Abilina Lawrence

Abilina Lawrence passed away peacefully at her home on February 23, 2024. Abilina Aquino was born to Alejo and Juliana Aquino on Kauai's Makaweli sugar plantation in Hawaii on August 29,1929. She moved to Aiea, Oahu at 12 years-old. A few months later she witnessed the bombing of Pearl Harbor. She lived very close to the harbor and was a eyewitness to the event. Her memories were of a blackened sky with many airplanes flying overhead. She thought it was the end of the world. She said they did not attend school for one month after the bombing. And that when they did return to school they wore gas masks on their way to and from school.

Abilina's future husband was a marine stationed on Oahu. Abilina married Roger Travers Lawrence, a Maine native, on July 9, 1949 in Honolulu, Hawaii. They had a few moves between California, Maine, and Hawaii but settled in North Deering, Portland, Maine. Maine was a big adjustment from Hawaii, but she feels it was the choice on where to raise her children. She felt Hawaii didn't offer the financial, educational, and travel opportunities that Maine did.

Abilina worked for the Boy Scouts of America when it was located in North Deering. She eventually worked decades for the Portland Police Department in the Crime Analysis Records Department as a records clerk. She enjoyed working at the Portland Police Department and developed many friendships there.

Her hobbies were reading, crossword puzzles, baking, gardening, and she was a prolific letter writer.

She and Roger had four children, three boys and one girl. Abilina was an attentive mother, dressing her children very well and taking good care of them.

She was preceded in death by her eldest son, Michael George Lawrence.

She is survived by her husband, Roger Lawrence; three children Robert J. Lawrence, (Patricia) of Portland, Maine, Anne Kemer, (James) of Raleigh, NC, and John R.Lawrence, of Longmont, CO. Abilina has seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

According to her wishes, there will be no services.