San Jose, CALIFORNIA — Retired Reverend Elder Eveni Mamoe Eveni Jr, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and servant of the Lord entered fully into the presence of the Lord on Friday July 22, 2022. He passed away with his family at his side at O'Connor Hospital in San Jose, CA. He was 75.

Eveni Jr was born to parents Eveni and Siolo Mamoe in Ta'u, American Samoa. He graduated from Samoana High School in 1966. He moved to San Francisco, California in 1967 before settling in San Jose in 1969. He married in 1970 and with wife Eleni raised three children, son Harold and daughters Siauvale and Irene. He was employed at the Fraser and Johnston Company in San Leandro before working at Owens Corning in San Jose.

Eveni Jr's strong Christian faith was an essential part of his life. He was a deacon of the First Congregational Christian Church of Samoa in Sunnyvale but felt a higher calling. He resigned from Owens Corning in 1983 to pursue a spiritual path, relocating with his family back to American Samoa after being accepted as part of the inaugural incoming freshmen class at the Kanana Fou Seminary that opened in 1983 in the village of Tafuna. During this time they also welcomed their second son, Anthony. He earned a Bachelors of Divinity as a graduate of the institution's first graduating class of 1987.

He immediately began his work in the ministry after being elected by the congregation of Maamaa in Tafuna to be their pastor, a unique recognition being that he was selected before graduating that same year. In 2005 he began serving as Elder Minister for the Itu'au District (Pulega Itu'au) of the Central Region of AS (Matagaluega a Tutotonu i Amerika Samoa) of the CCCAS (Congregational Christian Church of American Samoa) organization. He was well respected among his peers and in the Samoan communities and often times returned to the Bay Area in California as a guest speaker for Sunday services or other religious occasions and events.

For thirty one years Eveni Jr served his spiritual duties as an ordained minister faithfully and with integrity, retiring in 2018. His wisdom, pastoral insight and presence will be sorely missed. Eveni Jr was preceded in death by his wife Eleni and their beloved son Harold. He is survived by his second wife Leumete Leulua'i, his daughters and their spouses, son Anthony, son Marcus and his spouse, and ten grandchildren; his brothers Tupolo, Ernie, Sosene and Jeremiah, and sisters Fale, Ruth, Naomi and Iloa.

A service celebrating his life will be held on Thursday Aug 25th at 11am at First Congregational Christian Church of Samoa, 1028 Ahwanee Ave in Sunnyvale, CA 94085.