Salamasina Auelua

A funeral service for Salamasina will be held Wednesday, April 6, 2022 from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM at First Congrational UCC, 3041 N. Sierra Way, San Bernardino, CA. A visitación will occur Friday, April 8, 2022 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Desert View Funeral Home, 11478 Amargosa Rd, Victorville, California 92392. A funeral service will occur Friday, April 8, 2022 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. A graveside service will occur Friday, April 8, 2022 from 12:00 PM to 12:30 PM at Desert View Memorial Park, 11500 Amargosa Rd, Victorville, California 92392.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.desertviewcares.com for the Auelua family.Salamasina Lautoa Satele-Auelua was born in Vailoatai, her father’s village, in American Samoa on July 18, 1960. Her mother was from the village of Fogapoa on the island of Savai’i. Her parents were the late Sasa’e Su and Lautoa Satele. Salamasina was married to Reverend Tupefa’avae Auelua and is succeeded by four children Shalom, Tuisavailu’u, Tuvia, and Ronia Auelua.

In Salamsina's early years, she was an intelligent and beautiful island girl, with long brown hair and brown eyes. In high school, she excelled academically and won a title equivalent to “homecoming queen”. Salamasina was one of few in her school and village to receive a full ride academic scholarship to Northwest Missouri State University. She was a first generation college student and the first in her family to leave the islands of American Samoa for the continental United States. During her college years, she found comfort while being homesick through the bible study club on campus that helped solidify her faith in the Lord to continue on her journey. Salamasina graduated from Northwest Missouri State University in 1982 with her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. After, she went back to American Samoa and got married to a man from the village of Lepa, Western Samoa, named Tupefaavae Ropati Auelua.

Salamasina and Tupefa’avae Auelua did their early ministry in Safatoa’a-Tai Lefaga, Western Samoa before moving to the United States for better opportunities and for their oldest, deaf son Shalom Tupefaavae Auelua. Although a challenging transition, they were able to adapt while maintaining their fa’asamoa (Samoan way of life) and faith by establishing a Samoan church called, “Fale o le Faiipu Omea” located in San Bernardino. Salamasina Auelua supported her husband’s ministry in the United States as a faletua (pastor’s wife) for 30 years before her passing. She took her role as a leader in the community seriously and was direct, but loving with her teachings. She believed in her community and people. She considered the church an extension of her family.

Along with ministry on the weekends and sporadically throughout the week, she also worked at Cajon high school as a high school counselor in San Bernardino, CA. She obtained her Master of Science degree in 1999 in School Counseling, while also raising 4 children and working as a substitute teacher. She was the first Pacific Islander counselor in the San Bernardino school district. She served in education for 30 years beginning with her country of origin American Samoa. When Salamasina moved to America with her family, she started as a teacher’s aide, then a substitute teacher, and finally a high school counselor for 23 years. She got to witness the cream of the crop students in the community and guide them in academia. She also was a community advocate for the Pacific Islander students in the Inland Empire. Through her experience she helped with the growth of the percentage of Pacific Students graduating high school and seeking higher education—this was her pride and joy and it was something to celebrate. She was recognized for her contributions to the Pacific Islander community by the National Pacific Education Network with a Sevia Ma’ae Educator Award. She retired as a high school counselor at the end of March 2021.

Salamasina’s passion was serving people and she did it faithfully through her work as a counselor, colleague, mentor, faletua, mother, aunty, grandmother, sister, and friend. After retirement, she traveled back to American Samoa and got to spend time with her recently late mother and walk her father’s land. She got to spend time with all her siblings and see them face to face. Shortly after her trip back home, it ended earlier than planned due to serious health issues. She flew back to California in October 2021 to receive medical treatment. Salamasina was then diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on November 5, 2021.

On March 6, 2022, Salamasina Auelua passed away at 8:15pm in the hospital. She was with her husband as she had her last breath. Her family and church came together to pray and sing a farewell song for her. Her absence in flesh has been hard for many of whom she helped, inspired, and loved besides her immediate family. Salamasina is no longer in pain and is in heaven with her mother and father. May she rest in love and peace knowing her strong impact on the people around her on earth, as a woman of faith.

Salamasina Lautoa Satele-Auelua’s celebrations of life will be held on April 6th and 8th of 2022. The family service is on April 6 from 4-6 pm at her church Fale o le Faiipu Omea, also known as the First Samoan Congregational United Church of Christ in San Bernardino located at 3041 N. Sierra Way, San Bernardino, CA 92405. Her celebration of life ceremony will be held on April 8 from 10-11:30am at the Desert View Memorial Park at Desert View Memorial Park

(11500 Amargosa Rd, Victorville, CA 92392). Following the celebration of life service is a reception at 16292 Lime St, Hesperia, CA 92345.