Sen. Fa’agata Mano Fa’agata, one of the three senators representing Ma’oputasi county, passed away late Monday at the LBJ Medical Center. He was 61, according to family members, who also say that funeral services are pending.

The Fagatogo senator, who chaired the Senate Committee on Communications and Fisheries, was sworn into office on January 3, for his first four-year term. He was also vice chair of the Senate Committee on Judiciary and a member of other Senate standing committees. He represented Maoputasi county villages of Fagatogo, Fa’aalu, and Utulei.

Fagatogo Rep. Maugaoali’i S. Anoai says the passing of the late senator has brought a cloud of sadness over the entire family and Fagatogo village.

He said Fa’agata is the “sa’o” or head of the family clan, which included his chiefly title of Maugaoali’i.

“I was shocked and very saddened when I learned of the senator’s sudden passing, and the both of us have been working on a lot of issues in the village, county and the Fono for the betterment of our constituents as well as the people of American Samoa,” he said, adding that it was a family member who contacted him Monday night with the sad news.

One of those issues involved the improvement of the sewer line throughout Fagatogo, another was to put up a fence or cement-block to guard against cars parking on the historical Fagatogo malae, he said.

Another issue, which has already been raised with the Department of Agriculture, is to close the Fagatogo market place on Sundays, a day of worship, as there have been concern from village residents in the past,  Maugaoali’i said, adding that he was informed last week by DoA that they will honor the request to close the market on Sundays.

“I have also been informed by Park and Recreation Department, which oversees the Fagatogo Malae and Pavilion that they are prepared to put up a chain fence around the malae to protect this great site in the town area,” the Fagatogo faipule said.

“There is much sadness in my heart that my senatorial brother has taken his journey home while we are close to completing some of the important projects that we have been working on,” he said.

Maugaoali’i describes Fa’agata as a very humble person, who cared for others and always focused on the betterment of the lives of his family, village and county. “He is a dear and good friend to me and I will miss him very much,” he said.

Fa’agata’s nephew, Malaeoletalu Melesio Gurr, said the late senator also had a sense of humor, and was involved in a wide range of matters pertaining to Fagatogo village. “I will remember him as an extremely soft spoken person with an admirable sense of humor,” he said.

“I attended village meetings with Fa’agata, who treated other village leaders with great respect,” he noted. “Not once during his five years, as the leading matai of the village, did he raise his voice to anyone during a meeting or faalavelave, for which he was respected and admired in return by other leaders and families of Fagatogo.”

Maleoletalu describes his beloved uncle as a “die hard supporter” of the Fagatogo Blues rugby team as well as  the Fagatogo fautasi team, Iseula o le Moana.

“He was a great adviser and a friend to many. He cherished and valued our Samoan culture, and believed that people should not stress out with faalavelaves and only give what they can afford. He also encouraged our people, family and village to love one another,” said Malaeoletalu.

Born July 12, 1951 in Fagatogo, the late senator’s father was High Chief Fa’agata Mano Fa’agata of Fagatogo, and mother Selita Pele of Faleasao, Manu’a. He married Agnes Washburn in July, 1974.

He was bestowed the High Chief title Fa’agata of Fagatogo in 2008 and he lived his whole life in Fagatogo. During his youth, he was part of the village aumaga and competed in several village sports such as rugby and volleyball, and was a longtime crew member and later captain in the 1990’s for the Iseula fautasi team, according to information provided by a family member.

He worked for the American Samoa TeleCommunications Authority for five years, and COS Samoa Packing for over 20 years, where he later retired. He also served in several church leadership posts at the John Wesley Fagatogo Methodist Church.

Fa’agata is survived by his wife Agnes; nine children; 15 grand-children, and brothers and sisters.

Samoa News extends our condolences to the grieving family in their time of loss.

Samoa News reporters Fili Sagapolutele and Ausage Fausia contributed to this report.