Mary Madeline Warrick, age 83, of Pittsburg, Texas passed away December 25, 2020. She was born May 9, 1937, in Fagatoga, American Samoa to Tufi Koke and Ioana Samia.
Madeline was the co-founder and co-owner of Pittsburg Hotlinks & Packing Plant, with her husband Travis Gene Warrick. She was a member of Ebenezer Friendship Baptist Church. Mom loved Bingo, cooking, crafting, and Elvis. Sometimes, her craftiness made us grin! If you knew our mother from Dangerfield or from her days at the John B. Stephens Hotel where she was a waitress and cook, you called her “Jo”! Many of you referred to our mom as Miss Madeline, Aunty, or Aunt Madeline. We know that each of you had your own special friendship with our mom, and we are grateful. If you are a Bingo lover, we know many of you can remember seeing mom play 20 cards at the Bingo hall, dressed in leopard print, hoop earrings, and rings on every finger, with a cigarette. Mom most likely tried to play your cards too…pay attention! She loved the casino and the slot machines, and was lucky, for sure, at the slots! She had her own sense of style and we loved it! Mom had a green thumb; loved plants, flowers, and vegetable gardening, and wanted to make sure the planters were full of flowers at the Hot Link Place. She made sure to get her flowers planted around the pool in the spring and summer. It was always a beautiful sight when we came home. She loved the Lord, the fragrance Beautiful, collected elephants with the trunk up, loved emeralds, and the color purple. She was enthusiastic about sharing the Samoan culture. She taught us Polynesian dances and how to cook green bananas, palusami, coco rice, and sapa suey. She loved cooking Samoan pancakes for her grandchildren, and this is a favorite memory. Mom longed to make it back to American Samoa for one last visit. She was grateful to have seen her siblings and their children for her 80th birthday celebration and at the Asaelli family reunion in San Diego in 2018. She loved a family luau, cooking a pig in the ground and serving to as many people as she could. Mom always welcomed anyone around our table during the holidays. She did not need to know you; just that you needed a family on Thanksgiving or Christmas. If we brought someone home for the holidays, they ended up with a Samoan name before they left! Mom enjoyed being silly and loved laughter! She taught the grandchildren that pots, pans, bowls and wooden spoons were great drum sets! Mom was a hard worker; working three jobs in the early days to take care of six children. She loved to cook; however, she never followed a recipe. It was always,” some of this, a pinch of that, and throw it in the oven until it’s done”!
In these last few years, Elvis was a favorite, and we know that many of you from Pittsburg would catch her dancing next to her car to Elvis tunes, while Teresa was in the store shopping! As she did not drive any longer, she loved having a family member or friend drive her ‘up town’ for some Tea! We will always remember our mother as fun loving, resilient, compassionate, and inclusive. She loved unconditionally and gave to those in need. For family, if you needed something, she would give it to you, if you didn’t, you didn’t get anything; well you got a hug, an “I love you” or you look fat”! She was so loving, understanding, patient and strong. She was our Rock! She was the greatest MOM and grandmother ever! She made us all feel like we could do anything, and we know that she would want us to carry on her legacy of strength, grace, compassion, inclusivity, and love for all. She would want us dancing at her grave and celebrating life. Our mom went Home for Christmas. What a wonderful gift!
Madeline is survived by her son, Sabin A. Warrick and fiancé Lori Windham; daughters, Teresa Banks and her husband Paul, Salina Dollinger and her husband Scot, Tina Stone and her husband Lloyd, Sala Fuchs, Sonya Barker and her husband Ronnie; brothers, Seugaloloa Asaeli, Mapuitiga Galo Asaeli, Richard Asaeli, Loren Asaeli; sisters, Lorraine Le'iato, Joanne Everett, Emelia Crispin, Eleanor Asaeli, Liua Fatuesi, Matalena Chisolm; 22 grandchildren and their spouses; and 13 great-grandchildren, and also survived by the descendants of Barney and Katherine Warrick.
Madeline is preceded in death by her parents, Tufi Koke and Ioana Samia; husband, Travis E. Warrick; brother, Mapuitiga Asaeli; and sisters Magdalene Asaeli, Vaisa Honeck, and, Ma'oputasi Ualesi
A private family graveside services will be held at Crossroads Cemetery in Pittsburg, Texas with Bro. Kyle Smith officiating. The family will host a Celebration of Life in the Spring.
In lieu of flowers the family request memorial donations be made to the Gene and Madeline Warrick Agriculture-Culinary Scholarship fund P.O. Box 958 Pittsburg, Texas 75686
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