures”, showcasing her homeland's wonderful traditions and crafts.

She was on PCC's first promotion trip to NYC in 1981 and was featured on the Michael Douglas show and many other venues in Japan and on the mainland. She was also the PCC poster girl in 1983 and was on the cover of PCC's first video called "Portrait of Polynesia" and appeared in PCC’s IMAX movie called “Polynesian Odyssey”.

In 1980, Patricia arrived in Hawai’i for what was meant to be a two-week vacation, taking a break from her teaching job. Little did she know, destiny had other plans, and she would end up calling this place home for the next 43 years. A polyglot, Patricia spoke French, Tahitian, Spanish, and Paumotu fluently, but English was a foreign language to her. I spoke Tahitian to her and she would speak French to me until she learned English. That confused a lot of people while we dated at BYU Hawaii.

Working under the guidance of Iona Teriipaia, the chief of the Tahitian village (cousin to Marlon Brando’s wife), and alongside Trisha's cousin, Lucie Fonoimoana, she embraced the challenge of learning English. In doing so, she not only mastered a new language but also deepened her understanding and appreciation of her own Tahitian culture, history, and language. She also learned about Polynesian and Hawaiian culture through Cy Bridges who was also her bishop.

Patricia's thirst for knowledge and her passion for her native culture, dance, music, and language were truly inspiring. She probably created over 100,000 crafts by hand over her life-time, mostly hand-dyed sarongs, flower crowns, leis, dancing skirts, necklaces, and poi balls, so we are all grateful she is finally taking a much needed rest. She had an amazing ability to make quality crafts in a short amount of time without getting tired or frustrated.

She was one of the first female Polynesian pearl grafters in the mid 1980's. She learned to scuba dive in shark infested waters in the Tuamotu Archipelago to start her family's Tahitian black pearl business.
She enjoyed working in the Young Women's program at our church and went on many fun campouts.
She enjoyed participating and judging Tahitian dance competitions all around the world. Her first dancing group started in the 1980's until the 1990's. She also enjoyed helping our daughters with pageants when they were young. Lucie became Miss Tahiti in 2010 and Miss Earth Hawaii in 2012. Kiana also won two Miss American Beauty national pageants on the mainland in 1999 and 2000. Patricia was very pleased that both of her daughters excelled in school and both have master degrees in education, and both of them became teachers before they were mothers.

Both Lucie and Kiana literally grew up at PCC, watching the night show almost every night after their shifts at their shop and after dancing in the shopping plaza. Kiana needed a child labor permit to dance 3 minutes per day at the plaza.

Following in their mother’s graceful footsteps, both daughters embraced the cultural tapestry of PCC, contributing to the evening show and performing with the promotion team. Their shared passion for dance saw them travel across the globe, spreading the joy and spirit of their culture to diverse audiences, (especially in Japan) and building bridges of understanding and unity.

Lucie pursued higher education at BYU Hawai’i University, further immersing herself in a multicultural environment and expanding her horizons. Kiana, on the other hand, chose BYU Provo, where she continued to dance, becoming an integral part of their Living Legends program. Here, she not only honed her artistic skills but also became a living testament to the rich cultural heritage that she, along with Lucie, had inherited and learned to cherish so deeply.

With the support of Lynette Ho Ching and her three daughters, Lorey Ishihara, Linda Smith, Uila Vendiola, Winnie Graham, Mariko Jackson, Mrs. Kinnicut and Mrs. Tuimanei, and many others, Lucie and Kiana excelled at Kahuku High and Intermediate School’s in the History Day Competitions, Science Fairs, Speech and Debate Competitions, Tournament of Roses Parades, Honors Program, AVID program, SBG, AP classes, May Day programs, etc. They also loved their Project Grad Program (Lucie won a free car!).

Through their journeys, Lucie and Kiana have not only kept the flame of their mother’s legacy alive but have also carved their own paths, enriching the tapestry of their family’s history with their unique threads.

We are also very grateful to our dear friend Ferron Fonoimoana, Lucie’s husband, who renovated our home in La’ie 23 years ago so it could pass a building inspection within a short deadline. After working all day working in town, he would spend the entire evening until morning renovating our house several days before the inspector arrived to approve the construction. We are also grateful to Tulsi Ram who sold us the house and continues to help us with taxes and finances. We have many other friends in our community who have spent their time and energy selflessly to improve the quality of our lives and we will always remember your kind acts of service.

As we say our final goodbyes, let us remember Patricia for the incredible woman she was. Her physical presence may no longer be with us, but her spirit, her lessons, and her love will forever remain in our hearts. The rain may fall, but in every drop, we will see her sparkle, and in every rainbow, we will feel her embrace.
She was a living embodiment of the beauty and resilience of the Tahitian spirit. Her loss leaves a void in our hearts, but her legacy of love, wisdom, and cultural pride will forever be a guiding light for our family.

We are very grateful that Lucie and Kiana could be with us before she passed away peacefully in her sleep.

The minute after Trisha passed away we noticed a light shower of rain and a large rainbow outside her hospital window. This is an omen that heavenly spirits were there to take her home. Later, as we were leaving the mortuary, situated near the typically arid and sunny surroundings of the Honolulu airport, we were once again graced with a spectacle — a smattering of rain and a magnificent double rainbow arched across the sky. This extraordinary display, against the backdrop of an area known for its clear skies, seemed to reaffirm the presence of heavenly spirits, accompanying Trisha on her journey to eternal peace.

We accepted them as signs that heavenly messengers have taken you home to be with your parents, sister, and our god-daughter, Tiare Fonoimoana-Lessary.

The rain and the radiant rainbows served as gentle reminders that, even in our loss, there is beauty and hope, and that Trisha’s spirit remains ever-present and cherished for her family and friends.

We are very grateful to all those who have helped us during this difficult time. We appreciate your prayers for our family

Thank you, Patricia, for your love, the laughter, and the beautiful moments. You will be missed, but never forgotten. Rest in peace, dear wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. MAURUURU ROA!

Aloha Oe
Song by Liliuokalani

Ha'aheo ka ua i na pali
Ke nihi a'ela i ka nahele
E hahai (Uhai) ana paha i ka liko
Pua 'ahihi lehua o uka
Hui
Aloha 'oe, aloha 'oe
E ke onaona noho i ka lipo
One fond embrace
A ho'i a'e au
Until we meet again

Maruru A Vau (Farewell For Just Awhile)
Tahitian words & music Eddie Lund, English lyrics by Jack Brooks

E maururu a vau
Te tiare Tahiti
E mauruuru a vau
Te tiare Tahiti

Aue te mauiui
Rahi i to reva
Ra a na te ara
Aue te aroha
Fa i tou mau hoa
E tau i here

E tae noa tu ai
Te mahana e hoi mai a vau
Ei reira tatou
E himene faahou
E maururu a vau

E maururu a vau
E maururu a vau

Translation:
Farewell for just awhile
We're parting with a smile
Dreams will keep me near you
Farewell for just awhile

It's time for us to say
Farewell for just awhile
For just a little while
So let's be thankful
That we're parting with a smile
It's easy when you smile

I'll miss you so
But dreams will keep me near you, I know
We'll meet again
Farewell for just awhile
For just a little while