Edith Flavia Wright Don's Obituary
We say farewell to a wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, godmother, and friend who was also so much more than any of those titles to all of us. Edith lived a life devoted to her family and filled our home with music, a love for literature and history, and a commitment to education and service to her church and the Maui community. She was known for her generosity, enthusiasm, kindness, and love for family and friends.
Born Edith Flavia Wright, her journey began in Bluefields, Nicaragua on May 7, 1939, as the fifth of seven children, and the first daughter of Edith and John Wright. Her parents immigrated as part of the large-scale labor migration of the early 20th century, seeking a life away from poverty and the political tumult of the 1930s in Southern China. She remembers how her father would tell her how much they had to scrimp and save during those lean years when even a little bit of meat was a luxury. The family embraced their lives in the new country, encouraging their children to learn English, and even taking on “Wright” as a family name, a transliteration of their surname “Lai.” Her father quickly cultivated a prosperous trade business and earned a commendation from the US Department of the Navy for helping supply mahogany used to build ships during World War II.
This critical relationship helped the Wrights secure nine visas for the entire family to immigrate to the US in 1944–considered a significant feat because, despite the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act, there were still highly restricted conditions in which only 100 Chinese nationals were allowed to enter the United States each year.
Fluent in Spanish, Cantonese, and English, Edith had her formal introduction to US culture in New Orleans, Louisiana where she spent her formative years, and later in California where she graduated from Oakland High School. She became a naturalized citizen on September 2, 1952, and always reminded us how proud she and her parents were to vote in this country and how the civic duty to vote and serve our community are precious privileges of being an American. She matriculated at the University of California, Berkeley, and even though she desired to study art and architecture, she graduated in 1961 with a BA in Economics at the behest of her father, who instilled in her the values of business and practicality. She worked as a buyer for Emporium Capwells and then as an auditor for the IRS for a year. She later obtained a teaching certificate after which she taught second grade to support her husband through medical school.
She met her husband Andy Don at UC Berkeley when she was president of the Chinese sorority Sigma Omicron Pi and he the president of a Chinese fraternity. After a few years of dating, they decided to marry and she moved with him, back to New Orleans, where he studied medicine at Tulane University. Jennifer was born there, after which they moved to Houston where Andy was stationed with the US Public Health Service, and Lauren was born. They relocated to Los Angeles for Andy’s medical training where Creighton was born. In 1972, they settled in Maui, Hawai'i where she helped Andy set up his medical practice and which she called home for 51 years. She said her children were souvenirs from each state they lived in, and after Katherine was born on Maui, she would sometimes joke that they better not move again otherwise she would end up with another baby.
Leaving her family in the continental U.S., she made Hawai'i her home and she raised their four children Jennifer, Lauren, Creighton, and Katherine. She continued a life committed to education and community service through her work with the Catholic church communities and the Hawai'i Medical Association (HMA) Auxiliary. As a teacher, Edith believed in the power of education as the highest form of investment and dedicated her life to teaching others how to be better for each other, their families, their communities, and the world. She taught catechism at St Theresa’s and confirmation classes at Holy Ghost and attended mass at St. Anthony and St. Joseph parishes. She helped with health education in the elementary schools through the HMA and served as the state president of the HMA Auxiliary from 1989-1991 where she worked on statewide initiatives to support education and scholarships. She was also an active advocate for Mothers Against Drunk Driving, as these tragedies started to become more of an issue in Maui.
Edith was constantly thinking about others and was a primary force for organizing family gatherings and numerous charitable activities in the community and through the church. She lived a life according to Jesus’ command, which she often quoted about loving one another and caring for the poor. She never forgot about the difficult situations of those living in Nicaragua and sought donations and gathered household necessities each year to send to schools. She has also served as a board member of the non-profit Somos Ohana Nicaragua organization since 2006.
In addition to supporting education, Edith was a philanthropist for the arts, animal rights, and the environment. Edith was an early champion of environmentalism, advocating for sustainability and the protection of our planet long before it became a widespread cause. She was known for her unwavering commitment to recycling, and reducing our carbon footprint one staple at a time— living as an example of her beliefs on the resource-limited island of Maui–and collecting and composting bags of food scraps was one of the daily chores she gave her children.
A lover of art, music, and travel, Edith's passion for learning and sharing those experiences enriched the lives of everyone around her. She read constantly and preferred documentaries over anything else on TV. She developed a lifelong interest in design and architecture. She loved the clean lines of Frank Lloyd Wright, the expressive color of Vincent van Gogh, and enjoyed any museum or botanical garden visit. She loved playing the piano and was captivated most by the melodies of Chopin or a catchy Broadway showtune. She was game for any travel adventure and visited dozens of places as far as Russia and Argentina, with any friend or family member who wanted to tag along. She loved watching baseball games and tennis matches; she played tennis with friends and valued the social aspect of it all. But most of all she found joy in life's simplest pleasures and her connections with friends and family.
And if you knew anything about Edith’s culinary preferences, you would know that she was not fond of cheese in any form. Not even a bit!
Above all, Edith was known for being honest, good, and kind. She never swore out loud in her life–except maybe to say, “Darn it!” or “Jiminy Crickets!” Edith’s wisdom and kindness shaped the lives of those fortunate enough to know her and will be dearly missed.
Edith Flavia Wright Don, a beloved wife, mother, sister, grandmother, aunt, godmother and friend, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loved ones at age 85 on the morning of December 21, 2024, on Maui, the place she had made her home for over five decades. She is survived by her devoted husband Andy; sister Lisa; in-laws Josie, Chi-Ling, Sherman and Edward; children Jennifer, Lauren, Creighton, and Katherine and their spouses Donald, Aaron, May, and Daniel; grandchildren Andrew, Marissa, Christopher, Zoe, Noah, Alexander, Benjamin, Naomi, Hana, and Rae; families of a dozen nieces and nephews; and a wide circle of dear friends on Maui, Hawai'i and on the continent.
She shared that her faith in God helped carry her through the lowest points and difficult times in life because she always knew that God would provide refuge and “raise her up on eagle’s wings.” In the words of this hymn, she found the promise of God for her. She played it at her brother John’s funeral and asked for it to be played during her memorial. The song proclaims God’s love for us through all the trials and turmoil of life.
At the end of this marvelous journey, she is laid to rest in Oakland, California, at Mountain View Cemetery next to her parents and brothers. There, her spirit lives on through the countless lives she touched, and her family continues to honor her memory by carrying forward her values of love, family, education, and care for the earth.
A celebration of life and memorial mass will be held at St. Anthony’s church in Kahului, Maui, Hawai'i on Saturday, 12 July 2025 at 10am.
Thank you to all for the outpouring of love, wonderful memories and notes of sympathy shared with us. Contributions are completely optional but if you feel moved to make a tribute, please consider a donation to the "Andrew and Edith Don Fund” managed by the Hawai'i Community Foundation (https://www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/make-a-gift). This fund was established by our parents to provide scholarships that benefit the teachers and students of Maui County and demonstrate their enduring commitment to community service.
Mahalo nui loa and with gratitude,
Jennifer, Lauren, Creighton and Katherine
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