Va’ai Luamata Lavatai

Vaai was Born on November 17, 1964 and raised in American Samoa by Luamata and Faamao Lavatai. Growing up with his siblings, he attended Manulele Tausala elementary and soon graduated from Samoana high school in 1982. Later on Vaai left his home land and moved to Anaheim, California to live with his late brother Natia Lavatai. Vaai also moved his way up to San Francisco to be with his other brother Luamata Lavatai and his cousins. In 1993 Vaai moved to Salt Lake City, Utah and met a beautiful amazing woman, Kelly Edwards. Kelly had a beautiful daughter Elisia who was 2 at the time and since then he raised her as his own. In 1997 Vaai and Kelly got married and a year later they had their first son, Vaai Domnick Lavatai. Then in 1999 their second son Bryton Poe Lavatai made his entrance. And when things couldn’t get any better they were then blessed with their baby boy Natia Povi Lavatai in 2001. Vaai came from a big family of 13 - 3 sisters and 10 brothers. Vaai Luamata Lavatai is survived by his beautiful children; his oldest daughter- Elisia Lavatai; his sons Vaai , Bryton, and Natia Lavatai, and 3 of his beautiful grandchildren. Vaai kept in touch but only with people he knew that he could trust and count on for help: his brother Luamata and his daughter Elisia. Vaai was always happy and cheerful, always goofy and wanted to make everyone around him laugh even if he was the joke. He loved his family and now he’s in a better place, resting and reuniting with loved ones on the other side. Thank you Vaai for the grey hairs that we have because of you and introducing your friends to us when we didn’t ask. But most of all, Thank you for all the love and memories you have given us that we will now and forever cherish until that glorious day when we see you again! We miss you! We Love you!

Vaai Luamata Lavatai

A son, a brother, an uncle, a father, a grandfather, a friend

Sunset ~ April 15,2026