Our beloved mother Maumeni Kiliona, passed away peacefully Tuesday, January 19, 2021 at
10:23 a.m. She finally succumbed after a long battle with lung cancer.
Maumeni Niusulu Kiliona was born February 17, 1950, to Tautua Logoleo Niusulu and
Fa’amaile Leiataua Niusulu in Fitiuta, Manu’a, American Samoa. She was one of ten children.
She graduated high school in 1968 and quickly left Samoa for Hawai’i. There she met and
married the father of her three children, Ollie, Darlene, and Biona. She later moved to San
Francisco, California where she met Vao Kiliona with whom she married and spent the rest of
her life with. There she began a lifelong career as a certified nursing assistant. She worked at
the same hospital for over 30 years until she retired. While working there she proudly served as
a Union Representative. In this capacity, she fought hard for her fellow union members to get
medical benefits, living wage increases, and better working conditions. She was often described
as fearless and tenacious when standing up to management while defending Union members.
Maumeni enjoyed playing bingo with her brothers and sisters in her spare time. She especially
enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren. She had a laugh that was
contagious. You could not invite Maumeni to a party and not see her and Vao get on the dance
floor and start an Electric slide to get the party going.
She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Tautua and Tauosooso Niusulu; and
one sister, Lopi Niusulu.
Left to cherish her memories is her husband Vao S. Kiliona. Her three children, Ollie H,
Bradshaw, Jr and wife Rosie Bradshaw, Darlene Bradshaw Bolden (Mike) of Round Rock,
Texas, and Biona Bradshaw Coleman (Rick) of Sims, North Carolina; eleven grandchildren,
Denzel, Ollie III (Bubba), LaDaedrix (Dae), Breana, Keith, Jamiah, Leilani (Mau), Angelina
(Angie), Olathia (Olay), Trustin, and Tyrus; two great-grandchildren, Carter and Tili.
Three brothers; Solova’a Niusulu and wife Violet, Taulago Niusulu and wife Fialogo Tatupu, and
Semisi Niusulu and wife Sheila; three sisters, Fuakoko Tapafua, Leata Siliga, and Solota’i
Leoso; and a host of nieces and nephews and other relatives whom she loved and adored.
We, Vao Kiliona and the children of Maumeni, would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to all
those who came to celebrate our mother’s life. We leave you with these last words from our
mother a few weeks ago,
“I spent my whole life kicking you know what and that’s how I’m going out.”