Aunty May Fantom

“Mrs. Mary Kealiʻikahumoku Tilton Fantom 1897-1972 Mrs. Mary Fantom has the distinction of being the first Bahá’í of Hawaiian blood. She was affectionately known and was closely associated with Hand of the Cause Agnes Alexander. Mrs. Fantom served faithfully for many years as the recording secretary of the Local Spiritual Assembly of Maui which was established in 1928 and was among the first to hold children’s classes. Long confined to a wheelchair, but undeterred by this physical handicap, she was a devoted servant of the Faith to the end of her life. To each friend who attended she gave the gift of a plant, a symbol of the Faith, as one guest remarked, “for they bear seeds and will keep growing.” Although she and her husband, James, had no children of their own, she may truly be regarded as an “international mother”, for her love and generosity extended to many now scattered across the face of the globe. “