Obituary of Petesa Fou Mahe

Petesa "Pat" Fou Mahe, 67, of Morgantown, passed away on Saturday, March 16, 2019, at his home. He was born in Utungake, Tonga, the son of the late Alipeti and Osi Mahe. He left Tonga as a young man under the guidance of mentor, Mike Bailes. He attended nautical school in England, then sailed the Pacific with Mike on their small sailboat, "the Jellicle". Pat came to West Virginia in the seventies. He played with the WVU Rugby Club and the Mon River "Mud Lobster" Rugby Club. Pat was known for his Polynesian pig roasts, and he also boxed in the 1986 Tough Man Contest. Pat worked at Fort Martin Power Station for 30 years. He spent his free time outside gardening, cooking, watching his birds, walking in the woods looking for morel mushrooms and ginseng, and building his camp. In the evenings, you could find him sitting by the fire watching the stars come out. He is survived by his wife, Deborah Brady-Mahe; his son, Petesa Mahe, of Alexandria, VA; his daughter, Maria McGonigle and husband, William, of Pittsburgh, PA; daughter, Sarah Mahe, of Morgantown, and daughter, Olivia Thomas, of Napier, New Zealand; sisters, Taufa, Halamehi, Langima'a, Siosi, Vasa, and brothers, Heikoti, and Vainikolo of Tonga and New Zealand. In addition, he is survived by numerous nieces and nephews in the U.S., Tonga, and New Zealand. Family and friends will be received at Hastings Funeral Home, 153 Spruce Street, Morgantown, WV, on Wednesday, March 20th from 2-4 p.m. and from 6-8 p.m. A graveside service will be held at the family's home on Thursday, March 21st at 2 p.m., with a celebration of life to follow. Send condolences online at www.hastingsfuneralhome.com