Law student was committed to peace in Pacific Islands

Francell Marbeth Mokihana Marquardt was born in 1959 of Samoan, Hawaiian, and Chinese descent, and throughout her life, she was an inspiration to all who knew her.

“Frannie was a light, a beacon of kindness and grace whose warmth touched everyone who had the privilege of knowing her,” says Elizabeth Pa Nakea, a classmate at UH Mānoa’s William S. Richardson School of Law. “At law school, she wasn’t just a friend — she was family. Her laughter was infectious, her wisdom profound, and her heart endlessly giving. She was the soul of every gathering, the one who brought people together and made them feel seen and valued.”

As an undergrad, she worked at Honolulu’s Juvenile Detention Home and the Hawai‘i School for the Deaf and Blind. She attended Brigham Young University’s Hawai‘i campus before studying at UH Mānoa. She continued her study of hula and Samoan dance, performing at the Polynesian Cultural Center.

A mission trip to Samoa left a lasting impression on Frannie, and she dreamed of living there to help build a rich, independent future for the Pacific Islands. She believed a legal education would help most in promoting their interests in the world community.

Elizabeth says, “Her faith and the way she embraced life with unyielding joy embodied the true spirit of aloha. Frannie taught me that life’s most profound gifts come in the form of relationships and the love we share with one another. I am endlessly grateful to have walked part of my journey with her.”

A life of intensity and determination

Frannie studied at UH’s law school from 1982 until she died of cancer in 1986, one semester before she was to graduate.

She was passionate about her legal studies, concentrating on international law and the law of the sea, because she believed these areas would be most critical for the future of the Pacific Islands. She cared deeply about the International Moot Court, her Native Hawaiian and Samoan heritage, and the movement to restore access to Kaho‘olawe.

Throughout her time at law school, Frannie continued to give time to others, particularly to young people in her community and at the detention home.

She lived with intensity and determination, and toward the end of her life, she hoped her vision would be carried on by Pacific Islanders who strive for a peaceful, independent future.

“I believe she would have brought so much light to the world, and she would have shared her love, aloha, and exuberance in a way that would have helped many people from all walks of life,” says her classmate Elizabeth Kent. “She was an amazing person, and I think about her often. I wish fervently she had lived longer than 28 years.”

Frannie helped to establish a fund to assist Pacific Island law students committed to using their knowledge to help Pacific Island nations. She asked her friends to do what they could in furthering this dream. The fund, which now bears Frannie’s name, assists law students from Pacific Island nations and students of Pacific Island descent who plan to live and work in the Pacific Islands.

A gift of knowledge and confidence

Since 1993, 55 students at the William S. Richardson School of Law have received the Francell Marbeth Mokihana Marquardt Scholarship for Pacific Island Students.

Honora E. Remengesau Rudimch received Frannie’s scholarship at the beginning of her final year at UH Law. She says her experience at UH gave her the knowledge, work ethic and confidence to apply to the bench when she was first appointed as a senior judge in the Palau Court of Common Pleas in 2005. Today she is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in the Republic of Palau.

She says, “I made amazing and wonderful friends who definitely made those long hours of studying bearable, as well as professors who inspired and motivated me to push through my insecurities. Frannie’s scholarship was a tremendous weight off my shoulders financially, but it motivated me as well to strive harder for my goals.”

Jasmine Joao chose UH Law because she wanted to stay close to her family in Hawai‘i, where she plans to practice elder law so she can contribute meaningfully to her community. She says, “I really enjoy law school. It’s a dynamic environment full of similarly minded people who are all working toward a common goal. It’s a lot of fun, and I get to be around such interesting people every day.”

“I was honored and happy to receive Frannie’s scholarship,” Jasmine says. “Law school is expensive, and every bit helps. I’m very grateful.”

A legacy of selflessness

“Frannie was one of the most generous people I have ever known,” says Frannie’s UH Law classmate Joyce McCarty. “She knew everyone at the law school, and she always had a kind word and a bright smile to greet you.”

Today, students and alumni from Hawai‘i, the continental United States, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of Palau, and the Federated States of Micronesia across 21 years are testament to Frannie’s generous spirit. They are justices, attorneys, activists, legal advisors and future community leaders working toward her goal of peaceful independence for Pacific Island nations. They may not know her, as these loving classmates who were touched by her, but they have known her selflessness.

“She remains my guiding star, a reminder to live bravely, love deeply, and give generously,” says Elizabeth Pa Nakea. “Frannie, you are dearly missed, but your legacy lives on in these countless lives you’ve touched. Mahalo, my beautiful friend, for everything.”