Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 3, Number 7, 1 July 1986 — Native Hawaiian Grandmother, 73, Graduates with BA in Philosophy [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Native Hawaiian Grandmother, 73, Graduates with BA in Philosophy

A 73-year-old native Hawaiian grandmother from Hilo who never dreamed of a college education following graduation from Hilo High School in 1931 is now the proud owner of a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy whieh she received during commencement exercises May 16 at the University of Hawaii Hilo campus. Elizabeth Nakoolani Lee Loy Stillman, who turned 73 on June 3, was the former director of nursing services at Hilo Hospital from where she retired in January, 1971, after 31 years of service. She supervised a staff of 292. It took her six years to get her degree because some of the courses were not available and also time eonstraints. But she persevered and got her degree. Mrs. Stillman explained her college education happened "kind of accidentally." She said she wanted to visit China in 1980 but before doing so she thought she'd sign up for a course on the History of China at UHH. Dr. Peggy Yorita, one of her instructors, subsequently encouraged her to work for a degree. She asked herself: Me? At my age? But after thinking it over she decided to go for it. "Why not?" she again asked herself. "China will always be there." Mrs. Stillman is proud of her achievement and well she might be when one considers she had been out of high school 49 years and out of nursing school for 40 years. She had gone to Queen's NursingSchool in 1936 and graduated in 1940. She worked her way up through the ranks until the last five years of her career when she was named director of nursing services. Ka Wai Ola O OHA asked Mrs. Stillman what her future plans were now that she has her bachelor's degree. "Maybe I'll go after my master's. It could be here or in China. I'm not definite. I do know I want to take a little break first," she replied. As a senior citizen, she attended UHH tuition-free but had to buy her books. Mrs. Stillman is an active member of the Hawaii Government Employees Assoeiahon (HGEA) Retiree Unit, Hawaii Chapter; 'Ahahui Kaahumanu; and the Prince David Kawananakoa Hawaiian Civic Club. Her advice for this year's high school graduates: "Keep the fire of ambition burning. Be motivated as learning never ends. Enjoy while you are learning; there's a great world of technical field out there from whieh the,choice is yours to make. Your happiness and joy in this life ean be attained. Be strong, keep your faith in the Lord. "Refrain from drugs, violence and all that is harmful to your body and mind. Scholarships and student loans are out there for the asking. Good luek and be happy." Mrs. Stillman and her husband, Francis, are the parents of two sons — Benedict, a resident of Phoenix, Ariz., where he has been employed by Motorola for 21

years; and Francis Jr., a fireman with the Hawaii County Fire Department. Benedict is the father of three girls and a son and Francis has one daughter. Mrs. Stillman is one of 13 children from the kamaaina Lee Loy family of Hilo. There are eight surviving brothers and sisters. Their mother, Mary Kealoha, was 100 percent Hawaiian and their father, Benedict Kalamaku Lee Loy, was one-half Chinese and one-quarter eaeh of Hawaiian and English, according to Marion Lee Loy, widow of Samuel Lee Loy and mother of wellknown Pilialoha Lee Loy. Hartwell Lee Loy, one of Mrs.- Stillman's younger brothers, is deputy superintendent of the Department of Education's Leeward District on Oahu. His nieee, Pilialoha, is a teacher at Aliamanu Intermediate School. — Kenny Haina

Elizabeth Nakoolani Stillman