December 9, 1932 - July 11, 2022
Amelia Theresa Cetrone was born on December 9, 1932, in the West Philadelphia neighborhood of Overbrook, Pennsylvania. She passed away with her niece at her side on July 11, 2022, at 89. Amelia grew up part of an extensive and loving Italian family. Her grandfather ran an Italian grocery store, her mother was instrumental in assisting immigrants by helping them find jobs and places to live before they entered the country, and her aunt was the first female Maytag distributor. It's no wonder that Amelia is best known for saying, "If I can do it, you can do it."
Always an adventurer, Amelia relocated to Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1962.
Amelia spent over 40 years in real estate development. She met her beloved husband, the late Felipe "Phil" V. Bautista Jr., who was the company comptroller. Amelia had an interest in real estate property management. She served in various positions on condominium association boards, including Waikiki Imperial and White Pearl Apartments.
Amelia was tenacious and competitive throughout her whole life. She and Phil were actively training for and running the annual Honolulu Marathon. They ran with friends who called themselves the "Assorted Nuts." In fact, she started running in her late 40s and went on to run in 9 consecutive marathons!
For over 50 years, Amelia served as a board member and treasurer of the Hawaii Association of the Blind. She became a vital component of the organization and could be found helping and encouraging members in a multitude of tasks. Her determination was infectious, and Amelia believed in giving 110% and trusted that every member, from oldest to youngest, had something to offer to HAB. Nearing the end of her tenure as member and treasurer, Amelia focused much of her energy on the youngest members of HAB. She could always be heard saying, "I need to teach you, young ones!" Her absence from the organization has left a hole in the fabric of HAB, but her contributions will remain in our hearts forever.