From bank retirees to curious visitors to former bridge partners, hundreds turned out yesterday to share their memories of and pay their respects to Madelyn Payne Dunham, the woman who raised President-elect Barack Obama.

Dunham, 86, died of cancer two days before the Nov. 4 election in which her grandson was chosen America's 44th president.

An estimated 200 people yesterday attended a celebration of her life at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl. It was held as a public observance; family members will hold a private memorial service later, which Obama is expected to attend.

At Punchbowl yesterday, a framed photo of Dunham was draped with a maile lei with pikake; next to it stood a proclamation issued by state lawmakers. Obama and his sister Maya Soetoro-Ng sent a statement read by Al Landon, Bank of Hawaii chief executive officer.

"When Tutu found out that she had little time remaining, she insisted that we dispense with excessive solemnity or sorrow," Landon said, reading from the statement. "She was not afraid of any storm and withstood many in her 86 years. We feel fortunate to have had so much time with our Tutu. She spent more time raising us than did most grandmothers and we benefited from her closeness; we are stronger and wiser because of her."

'SHE WAS A TOUGH LADY'

Dunham was the driving force of her small family, and as a Bank of Hawaii vice president was known by some as the Dean of Escrow, having helped establish many of the regulations that govern escrow in Hawai'i.

Former co-workers spoke of how strict — and, at times, scary — she could be when she ran the bank's newly developed escrow division in the early 1960s or testified before state lawmakers.

"She was a tough lady. Tough, tough lady," said Myrtle Choan, who was one of three escrow officers who worked with Dunham. "I was so afraid of her. I called her Mrs. Dunham, never by her first name."

The memorial was organized by Bank of Hawaii officials, Borthwick Mortuary and friends such as Emme Tomimbang. Obama and Soetoro-Ng, who is a teacher at La Pietra Hawai'i School for Girls, sent a large, pink tropical flower arrangement. A second flower arrangement came from the Class of 1940 of Augusta High School in Kansas, Dunham's alma mater.

Dunham, whom Obama called "Toot" — short for tutu, or grandparent — raised Obama along with her late husband Stanley in their Pawa'a-area apartment from the time he was 10 until he graduated from Punahou School in 1979.

DEEPLY MISSED

People who knew Madelyn Dunham said she was a private person who wouldn't have liked the attention that yesterday's memorial brought to her, but would have appreciated the gestures and words of her friends.

Howard Stephenson, former Bank of Hawaii chairman and CEO, said he hired Dunham for two reasons. One, she knew escrow; second, she was from the same town, Peru, Kan., where Stephenson's family is from.

"Madelyn Dunham was a great leader, manager and teacher who was an expert in her field," said former co-worker Helen Osgood, who also played bridge with Dunham. "She did not tolerate any nonsense."

Their friendship formed after Dunham retired from the bank. They traveled together on cruises. They played bridge and shared birthday wishes.

Osgood said Dunham loved a good laugh and was pleased with her daughter's and grandchildren's educational accomplishments.

"Her last words to me on her birthday (Oct. 26) was, 'I'll talk to you later.' I will miss you, Madelyn."

David Pietsch Jr., president of Title Guaranty Escrow Services, got his start under Dunham's wing. He remembered that she always wore her hair in a tight bun, and never had to take notes at meetings because she had a near-photographic memory and knew the world of real estate escrow inside and out.

"I immediately knew she was tough," Pietsch said. "She was my mentor. She was a mentor for her family. She wanted to raise escrow standards in our state to her standards. Madelyn, we'll miss you and I thank you."

During the hourlong service, the stories from former co-workers poured forth. It was a fitting tribute to the woman who helped raise the man who will be the country's next president, Tomimbang said.

Soetoro-Ng and Obama said in their statement: "She was fiercely loyal and protective of those whom she loved and had little patience for foolishness. She motivated us to work harder and to take pride in our work, irrespective of salary or prestige."