Vivian Aiona in Focus

When Mrs. Vivian Aiona was 19 years old, she met her future husband, Lt. Governor Duke Aiona, at a dance in Waikiki. Four years later, in September 1981, they were married.

Mrs. Aiona has embraced her public role as wife of Hawai‘i’s Lieutenant Governor, continuing her strong, active service to the families and communities of Hawai‘i.

She often reads to elementary and middle school children and remains active in faith-based work. She assists grief-stricken families as the bereavement coordinator at her church before, during and after the funeral ceremony.

She’s a leading voice for humanitarian missions of the Salvation Army in Hawai`i as a member of its advisory board. And she is working to educate pregnant women to refrain from drinking alcohol as a member of the Fetal Alcohol Task Force.

Rounding out her schedule are talks at civic events, where Mrs. Aiona appeals to women influenced by the twin pressures of career and family.

With her, privacy is prized, and family sticks close to home. As a mother of four, being honest, having faith and living healthy are paramount values instilled in her children.

Mrs. Aiona grew up the youngest of five children in a working-class family from Honolulu, where she graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1976.

Her father was a Navy sailor from Boston. In Hawai‘i, he met and married Vivian’s mother, whose family arrived from Cebu in the Philippines.

Those who meet Mrs. Aiona are quick to point out her graciousness and humility.

Inspired by the hearing-impaired mother of a childhood friend, she studied sign language at Honolulu Community College.

In 2002, she retired from Air Canada after 25 years of service to become a full partner in helping her husband serve the public.

“We thought long and hard about the decision before we made it,” Mrs. Aiona said. “Through it all, my biggest responsibility hasn’t changed – raising our children to be good citizens in the community.”