Mary DeAnn Chamberlain Afualo, 77, died on March 31, 2018 at Brookdale Senior Living in Yakima, WA. DeAnn was born October 2, 1940 to Clarence Allen Chamberlain and Golda Humphreys. She graduated from Toppenish High School and attended BYU-Provo. There, she met and married fellow student Pago Pago L. Afualo, had her first child Patty, and then took a break from her education to embark on an adventure to the United Nations trust territory of Samoa. While there, she had more two children (Valeen and Alan) and was able to participate as Samoa achieved independence from New Zealand.
Their family resettled in Hawaii in 1965 where DeAnn had her fourth child (Sandy). DeAnn continued her studies in Chemistry at BYU-Hawaii, graduating summa cum laude. She started work as an Identification Technician in the Crime Lab for the Honolulu Police Department. As part of her job, she was often called to give evidence in court, which piqued her interest in the criminal system. She enrolled at the Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaii, going to school by day and working nights to help support her family. After passing the bar, DeAnn took a job as Assistant Deputy Prosecutor for the City and County of Honolulu, where she worked for more than 30 years before retiring and returning to Yakima.
DeAnn was very talented and well known for her craftwork. She would bring needlepoint projects to her workplace, stitching projects while waiting in the halls of the courthouse awaiting trial. It was only in retirement that she was able to start quilting, with prodigious output: more than 50 quilts over the ten years she quilted. She also loved gardening and growing orchids and was a docent at the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden and the Waikiki Aquarium. After retirement, DeAnn joined the Yakima County Master Gardners Club and volunteered at the Yakima Arboretum.
She was known as a generous and loving grandmother, and is survived by one sister, Doris Chamberlain Daley (J. Gary), one son, Alan L. Afualo (E. Christie), three daughters, Patricia S. A. Macadangdang, Valeen I. A. Conway (Michael), and Sandra T. A. Jamora (Francis), as well as nine grandchildren and two great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents, and brothers Gary and Jean.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday, April 14, 2018 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel at 1414 South 72nd Ave, Yakima WA 98908.