Isaiah Ka‘onohi Ekau
Isaiah Ka‘onohi Ekau, 31, of Pahoa died June 9 at Kona Community Hospital. Born in Honolulu, he was a farmhand and rancher, former basketball and volleyball star at Pahoa High School, member of Moku O Keawe and other basketball leagues. Visitation noon-2 p.m. Thursday (June 27) at Uncle Robert’s Awa Bar in Kalapana. Service at 2 p.m. Survived by mother, Chasity Ekau of Pahoa; son, Daniel Ka‘onohi Ekau of Pahoa; daughter, Shaelani Aliyah Kapoliokalehua Baltero-Ekau of Pahoa; partner, Kierston Baltero of Pahoa; brothers, Isaac (Jainine) Ekau and Islee Ekau of Pahoa; paternal grandparents Alfred and Fayleen Ekau Jr. of Honolulu; maternal grandmother Sandi Aki of Pahoa; aunts, uncles and cousins. Arrangements by Ballard Family Mortuary.
Loretta Billena Nitura
Loretta Billena Nitura, 89, of Laupahoehoe died June 10 at home. Born in Paauhau, she was a homemaker and member of St. Anthony Catholic Church in Papaaloa and Laupahoehoe Senior Citizens and Nutrition Program. Visitation 9-10:30 a.m. Friday (June 28) at Dodo Mortuary Chapel. Funeral service at 10:30 a.m. Burial to follow at the Alae Cemetery. Casual attire. Survived by daughter, Pauline (Joseph Jr.) Ah Choy of Papaaloa; brothers, Roland Billena of Kapehu and Richard (Patsy) Billena of Honolulu; brother-in-law, Jerry Domingo of Papaaloa; sisters, Adeline Saldua of Papaikou, Trinidad (Henry) Real of Keaau, Gloria Sanchez of Honokaa and Erlinda Walker of Hilo; sister-in-law, Marilyn Billena of Hilo; four grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews. Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Victor “Cello” Bestamente
Victor “Cello” Bestamente, 89, of Pahoa died June 15 at Hilo Benioff Medical Center. Born in Kona, he was a caretaker and member of Pahoa Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Visitation 5-6 p.m. Friday (June 28) at Father Avery Church Hall in Pahoa. Wake service at 6 p.m. Visitation again 7:30-10 a.m. Saturday (June 29) at Pahoa Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Visitation from 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m., Celebration of Mass at 10 a.m. Burial at the Church Cemetery/ Luncheon to follow at Father Avery Hall He is survived by sister, Sarah Alani Bestamente Aniban of Pahoa; nephews, Wayne (Radhika) Aniban of Oahu, Patrick (Ohia) Anban of Pahala, William (Manu) Aniban of Maui, Fred Sanoria of Pahoa, Lawrence (Sandy) Sanoria of Volcano, Timothy Bestamente of California, Jason Bestamente of Oahu; nieces, Betty Ann (Leroy) Dikito of Kalapana, Darlene Hirano of Hawaiian Beaches, Mary (Jacob) Hook of Kohala, Susan (Rodrigo) Sadumiano of Kona, Barbara Bestamente Sanoria of Hilo, Roxanne (Viktor) Lawcock of Kurtistown, Paulette (Kaleo) Pacheco of Pahoa, Donna (Ron) Minardo and Audrey (Mike) McMahen of California. Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Robert Earl Cole
Robert Earl Cole, 94 of Kailua-Kona died June 20 in Kailua-Kona. Born in San Diego, he was an aerospace engineer. Celebration of life service 3:30 p.m. Saturday (June 29) at Kona Church of the Nazarene, 74-5100 Palani Rd. in Kailua-Kona. Pot luck to follow. Online condolences: ballardfamilymortuaries.com. Survived by spouse, Jean; daughters, Linda (Tom Morris) Faciana of Thousand Oaks, Calif., and Cathy (Lisa) Code of Southern California; sons, Jim Cole of Palm Desert, Calif., and Tom (Julia) Cole of Cedar Springs, Utah; 10 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Arrangements by Ballard Family Mortuary.
Lawrence Ernest Walter
The Rev. Lawrence Ernest Walter, 77, of Keaau died May 29 at home. Born in Boston, he was a retired United Church of Christ minister, member of Hilo Coast United Church of Christ. In California, he served on the Thermalito Union School District board and the Oroville Hospital board of directors. In Hawaii, he worked with SafeTalk, a teen suicide education program and served on UCC conference committees. Celebration of life at 11 a.m. Saturday (June 29) at Hilo Coast UCC in Honomu. Casual attire. Memorial donations to ACS-Hope Lodge-Honolulu, 251 S. Vineyard St., Honolulu, HI 96813. Survived by wife, Debbie Walter of Keaau; son, Erik (Joyce) Walter of Kona; daughter, Kristin (Aaron) Hallmark of California; sister, Louise Schiffer mainland U.S. Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Monica Joyce DeCosta
Monica Joyce DeCosta, 62, of Honomu, died Jan. 12 at the former Hilo Medical Center. Born in Hilo, she was a sales associate for Lowe’s. Celebration of life gathering 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday (June 29) at Kolekole Beach Park. Casual attire; no flowers. Survived by husband, Victor K. DeCosta of Honomu; son, Blaine (Danielle White) Faris III of Honomu; sisters, Sandra (Ronald) Konanui of Honomu and Sharon (Robert) Ariel of Pepeekeo; brother, Wayne (Tina) Mattos Sr. of Honokaa; a granddaughter; cousins, nieces and nephews. Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Milton Wayne Dacalio
Milton Wayne Dacalio, 76, of Pahala died June 11 at home. Born in Pahala, he owned and managed Pumehana Hawaiian Coffee farm, with his wife, was a U.S. Army Vietnem War veteran and member of Disabled American Veterans, Pahala Holy Rosary Catholic Church and Ka‘u Coffee Growers co-op. Visitation 8-10 a.m. Saturday (June 29) at Pahala Holy Rosary Catholic Church. Mass at 10 a.m. Military honors to follow. Survived by wife, Verna Pumehana Dacalio of Pahala; sons, Che (Lorna) Dacalio of Georgia, Don (Ku‘uipo) Dacalio, Wayne (Danarie) Dacalio and Morgan (Shellen) Dacalio of Pahala; daughter, Melody Dacalio of Pahala; brothers, Garciano Sesson and James (Lisa) Dacalio Jr. of Pahala, Jason (Gail) Dacalio of Georgia and Alson (Victoria) Dacalio of Oklahoma; hanai son, Morgan Dacalio Jr. of Pahala; brother-in-law, Ernesto Orevillo of Pahoa; sisters, Mervanette Lee of Ewa, Oahu, Luwayne (David) Dacalio-Kamalii of Waipahu, Oahu, and Lurnette (Joel) Dacalio-Spencer of Mililani, Oahu; hanai brothers, Billy (Ka‘u) Freitas Jr. of Maui, Leebert (Leona) Naboa of Ocean View and Lambert (Eileen) Naboa of Discovery HarbourCQ; hanai sisters, Leinell Pascubillo and Leivanell (Dennis) Salmo of Pahala, Leinette (Greg) Noritake of Washington; 23 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren; godchildren, cousins, nieces and nephews. Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.