Editor’s note: Obituaries are published free of charge as a public service. Content is subject to editing for parity treatment and style continuity. Date of publication cannot be guaranteed. Any questions regarding obituaries should be directed to the mortuary or to obituaries@westhawaiitoday.com. Memorial advertisements with photos may be purchased through the newspaper advertising department.
Ruth Marie Sakovich
Ruth Marie Sakovich, 79, of Hilo died Oct. 22 at home. Born in Iowa, she was an educator. Survived by husband, Nicholas Sakovich of Hilo; son, Daniel Peters of Alaska; sister, Ann Wyer of Minnesota; brothers, Jim Jacobsen of Montana and Jerry Jacobsen of Minnesota. Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Audrey Cole Hand
Audrey Cole Hand, 95, of Keaau died Nov. 11 at home. Born in New York, she was an office manager for her late husband’s CPA firm, graduate of Barnard College, landscaper, world traveler, baker, caterer and avid reader, linguist and dog rescuer. Private services. No flowers. Donations to Aloha Ilio Rescue, P.O. Box 492364, Keaau, HI 96749. Survived by daughter, Gail; daughter-in-law, Mary; nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Franklin Agcaoili Ancheta
Franklin Agcaoili Ancheta, 92, of Honokaa died Nov. 11 at Hale Ho‘ola Hamakua in Honokaa. Born in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, Philippines, he was a retired cane truck driver for the former Hamakua Sugar Co. and member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Honokaa. Visitation 8-9:30 a.m. Monday (Nov. 25) at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Honokaa. Mass at 10 a.m. Burial to follow at Honokaa Catholic Church Cemetery. Survived by sons, George (Norma) Ancheta of Honokaa, Jerry (Darlene) Ancheta of Hilo and Roger (Ethel) Ancheta of Honokaa; sister-in-law, Olivia Casil Buduan of Philippines; brothers-in-law, Reynario Casil, Eheronimo Casil, Arsenio Casil, Reynaldo Casil and Edwin Casil of Philippies; six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews. Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Henry Joseph Hoff
Henry Joseph Hoff, 69, of Keaau died Sept. 16 at Hilo Benioff Medical Center. Born in Palo Alto, Calif., he was a journeyman carpenter. Private services held. Survived by daughter, Heather (David) Birch of Painesville, Ohio; mother, Helen Maria Hoff of Hilo; brothers, Anthony Ralph Hoff of Hilo, Daniel Howard Hoff of Keaau and Roy Louis Hoff of Norway; nieces and nephews. Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Antone Kaleimomi Navas Liptak
Antone Kaleimomi Navas Liptak, 65, of Laupahoehoe died Nov. 1 at Hilo Benioff Medical Center. Born in Honolulu, he was a driver for the county’s Hele-On Bus, martial arts instructor, former truck driver and U.S. Army veteran. Private services held. Survived by son, Hilama Kahala of Kahana Bay, Oahu; daughters, Blossom Liptak of Waianae, Oahu, Kaleiana (Michael) Nobriga of Laupahoehoe, Breeann (Malia) Kaupu-Galon of Kona, Crystal Rosa of Hilo and Kalai Keliiwaiwaiolea‘u of Oregon; mother, Bertha Mary Kauhane “Liptak“ Barques of Las Vegas; brothers, Sheldon Barques and Kepane Brown of Wahiawa, Oahu; sisters, Vernalle (Warren) Maffit of Kurtistown, Yolanda Barques of Texas and Leeann (Albert) Hoapilli of Las Vegas; hanai mother, Carol Brown of Waipahu; hanai daughter, Sophia Keliiwaiwaiolea‘u of Honolulu; 28 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Miles Herbert Mulcahy Jr.
Miles Herbert Mulcahy Jr., 79, of Captain Cook, died Oct. 10 at Nakamaru Hale in Holualoa. Born in Boston, he was a carpenter and worked on the Alaska Pipeline, was past president of the South Kona CERT team and member of other civic organizations. He was married to Jeannie Moriguchi until her death in 2005. Survived by partner and caregiver, Sharilyn Shields and the siblings and parents of Jeannie Moriguchi. Arrangements by Cremation Services of West Hawaii.
Tokiko Tanaka
Tokiko Tanaka, 90, of Hilo died Oct. 31 at home. Born in Kurtistown, she was a retired seamstress and member of Hilo Meishoin Mission. Private services held. No flowers or koden (monetary gifts). Survived by daughter, Janice Tanaka of Hilo; sister, Marie (Ronald) Onouye of Kurtistown; nieces and nephews. Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Faith Bessie Chu
Faith Bessie Chu, 82, of Hilo died Nov. 6 at home. Born in Hilo, she was a retired housekeeper for the former Orchid Isle Hotel and member of Malia Puka O Kalani Catholic Church. Visitation 9-10:30 a.m. Tuesday (Nov. 26) at Malia Puka O Kalani Catholic Church in Keaukaha. Funeral Mass at 10:30 a.m. Burial to follow at Alae Cemetery. Casual attire. Survived by son, William “Billy” (Lynnanne) Chu III of Hilo; daughter, Lei Chu-Dante of Las Vegas; sister, Elizabeth Mae Bryant of Honolulu; six grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews. Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Gwendolyn “Gwen” Wery Nicolas
Gwendolyn “Gwen” Wery Nicolas, 81, of Hilo died Nov. 9 at Life Care Center of Hilo. Born in Hilo, she was a retired private secretary for Realty Investment Co. and member of Mothers Against Drunk Driving and Professional Secretaries International. Visitation 9-10 a.m. on Wednesday (Nov. 27) at Dodo Mortuary Chapel. Prayer service at 10 a.m. Burial to follow at Homelani Memorial Park, Ilima Section. Casual attire. Survived by sisters, Roberta Gacutan of Hilo and Andrea Alaniz of Waikoloa; brothers, Julius “Kalei” K. (Regina) Wery Jr. of Juneau, Alaska and Desmond K. (Sabina) Wery of Hilo; nieces, nephews and cousins. Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Thomas Charles Young
Thomas Charles Young, 83, of Hilo died Oct. 20 in Hilo. Born in South Gate, Calif., he was a U.S. Naval Reserve and U.S. Coast Guard veteran, aerial Supervisor for the former Hamakua Sugar Co., Super Flowers and Mauna Kea Agronomics, a wastewater treatment operator and farmer, and was active in the North Hilo Community Council, Hamakua Soil and Water Conservation District, Hamakua Farm Bureau, Hilo Water Shed Advisory Group and Big Island Resource, Conservation and Development Council. Private service at Homelani Memorial Park and Cemetery. Online condolences: homelanimemorialpark.com. Survived by wife, Maile Young; sons, Thomas Young, William Young and Robin Menino; stepchildren, Christopher Martin and Sarah Martin-King; grandchildren; a niece. Arrangements by Homelani Memorial Park.
Matthew “Ray” Sapanara
Matthew “Ray” Sapanara, 61, of Kailua-Kona died Aug. 22. Born in Pittsburgh, Pa., he was a security guard for Kamehameha Schools and a retired staff sergeant with the U.S. Army and Hawaii Army National Guard. Visitation at 1 p.m. and services at 2 p.m. on Dec. 7 at Kahalu’u Manowai, 78-6780 Ali’i Drive, Kailua-Kona. Survived by wife, Fern Sapanara; daughters Alisha (Dwayne) and Jessica (Sean); mother Carol Sapanara; brother Robert Sapanara and sister Theresa Hubbard. Arrangements by Borthwick Mortuary.