Farewell Mrs. Helga Speck Lefiti

17299435

The Woman’s Hospital Auxiliary is one of the oldest service organizations in the territory.

In its more than 40-year history the Auxiliary  has given millions of dollars to the community through donations to the LBJ Hospital.
Today, the longest serving member of the Auxiliary, a woman who tells it like it is, and doesn’t differentiate between a governor, faifeau or young person, Mrs Helga Lefiti, will be laid to rest.
Helga may not have been everyone’s favorite person because she often said out loud what others would only say in secret.
But love her or dislike her, no one can dispute that Helga, though German, had a Samoan heart.
As her sons tell the story, their Dad the late Lefiti Faafetai was stationed in Germany when he met Ms. Helga Speck.
The courting was short before Germany and American Samoa united.
And the rest as they say is history.
Though not Samoan, Helga immersed herself in the faa Samoa and took her place as the faletua of a leading matai.
She was present for faalavelave here and in Manu’a, was active in the CCCAS church in Fagatogo,  and in village affairs…not too many non Samoans or even Samoans who return home after living off island can lay claim to knowing who lives in which house in the village and the parents of sons and daughters of Fagatogo who excel or disappoint.
Helga made it her business to find out.

Helga’s story is the Women’s Hospital Auxiliary story.

Other than her pride in her daughter, sons and grandchildren, the Auxiliary was her baby.
And she wasn’t just a figurehead in the group.
Even in her old age, she worked at the store, bought supplies, dealt with LBJ Hospital management, doctors and nurses.
And whether she was president of the Auxiliary or not, she was until recently the one who dealt with the media.
All those reports on KVZK-TV, photos on Samoa News and stories on radio about the auxiliary presenting equipment or money to the hospital made it on the news because of Helga.
We in the media know when Helga calls , we cannot say no.

And woe to us if we miss a presentation that Helga had arranged.

In one of my last conversations with Helga, she was talking about how Auxiliary members were getting on in age and she needed our help in getting the word out for younger women to join.

I’m told there’s been some new blood in the volunteer group that runs the shop at the hospital.
I can say with certainty the Auxiliary will never get another Helga.
Her funeral service is being held this morning at the CCCAS Fagatogo, with viewing at 8:30 and her funeral church service at 10.
Whats’ on her funeral program is a most fitting tribute to this wonderful and dedicated mother, grandmother and community servant:  “Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.”
I’m Monica Miller reporting.
Tags: , , ,