~MATELITA MAFI OLIVE~My dear aunty was called to Heaven on January 22, 2012 at 4:30pm in the comfort of her own home! Some may be confused when I call her "aunty" because she is Tongan and I'm Samoan. She's actually my aunty through marriage. Aunty Lita is my husbands aunt, his mothers (Makaleta Mapu) sister.
I may have only known her for only 7 years but it was a great, hilarious, and unforgettable 7 years. In October 2005 is when I first met Aunty Lita. My husband and I just started dating and he took me to his house for the first time as his girlfriend. Sooo weird because we've known each other since primary. Well we walk into his house and the first person I see is Aunty Lita!!! Okaaayyyyy as if her stare wasn't scary enough, when she started speaking in Tongan I was even MORE scared!!! First of all because I didn't understand Tongan, second of all because the tone was just nooottt RIGHT!! hahahah
I stood there as she scolded my husband in Tongan....and THAT was the looonnngest 10 minutes of my life!!! I never felt so uneasy, and my gut feeling was that "someone" did not like me already!! It was hard to have feelings like that because I haven't come across too many people that didn't like me. So than my husband just smiles at me and says ok let's go!! He's smiling at me trying to convince me that everything she said was good!!
As soon as we left I asked him "what did she say, it didn't sound good?". Well if you know my husband you KNOW that he don't hold back...hahah!! So he says, "Oh she said.. "Now that you served your mission in North Carolina you wanna date black girls"..... hahah!!! And I guess they wanted him to date a Tongan girl. Well that was awkward...LOL!! I couldn't really avoid her...every time I went to his house she was in the same spot!! lol...she was their "Home Security"!! LOL
Well everything changed the day my husband and I were married.....(10 months later). I guess it was because she knew this was it, my husband and I were together for Eternity and no one was to change mine or my husbands mind!!! From that day on she was my official "HOMEGIRL". She'd look for me at all the family dinners, reunions, birthdays, weddings, ect. I'd get her food, her drinks, and her silverware. I'd go to her as soon as I saw her and asked if she needed anything!!! As long as she had her food first than it was all good!! I would always try and get her to get up and dance with me at family dances, but she'd just laugh and say "You're crazy"!!
In December of 2011 her health took a sudden turn.....I didn't ever really know her health history or the details! But when we got a text in December that she was sick we went to see her at the hospital the following Sunday morning. Her cancer was back and had spread so fast that there was nothing they could do for her. We sat by her bedside and she says "The Dr said this will be my last holidays (Christmas and New Years)." Okay my eyes started to water...and she asks that my husband, Tina, Leta, Uncle Frank, Josh, TJ, Ofa, and Frankie sing her favorite song at her funeral. So I say "Do you want me to sing at your funeral?"....and the funny person that she is says "Oooohhhhhhhhhhhh NOOOOO". hahahahhaha...OMG only she can make me sad and than happy all in the same moment!!!
Aunty Lita said
all she wanted for her last Christmas for her family to be together for Christmas. And that's exactly what we did. We gathered for dinner on the night of Christmas. The gym was full of family from Utah to California!! And the food was yummmmy!!!
There was an awesome Tongan band playing Christmas music......
Her nieces and nephews sang her favorite song...........
Uncle Ofas (her brother) boys sang..........And than one sunny Sunday afternoon we got the "text". Aunty Lita had lost her battle to cancer and passed away surrounded by her mother..A.K.A...her BEST FRIEND...A.K.A. Grandma Ika, her sisters, and her family!! She was no longer in pain...and she was reunited with her dad and loved ones who have passed!!
Her funeral was than planned and scheduled for Friday (5 days later). And what a beautiful service it was. Family viewing, Bishops program, burial, and lunch all in one day!!
Her pallbearers: her handsome brothers and nephews. This was a sweet moment as they carried her to her resting place.
Everything was simple and beautiful! It was a sunny day as we laid her to rest. Surrounded by her loved ones and those whose hearts and lives she has touched!! I'll miss you but I know I'll see you again. The church is true....there's no other way to go but up!!
~LOVE always your homegirl!!~
