Officials from the legislative, judicial and executive branches, including Gov. Benigno R. Fitial and Lt. Gov. Eloy S. Inos, honored Ada with a state funeral at the multi-purpose center.
His remains were later blessed at the Mount Carmel Cathedral by Bishop Tomas A. Camacho with the nine other priests of the Chalan Kanoa Diocese.
Hundreds showed up at the cathedral for the burial Mass.
Ada left behind his wife Ines, and their seven children — Maria Lourdes, Eloise, Lillian, Estrellita, Francisco, Norma and Luciana —and 16 grandchildren.
Dr. Carlos S. Camacho, the CNMI’s first governor who worked with Ada from 1978 to 1982, described his former lt. governor as “a good man” and “very loyal.”
Camacho who will turn 73 on Citizenship Day said Ada’s greatest contribution to the CNMI was his vision for its economy and education.
“Those were mostly what he was concentrating and ensuring that we don’t lost track of what we were voted for in the beginning. I think that’s worth mentioning. Like I said he’s a very noncontroversial individual and non-confrontational,” Camacho said.
In 1969, Ada, a political science graduate from the University of Hawaii in Manoa, became the district administrator of the Marianas District of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands at age 35. This was the highest ranking local office in the NMI at the time.
In 1976 he was designated the deputy resident commissioner to the Northern Marianas.
In 1978, Camacho and Ada became the CNMI’s first elected top officials.
Camacho said their administration inherited a lot of problems and challenges because at that time the 14 island-chain was just beginning to establish itself as a self-governing commonwealth of the U.S.
“He used to handle the staff meeting and when the directors at that time complained about the lack of money and all that, he tried to explain that we were operating on a very limited budget,” Camacho said.
Camacho’s wife, Lourdes, praised Ada whom she described as a “very loving man” and “a good family man.”
Francisco Ada, the only son of the late lt. governor, described him as “the greatest dad” and “greatest grandpa.”
“He was constantly teaching us,” he said.
The six Ada sisters who are all accomplished in their own fields escorted the casket of their father through the entrance of the cathedral where a group of local police officers took over.
The police draped Ada’s casket with the CNMI flag before carrying it to the Chalan Kanoa cemetery.
Prayers and flowers were offered and a gun salute was fired before he was finally laid to rest.
The Ada family said they were humbled by the community’s support in their time of grief.
“Dangkulu na si yu’os ma’ase to our family, friends and the community for your kind words, thoughtfulness and prayers.
Our family left us suddenly and you have all been a source of comfort and strength in our time of sorrow. We will always remember and cherish in our hearts the time you have shared with us to honor our father. May God bless you,” the Ada family said in a statement.
The House of Representatives and the Senate separately adopted commemorative resolutions paying tribute to Ada and his significant contributions to the CNMI’s political and social growth since becoming a commonwealth of the United States in 1976.
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