Jane "Momi" Leimomi Ah Nee Laimana, who at the age of 75 went back to college with 10 members of her extended family and helped inspire other Hawai'i families to do the same, has died at the age of 78.

Laimana, who became known as "Grams" around the Windward Community College campus where she was taking Hawaiian Studies, would have graduated this spring with a certificate in Hawaiian Studies.

She was born in Honolulu in 1928 and died Feb. 20. She lived in Kane'ohe.

Her daughter, Lei Laimana, said the college plans to bestow the certificate on her posthumously, with members of her family standing in for her.

"She was going to walk this May," said her daughter.

Laimana was a powerful support for the family in rekindling their interest in their own culture and keeping members of the younger generation in college. Back in 2003 when Laimana signed up for classes, 10 family members would ultimately be in school at the same time on campuses throughout the University of Hawai'i system, studying everything from nursing to pre-med.

Theirs was the biggest family group that Windward Community College — and the entire UH system — had seen in classes at one time, said enrollment officials at the time.

The senior Laimana became a popular figure on the Windward campus, piloting a green pickup truck often stocked with a cooler of juices and other snacks for family members.

"Every day is like a new opportunity," she said during an interview in 2003, admitting that a year earlier she never would have thought of going back to school.

Granddaughter Jamie Laimana was the one who encouraged many family members to go to school together to study Hawaiian, and it was "Grams" who signed up first. With her support others readily joined in.

Laimana was also a retired cook with Honolulu Federal Savings and Loan.

She is survived by husband, John Kalei Sr.; sons, John Jr. and Grant; daughters, Johanna Kamaunu, Alyson Barrows, Ginger-Lei Cornish, Jane Iwalani and Lynnette Leimomi; sister, Nalei Odom; 26 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren. Visitation 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Waikalua Chapel; service 7 to 8:15 p.m. Burial 11 a.m. Friday at Hawai'i State Veterans Cemetery. Aloha attire. Arrangements by Woolsey-Hosoi Mortuary Services.

Reach Beverly Creamer at bcreamer@honoluluadvertiser.com.