ANDERSON, Lehua (Judith)

July 11, 1942 - December 17, 2005. Lehua (Judith) Anderson will be remembered by friends, coworkers and family for her engaging "aloha" spirit, her enthusiasm to tackle new challenges and capacity to make others feel loved and appreciated. Lehua lived in Hawaii for 25 years, raising her family there and attending the University of Hawaii where she earned a BA in archaeology, specializing in Native Hawaiian culture. Returning to the islands to visit whenever she could, she surrounded herself with Hawaiian memorabilia and other native gems she brought back from her trips. She played an active role on the Arizona Aloha Festival Planning Committee, last serving as chair of the "Island Discoveries" cultural education areas and production of the Festival's program booklet. Lehua moved to Phoenix in 1995 where she most recently served as a Junior Advancement Officer at the Arizona Community Foundation, supporting its affiliate system serving small towns, rural and tribal communities across Arizona. Prior to that, she served as Director of Operations for Atlatl, National Service Organization for Native American Arts. An avid fan of the arts, she was also a House Manager for the City of Phoenix Theatres and volunteered for the Deer Valley Petroglyph Museum. Her family includes her children and their families, Erik and Alezah Torell of Portland, OR; Mahealani Montiel and Nate Mata and their children Nainoa and Tehani, of Honolulu, HI; as well as 3 brothers, Arlan, Robert and John, and stepmother Shirley. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be directed in Lehua's name to Arizona Aloha Festivals, Inc. 2514 S. Kachina Circle Tempe, AZ 85282 to further the cultural education efforts of the Festival. Published in The Arizona Republic on 1/1/2006.