Lisa Lau was born in Guangzhou, China, on November 5, 1955. She later moved to Hong Kong, where she lived until 1964, carrying with her the memories, traditions, and cultural roots that would remain an important part of her life. In 1964, Lisa and her family made the journey by boat from Hong Kong to Honolulu, beginning a new chapter in Hawaiʻi.
Lisa grew up in Honolulu’s Chinatown, where family, community, and perseverance shaped her life. She attended Kawanakakoa Middle School and McKinley High School, graduating with the Class of 1974. She later studied at Kapiʻolani Community College and the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, earning a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting. At the College of Business, she met her future husband, Larry; they married in 1988. In 1984, Lisa moved to Kaimukī, where she built a new home. On June 20, 1991, she welcomed her son, Matthew.
Lisa began working in high school and later gained office experience at Hawaii Thrift & Loan. In 1984, she began a long federal career with Department of Defense agencies, serving in administrative, accounting, audit, budget, logistics, and program management roles with the Air Force, Army Corps of Engineers, Navy Pacific Command, Joint Task Force Full Accounting, Pacific Air Forces, and the U.S. Army Fort Shafter 516th Signal Battalion. She retired from Pacific Air Forces in 2022 as a Financial Management Analyst at the GS-13, Step 10 supervisory-equivalent level. Lisa was also active in professional government accounting associations. In later years, she served as a member and treasurer of the Organization of Chinese American Women Hawaii chapter and worked as a retail sales associate and security guard.
Those who knew Lisa will remember her warmth, her quiet strength, and the joy she found in life’s simple pleasures. She enjoyed shopping, traveling, arts and crafts, and relaxing with movies and shows on Netflix. Her interests reflected her creativity, curiosity, and appreciation for time spent both exploring the world and enjoying the comforts of home.
Lisa was preceded in death by her beloved mother Flora Lau. Lisa is lovingly survived by her son Matthew Wolfe; her father, Fredrick; her sister, Virgie Galang; and her brothers, Alexander, and Larry. Her journey from Guangzhou to Hong Kong to Honolulu reflected courage, devotion, and deep family connection. She leaves cherished memories and a legacy of love in the hearts of all who knew her.
