Judiciary mourns loss of Ursula I. Lifoifoi-Aldan

Chief Probation Officer Ursula I. Lifoifoi-Aldan passed away in San Diego, California on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019. (Contributed Photo)

The CNMI Judiciary joins the rest of the CNMI government, family, and friends in mourning the death of Chief Probation Officer Ursula I. Lifoifoi-Aldan, who passed away in San Diego, California on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019. She was one of the CNMI’s most dedicated and longest serving probation officers.

Lifoifoi-Aldan leaves behind a record of over 29 years as a law enforcement officer with the Judiciary, four years as acting chief of Labor with the Executive Branch’s former Department of Commerce and Labor, three months as an assistant to the Senate Fiscal Affairs Committee, and four months as a counselor for the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. Her extensive government service also includes memberships in criminal justice stakeholder groups such as the CNMI Family Violence Task Force, the CNMI Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Coalition, the Criminal Justice Information System Committee, and the Sex Offender Registration administrative board. Lifoifoi-Aldan also served the CNMI as a board member of the Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance board, a scholarship oversight authority under the Office of the Mayor of Saipan.

Initiated into the ranks of adult probation supervision as a Probation Officer I in 1981, Lifoifoi-Aldan became a Probation Officer II in 1985, Probation Officer III in 1995, and Chief Probation Officer in 2002. She was recognized as the first female Chief Probation Officer for the local judiciary, serving almost 17 years in this capacity. From late 2012 to early 2017, Lifoifoi-Aldan was tasked by Chief Justice Alexandro C. Castro to simultaneously serve as the deputy director of law enforcement for the CNMI Judiciary, supervising both the Office of Adult Probation Services and Marshals Service Division for nearly five years.

The American Probation and Parole Association named her the annual awardee for their organization. Also, in 2017, Lifoifoi-Aldan bested other managers and was the recipient of the CNMI Judiciary’s coveted Chief Justice Award.

“It is indeed a very sad time for the third branch of government. Our mold remediation and air-conditioning problems, [Super] Typhoon Yutu’s destruction of the Guma’ Hustisia, and now this—losing one of our most valuable employees in the Office of Adult Probation and Supervision. When we are asleep, Ursula and her team made sure our community on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota were safe. Thank you, Ursula. You were an awesome leader in the Judiciary. We will surely miss you,” said Chief Justice Alexandro C. Castro.

Presiding Judge Roberto C. Naraja said that Lifoifoi-Aldan was affectionately known as “Ulang” in the Judiciary and, having served for more than 29 years, was known as one of the longest-serving member of the Judiciary family.

“She was a personification of NMI Judiciary values and dedicated every day to protecting community safety and assisting victims through offender rehabilitation. …She will be missed dearly by the Judiciary family,” Naraja said.

Lifoifoi-Aldan’s community service included various roles in the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa’s Santa Remedios Parish and other church groups, and as a “Common Sense Parenting” instructor for the program under the Division of Youth Services with the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs.

A dedicated wife, mother, and grandmother, Lifoifoi-Aldan leaves behind her loving husband of 35 years, Francisco “Boy” Aldan, four daughters—Plumeria Joy, Skye Lynn, Oceana Pia, and Sunny “Sunshine” Frank—sons-in-law Kolani Castro, Edwin Hofschneider, Jr., and Kyle Songsong, and five grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held today, Oct. 4, 2019, at 11am at the Nuestra Señora Bithen Delos Remedios (Santa Remedios) Church in Tanapag. Interment services will follow at the public cemetery in Tanapag. (PR)