Ellyn Lo Fong, wife of the late U.S. Sen. Hiram Fong, was put to rest Thursday during private services at Nu'uanu Memorial Park. She died March 25 at age 94.

As the wife of one of Hawai'i's best-known politicians, Fong worked tirelessly on behalf of her husband and the people of Hawai'i, her daughter, Merie-Ellen Gushi, 57, said from her Maui home.

"She was a very elegant woman. She was such a wonderful hostess, great cook, very supportive of her husband and a wonderful ambassador for Hawai'i," Gushi said.

Fong was a graduate of Roosevelt High School and the University of Hawai'i-Manoa, where she received a bachelor's degree in education. She taught for a short period on Kaua'i before moving back to O'ahu.

Fong gave up her teaching career when she married Hiram Fong in 1938, Gushi said.

"She always wanted to continue to teach children," Gushi said. "She would always talk about teaching the children to read and write (in her later years)," she said.

While in Washington, D.C., Fong spent much of her time as a Red Cross volunteer. She was later honored for her service by the U.S. Senate Red Cross Chapter.

In 1999, and she received the Distinguished Service Award from the Organization of Chinese American Women at their national conference.

Hiram Fong served in the U.S. Senate from 1959 to 1977. He died in August 2004.

Ellyn Fong is survived by her four children, Hiram Fong Jr., Rodney Fong, Merie-Ellen Gushi and Marvin Fong; 10 grandchildren; two great-granddaughters; and sister-in-law Alyce Lee Lo.

Reach Loren Moreno at lmoreno@honoluluadvertiser.com.