Adeline Fleming

Adeline Ann Fleming, age 79, passed away peacefully with her daughter by her side on September 28, 2025, in Eugene, Oregon.

Adeline was born in Norwich, Connecticut on October 13, 1945. She graduated in 1963 from Robert E. Fitch Senior High School in Groton, Connecticut, before continuing her studies at Thames Valley State Technical College. Her career began in Groton, where she contributed to the design of a submarine component that was part of a highly classified project.

Swept up in the spirit of the 60s, Adeline moved to California where she embraced her adventurous side – driving a bright yellow MG, skydiving, and travelling widely, eventually finding herself in the Canary Islands.

She returned to California in 1969 and continued to travel with her young family, including across Mexico and Canada in a camper van. In 1976, she relocated from California to Molokai. Captivated by the beauty and people of the islands, she embraced life in Hawaii and, by 1977, made her home on the Big Island.

In 1978, Adeline broke new ground as the first female engineer hired by the Hawaii Electric Light Company (HELCO). She retired from her role as Senior Design Planner in February 2003 after 24 years of dedicated service.

Following her retirement, Adeline engaged in volunteer roles, among them serving as a guardian ad litem for at risk children and working at a veterinary clinic that provided free care to the pets of homeless people. She enjoyed traveling to Australia each year for a six-week Christmas vacation to visit her daughter and grandchild. In 2010, she relocated to Eugene, Oregon, where she lived until her passing.

She was an avid reader and had a passion for books, music, and motorcycles, including her Harley-Davidson Sportster. She loved her country and deeply valued civil and human rights. Fiercely independent, she lived an unconventional life for a woman of her time - always on her own terms, right up to the very end.

Adeline is survived by her daughter, Michelle McCarthy, of Newcastle, Australia; grandchild, Parker Best of Newcastle, Australia; and sister Jeanne Fleming, and brother-in-law, Leonard Schwarz of Palo Alto, California.

Adeline’s ashes will be scattered at sea near her favourite spot, the former Kamoamoa picnic area on the Big Island, next summer. Contributions in her memory may be made to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) or the Eugene Public Library.