Rev. Fiva Leasau Talaga, Leader In Seattle's Samoan Community

The Rev. Fiva Leasau Talaga, matriarch of one of Seattle's first Samoan families, a leader in the Samoan community, and a minister of its first church has died. She was 75.

Talaga took up the work of her husband, who founded the Samoan Assembly of God Church in Seattle in 1971, after his death in 1976.

Betty Patu, one of Talaga's 14 children, said her mother spoke little English and had no formal education when the church leaders elected her to replace her husband.

Their selection of a woman was a bold one and one that met with some resistance in the community, which had a more traditional view about the role of women in the church.

``She had a hard time because the ministers looked down on her because she was a woman. She was criticized because they didn't feel her place was in ministering,'' said Patu.

Talaga took the challenge because she felt an obligation, said Patu.

She enrolled in correspondence courses, learning more and more English as she went, and was ordained in 1985, at the age of 70.

Acceptance came in time, Patu said. Talaga was president of the area council of Samoan churches and continued to serve on the board until her death March 22.

``She proved to the ministers she was capable. . . . She earned their respect,'' Patu said.

Talaga and her husband, Misailetalu Talaga, moved to Seattle from Samoa in 1956 so he could attend Northwest Bible College. After his ordination, they moved to Southern California where he established the first Samoan Assembly of God congregation in 1963.

They returned to Seattle in 1971, started the Rainier Valley church and helped other Samoan immigrants settle into the growing community, which now numbers in the thousands.

Many of their relatives joined them in their new home and, Patu recalled, there were some lean times.

``There were times when we had no food or no furniture,'' said Patu. ``Our father said God would take care of us, and pretty soon people would knock on the door'' bearing the things the family lacked.

But Talaga could always find a place or a penny for those who needed it, Patu said.

``She had about 15 kids living with her at the time of her death,'' said Patu. Her house was ``kind of like a shelter for kids who needed a sanctuary,'' she said.

Many of the children were from her large, extended family, which includes 51 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be Sunday, beginning at 6 p.m., and Monday, beginning at 9 a.m., at St. Edwards Church, 4213 S. Orcas St., a site chosen for the large crowd expected.

Talaga, one of 12 children, is survived by a brother and a sister in Southern California, a sister in Texas, a sister in Seattle and by nine of her children, Frank, Tautautalaimalo and Washington of Bellevue, Salavaoimasina Taupule, Tamalini, Florence, Raava Allifua, Anosivale Maalona and Betty Patu, of Seattle.