Obituaries | 4-1-14
Editor’s note: Obituaries are published free of charge as a public service. The content is subject to editing to ensure parity treatment and style continuity.
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Nora Cabatu
Nora “Enday” Bungula Cabatu, 79, of Laupahoehoe died March 15, 2014, at Hilo Medical Center. Born March 27, 1934, in Hakalau, she was a homemaker and clerk typist.
Friends may call at 8:30 a.m. April 3 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Hilo for a 10 a.m. Mass. Cremation follows. Family requests casual attire be worn.
She is survived by husband, Rodolfo Cabatu of Laupahoehoe; sons, Dexter (Yvonne) Egdamin of Hilo, Jason Cabatu of Laupahoehoe; daughters, Deborah (Sonny) Egdamin-Avenue of Pahala, Dale Egdamin of Papaaloa, Darlene Egdamin-Kahikikolo of Makawao, Maui, Diana (Aaron) Egdamin-Matsushita of Kealakekua, Kristie (Kalani) Cabatu-Graciidis of Hilo; sister, Conchita Bungula-Cadiz of Makakilo/Kapolei, Oahu; 12 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Michael Evans
Michael Kalama Evans, 59, of Hilo died March 19, 2014, at Hilo Medical Center. Born May 22, 1954, in Honolulu, he was a contractor and member of Ku Kane O Kamakani Motorcycle Club.
Friends may call at 3:30 p.m. April 4 at Dodo Mortuary chapel in Hilo for a 5 p.m. service. Family requests casual attire be worn.
He is survived by wife, Tina Fujiwara Evans of Hilo; daughters, Angela Evans, Marcel (Chad) Thomas, Micole (Sheldon Blevins) Evans, Mina Evans and Mandi Komatsu, all of Hilo; sons, Michael (Tuesday) Evans Jr., Nainoa Evans and Kaltin Fujiwara-Evans, all of Hilo; father, James (Renee) Evans of Honolulu; sisters, Puanani (Eric Iwahashi) Evans, Sheila (Ernest Matsu) Evans, Anna (Mark) Ater and Loke (Jose) Evans-Bautista, all of Hilo, Blossom (Lamont) Johnston of Idaho, Mahealani (Paul) Edwards of Waimea, Malia Evans of Honolulu; brothers, Jim (Sybil) Evans and Kaleo (Cece) Evans, both of Hilo, George (Donna) Evans of Maryland; 11 grandchildren; numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Violet Mae
Violet Fernandez Mae, 97, of Hilo died March 22, 2014, at home. Born March 18, 1917, in Paia, Maui, she was a retired classroom cleaner for Waiakea High School, volunteer with the Retired Senior Volunteer Program, member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Ainaola Ward and a former member of the Honokaa Saddle Club.
Fridays may call at 8:30 a.m. April 4 at the Hilo Stake Center, 1373 Kilauea Ave., for a 10 a.m. service. Burial follows at Homelani Memorial Park, Section 4. Family requests casual attire be worn.
She is survived by son, Ronald (Judy) Monteiro of California, daughter, Joyce Branco of Hilo; sisters, Roselyn Victorine of Hilo, Amy Butler of Texas, Shirley Kealoha of Honokaa; brother, Lawrence (Patsy) Fernandez of Maui; six grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Margaret Medeiros
Margaret “Aunt Margie” “Gramma Ranch” Soares Medeiros, 90, of Hilo died Feb. 22, 2014, at Hilo Medical Center. Born in Honokaa, she was a homemaker and member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Hilo.
Friends may call at 9 a.m. April 4 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Hilo for a 10 a.m. Mass. A celebration of her life will take place from noon to 8 p.m. April 5, at the AJA Veterans Hall, 361 Haihai St.. Inurnment will be at 11:30 a.m. April 7 at Hawaii Veterans Cemetery No. 2. Family requests casual attire be worn.
She is survived by daughters, Diana (George) Aukai of Kailua-Kona, Shirley Kanehailua of Hilo; sons, Rodney (Margaret) Acia and Alika Medeiros, both of Hilo, John (Rhoda) Medeiros III of Kailua-Kona; brother, Donald Medeiros of Hilo; 18 grandchildren; 33 great-grandchildren; 15 great-great-grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Marina Alofaituli
Marina Sybille Katharina (Stampf) Alofaituli, 55, of Germany and formerly of Hilo died Feb. 10, 2014, in Germany. Born 1958 in Bottrop, Germany, she was a nurse and jewelry designer.
Ashes will be scattered at 11 a.m. April 5 in a selected area of her choice.
She is survived by husband, Norbert Fries; sons, Andy (Malia) Ahuna-Alofaituli, David Lohman; four grandchildren.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Mary Keneao
Mary Lou Piilani Keneao, 65, of Kailua-Kona died March 14, 2014, at her residence. Born April 6, 1948, in Wailuku, Maui, she was a homemaker, a clerk at Ft. Shafter Army base in Honolulu, taught at Leahi School in Honolulu and was a member of Kahikolu Congregational Church and the Kona Paradise Club.
Friends may call at 9:30 a.m. April 5 at Kahikolu Congregational Church in Napoopoo for a 10:30 a.m. service. Luncheon and fellowship will follow. Family requests aloha attire be worn. Flowers are welcome.
She is survived by husband, Oliver Kaneao Jr., of Honaunau; sons, Oliver Kaneao III and Jeremiah Kaneao, both of Honaunau; daughter, Leihala (Terry) Medeiros of Captain Cook; brother, Henry (Dahlia) Dutro of Honolulu; sisters, Loretta-Lehua Cho of Molokai, Carlene (Herb) Engel of San Diego; five grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Ronald Santos Sr.
Ronald “Zeke” Ezekiel Santos Sr., 66, of Laupahoehoe died March 8, 2014, at Hilo Medical Center. Born October 11, 1947, in Pepeekeo, he was a former plumber for Parker Ranch; cane truck driver, water hauler and mechanic for the former Hamakua Sugar Co.; and member of Family Christian Center in Hilo.
Friends may call at 9 a.m. April 5 at Dodo Mortuary chapel, Hilo for a 10 a.m. service. Family requests casual attirebe worn and no flowers. He is survived by wife, Geraldine Santos of Laupahoehoe; daughters, Rondalyn Rivera of Hilo, Shelly (Daniel) Vallespin of Laupahoehoe; son, Ronald (Melanie) Santos Jr. of Hilo; brother, Walter Santos of Hilo; seven grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Morris Kihara
Morris Isamu Kihara, 93, of Hilo died Jan. 4, 2014, at Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home. Born in Hilo, he was a retired postmaster at the Papaikou Post Office, parishioner of the Church of the Holy Apostles, past director for the Waiakea Soil and Water Conservation District; charter member and past treasurer of the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 6 Hilo, past finance chairman for the DAV Hawaii State Executive Committee; World War II Army veteran of Company C, 100th Infantry Battalion and a recipient of the Purple Heart, Bronze Star and Congressional Gold Medal.
Friends may call at 3 p.m. April 6 at the Church of the Holy Apostles in Hilo for a 4 p.m. service. Family requests casual attire be worn. In lieu of flowers or monetary gifts, donations may be made in his memory to either the Easter Seals Hawaii in Hilo or Church of the Holy Apostles.
He is survived by daughters, Patricia (George) Simonsen, Janice Kihara, Susan (Larry) Bennett; sister, Shizuko (David) Ikawa; two grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Shuji Fujimoto
Shuji Fujimoto, 80, of Ninole died Feb. 28, 2014, at Life Care Center of Hilo. Born in Kealakekua, he was a retired sugar cane planter and member of Honohina Hongwanji Mission.
Private services were held. Family requests no flowers or monetary gifts.
He is survived by stepmother, Chikako Fujimoto of Honolulu; brothers, Osamu Fujimoto and Tetsuo (Elizabeth) Fujimoto, both of Hilo, Sadao Fujimoto and Ken Fujimoto of Ninole, Takao (Lorene) Fujimoto of Honolulu; sister, Kiyomi Nakamura of Hilo; stepsister, Donna Fujimoto of Honolulu; numerous nieces and nephews.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Mitsuko Fukunaga
Mitsuko Fukunaga, 93, of Naalehu died March 7, 2014, at her residence. Born in Kona, she was a homemaker and member of Naalehu Hongwanji Mission and Pahala Senior Citizens.
Private services were held. Family requests no flowers or monetary gifts.
She is survived by brothers-in-law, Takanari (Aiko) Fukunaga of Pahala, Yasuteru (Sadako) Fukunaga of Hilo, Yoshikage (Shinobu) Fukunaga of Honolulu, Suetaka (Vicki) Fukunaga, Shigeyuki Fukunaga and James (Ella) Fukunaga, all of Kona; sisters-in-law, Iris Fukunaga and Etsuko (Robert) Sato, both of Honolulu, Fujiko (Kenneth) Ito of Pahala, Hanako Miyahara of Waiohinu, Setsuko Toriano of Pahoa; numerous nieces and nephews.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Momoe Sakata
Momoe “Molly” Sakata, 85, of Kealakekua died Jan. 13, 2014, at Kona Community Hospital. Born Sept. 7, 1928, in Keopu, Kona, she was a retired cashier for Oshima Store in Kainaliu and member of Kona Daifukuji Soto Mission, Kona Daifukuji Fujinkai and Kawanui Kumiai.
Private services were held.
She is survived by sons, Kelvyn Sakata of Honalo, Melvyn Sakata of Kailua-Kona; brothers, Albert (Florence) Ide of Hilo, Itsuro (Kay) Ide of California; sisters, Sally Nakamura, Setsumi (Ted) Ozawa and Miyoko (George) Alawa, all of Honolulu; numerous nieces and nephews.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Irene Hashimoto
Irene Shizuko Hashimoto, 89, of Hilo died March 11, 2014, at home. Born March 23, 1924, in Honohina, she was retired from Brewer Chemical Laboratory and member of Honpa Hongwanji Hilo Betsuin.
Private services were held. Family requests no monetary gifts or flowers.
She is survived by daughters, Jo-Ann (Russell) Yamane of Kahului, Maui, Sharon (Wilfred) Tochiki of Honolulu; sister, Nancy (Tom) Funai of Hawthorne, Calif.; two grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Shiro Hirayama
Shiro Hirayama, 94, of Paukaa died March 16, 2014, at Hilo Medical Center. Born in Papaikou, he was a retired carpenter with the former Hicks Homes, member of the Local 745 Carpenter’s Union and a World War II Army veteran.
Private family services were held. Family requests no flowers or monetary donations.
He is survived by numerous nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Ruth Nakamoto
Ruth C. Nakamoto, 92, of Waimea died March 19, 2014, at North Hawaii Community Hospital. Born in Hilo, she was a homemaker and member of the Kamuela Hongwanji Mission.
Private family services were held. Family requests no flowers or monetary donations.
She is survived by sons, Ronald Nakamoto of Hilo, Ray (Sharon) Nakamoto of Waikoloa, Alan (Joni) Nakamoto of Waikoloa; daughters, Ilona (Mark) Haggerty of Waimea, Mae (George) Ikeda of Pahoa, Doreen Nakamoto of California, Viola Alfson of Arizona; eight grandchildren, two great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary,
