From bank retirees to curious visitors to former bridge partners, hundreds turned out yesterday to share their memories of and pay their respects to Madelyn Payne Dunham, the woman who raised President-elect Barack Obama.
Dunham, 86, died of cancer two days before the Nov. 4 election in which her grandson was chosen America's 44th president.
An estimated 200 people yesterday attended a celebration of her life at the National Memorial
Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl. It was held as a public observance; family members will hold a private memorial service later, which Obama is expected to attend.
At Punchbowl yesterday, a framed photo of Dunham was draped with a maile lei with pikake; next to it stood a proclamation issued by state lawmakers. Obama and his sister Maya Soetoro-Ng sent a statement read by Al Landon, Bank of Hawaii chief executive officer.
"When Tutu found out that she had little time remaining, she insisted that we dispense with excessive solemnity or sorrow," Landon said, reading from the statement. "She was not afraid of any storm and withstood many in her 86 years. We feel fortunate to have had so much time with our Tutu. She spent more time raising us than did most grandmothers and we benefited from her closeness; we are stronger and wiser because of her."
'SHE WAS A TOUGH LADY'
Dunham was the driving force of her small family, and as a Bank of Hawaii vice president was known by some as the Dean of Escrow, having helped establish many of the regulations that govern escrow in Hawai'i.
Former co-workers spoke of how strict — and, at times, scary — she could be when she ran the bank's newly developed escrow division in the early 1960s or testified before state lawmakers.
"She was a tough lady. Tough, tough lady," said Myrtle Choan, who was one of three escrow officers who worked with Dunham. "I was so afraid of her. I called her Mrs. Dunham, never by her first name."
Read on.
2 comments:
Reading what friends of Mrs. Dunham have to say, gives alot of insight into who Barack Obama is. Obama was raised by his Mother and GrandMother. Now he's directed by his wife/bestfriend/partner Michelle. Yes two daughters who always have something to say to Daddy. Now here's a man surrounded by woman all his life and his relationship with Hillary is no different.
Mrs. Dunham was a leader in her own life as people have all been inspired by her. Not the President Elect by her own success. She gave from the heart and learned alot while living in a time of change. As Obama spoke of his GrandMothers conflict, so were many White Americans. Times were different back then. But she had a black grandson who she loved and a time in our country of hate. As he said she learned but always loved and we see loved won in the end. Many people have differences until they experience things themselves.
I knew a lady who just didn't like black people. Her husband was a basketball fan and wore Michael Jordan jersey. I asked him was he going to see the game. He was with his wife and said yes. I told him I met Michael Jordan at a basketball game in California. He just started asking me all these questions and then she joined in. I asked her what would she do if Michael knocked on their door, she said he would be welcome anytime. I said you do remember he's black. She looked at me with a strange look and said nothing. Later when I saw her again she talked about our conversation and said she got it in time. Still a nice lady but like many she learned in time.
Very sad that she could not live long enough to see her Grandson become President.
Post a Comment