Obituaries
Thursday, May 23, 1996



EWC official R. Lyle Webster
was active in the community

By Harold Morse
Star-Bulletin



R. Lyle Webster, an East-West Center and government official, died Monday in Honolulu. He was 92.

Webster came to Honolulu in 1970 to direct a new communications institute at the East-West Center. For seven years, he had served as a Ford Foundation consultant to the government of India. Earlier, he was a director of information at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C.

Webster, born on a farm near Webster, N.D., graduated from the University of North Dakota and worked on newspapers at Minot and Walhalla in his home state. He later earned a master's degree from Columbia University School of Journalism.

In 1958, he earned a Ph.D. in communications in public administration from American University in Washington, D.C.

During World War II, he was assistant to the secretary of agriculture, becoming department information director later. He also served in foreign assignments in Japan, Europe and Latin America.

In 1960, he led an exchange mission to the Soviet Union.

In 1963, he was deputy secretary-general of the World Food Congress hosted by President Kennedy.

He received a Distinguished Service Award from the Department of Agriculture, a Distinguished

Alumni Award from the University of North Dakota and was named to the 50th Anniversary Honors List of the Columbia University School of Journalism in 1963.

"He was a man of great integrity, a man of principle, not afraid to stand up for what he considered to be right," is how Godwin Chu of the East-West Center described him. "He was the first director of the East-West Communication Institute, and he started a tradition at the East-West Center which was to last."

After retirement here, Webster served on the first Makiki Neighborhood Board, was active in Common Cause, Honolulu Community Media Council, Hawaii's Thousand Friends, the Memorial Society of Hawaii and the Unitarian Church.

He is survived by wife Edith; sons Col. Robert L. Webster Jr. and Dr. Thomas M. Webster; daughter Martha A. Benedict; stepdaughter Dr. Suzanne Repetto; and nine grandchildren.

Funeral services will take place in North Dakota.


Brian A. Cooke, former airline executive, dies after long illness

By Star-Bulletin staff



Brian A. Cooke, a former World Airways president and longtime Hawaiian Airlines executive who later was affiliated with Mid Pacific Airlines, died May 13 in California after a long illness.

Cooke, 86, was born in Belfast, Ireland. Educated in California, he graduated from Jon Muir Technical High School in Pasadena. He later attended the University of Hawaii and completed the International Accountants Society course in corporation accounting.

Cooke sold real estate from 1937 to 1941 in Pasadena. He was assistant accountant of the Los Angeles Baseball Club from May 1941 to January 1942, when be left civilian life to begin more than three years of Navy service.

He became a Hawaiian Airlines assistant accountant in November 1945. Cooke was promoted to chief accountant in September 1948 and appointed assistant treasurer of Hawaiian Airlines in July 1950.

He stayed with Hawaiian until 1964 when he left to join Oakland-based World Airways. He was elected to the board of World in 1966 and became senior vice president in 1968. He became president and chief executive officer of World in November 1982.

In 1985, he joined Mid Pacific as senior vice president.

He is survived by sons David and Brian; daughters Melissa Tepper and Jacqueline Cooke; brothers Guilford and Barry; and two grandchildren.

Services: Memorial at 1 p.m. Monday at San Mateo Unitarian Church, San Mateo, Calif.

In lieu of flowers, donations suggested to the Alzheimer's Association of San Francisco, Dispel Circle, Suite A., Los Angeles, Calif. 94022.


Richard E. Agena of Honolulu died May 11 in Kuakini Hospital.

Agena, 77, was born in Waipahu. He is survived by son Charles I.; brothers Roy and Robert; and sister Hasuko Yara.

Private services.

Se'etaga V. Aivao of Honolulu died May 13 in Queen's Hospital.

Aivao, 67, was born in American Samoa. She is survived by sons Gauta and Legalo Vaa, and Legalo II Aivao; daughters Naomi and Faauma Tuiolemotu, Fale Taii, Faaiu Taoso, Mafutaga Asi and Penina Aivao; stepsister Seupepe Talili; 34 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Services: 5 p.m. tomorrow at Bread of Life Church, 3534 Kalihi St.; and 9 a.m. Saturday at the church. Burial: Sunset Memorial Park. Casual attire.

Katharine M. "Katy" Carvalho of Honolulu, a sophomore at Kaiser High School, will be remembered in services Wednesday.

Carvalho, 16, died Saturday in a two-car accident on Hawaii Kai Drive. Born in Honolulu, she is

survived by mother Susanne; father Roger; brother David; and sister Elizabeth "Liz."

Memorial service: 11 a.m. Wednesday at Star of the Sea Church. Private scattering of ashes. Casual attire.

Kenneth J. "Squeaky" Coelho Jr. of Waimea, Hawaii, a grounds superintendent for Waikoloa Land Co., died Tuesday in Kuakini Hospital.

Coelho, 35, was born in Kamuela, Hawaii. He is survived by wife Daphne J.; sons Onipaa, Kanalu, Punaokala and Maikai; parents Kenneth and June; brother Lindsey; and sister Odetta Yoshimatsu.

Service: noon Saturday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Waimea Ward. Call from 3 to 9 p.m. tomorrow and after 8 a.m. Saturday at the church. Burial: church cemetery.

Aloha attire.

Georgina R. Doles, died Monday in St. Francis Hospice. She was a former training director for Sheraton Moana and Princess Kaiulani hotels.

Incorrect information published in an obituary Tuesday.

Masayo Fujita of Honolulu, formerly of Kealia, Kauai, and Lihue, died Sunday at home.

Fujita, 101, was born in Yamaguchi, Japan. She is survived by son Dr. Sydney T.; daughter Minnie M.; brother Isamu Komeya; three grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Private services.

Nancy Hussey of Honolulu, a former public health nurse, died Sunday in St. Francis Hospital.

Hussey, 84, was born in Lahaina. She is survived by stepsister Blossom Vierra.

Mass: 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Sacred Hearts Academy Chapel. Call after 8:30 a.m. Burial: Hawaiian Memorial Park.

Richard S. Ishibashi of Kaneohe, a retired Hawaiian Telephone electronic technician, died Monday in Castle Hospital.

Ishibashi, 67, born in Honolulu, is survived by wife Alma Y.; son Ian I.; stepdaughter Mae-Nani H. Morita; father Wataru; brothers Irwin S. and Kent; sisters Gladys Kaneshiro, Ruth Yamaguchi and Helen Velardo; and a grandson.

Memorial service: noon Sunday at Hosoi Garden Mortuary.

Florence M. Ito of Honolulu, a retired manager for the former Ritz Store in the Ala Moana Center, died May 10 at home.

Ito, 83, was born in Honolulu. She is survived by daughter Gayle E.; brothers Richard, Robert, Clarence and Charles Ishihara; sisters Irene Momii, Laura Jamieson and Lois Matsumoto; and three grandchildren. Private services.

Kenneth K. Kadoyama of Wailuku, retired branch manager for the Associates in Kahului, died yesterday in Maui Memorial Hospital.

Kadoyama, 77, was born in Waikapu, Maui. He is survived by son Matthew; sister Gertrude Uyeno; and a grandchild.

Service over his ashes: 4 p.m. Sunday at Nakamura Mortuary.

Casual attire. No flowers.

Mary Ann L. Kamali of Hilo died May 8 in Hilo Hospital.

Kamali, 64, was born in Honokohau, Hawaii. She is survived by husband Martel J.; sons Richard T. Jr., Juan T., Lionel T., Bradford T. and John W. Mercado, and Mario K.M. Keliiwaiwaiole; daughter Davelyn M.T.; sister Alice Yontanza; brothers Abel and Raymond I. Peahi; 40 grandchildren; and 30 great-grandchildren.

Wake: 7 p.m. Friday at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio, makai chapel. Call after 6 p.m. Scattering of ashes to be held later.

Herbert Kaniaupio Jr. will be remembered in an 8 a.m. service Saturday at Kaiona Beach Park in Waimanalo.

Additional information in an obituary yesterday was provided by the mortuary.

Kaoru Kinoshita is also survived by brother Wallace Okumura.

Incorrect information published in an obituary Tuesday.

Diane S. Koide of Pearl City died Saturday in St. Francis Hospital.

Koide, 42, born in Honolulu, is survived by parents Kiyoichi; and sisters Laura F. and Anna F.

Service: 2 p.m. Sunday at Hosoi Garden Mortuary.

Catherine T. Moranha of Honolulu died May 14 at home.

Moranha, 82, was born in Honolulu. She is survived by sons John and Robert; daughters Elaine Ikeno and Marilyn Khan; 14 grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren.

Private services.

George S. Nakamura will be remembered in a 9:30 a.m. inurnment tomorrow at Mililani Memorial Park.

Additional information for an obituary Tuesday was provided by the mortuary.

Helen S. Oda of Wahiawa, a community service aide for the city Office of Elderly Affairs, died Sunday in Kuakini Hospital.

Oda, 63, was born in Wahiawa. She is survived by husband Mitsuo; sons Sanford M. and Wendell T.; and daughter Joy A. Nishimura.

Memorial service: noon Sunday at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio, mauka chapel.

Aloha attire. No flowers.

Louise E. O'Neill of Honolulu died Monday at home.

O'Neill, 89, was born in Honolulu. She is survived by sons Charles B. II and Harold E. Henderson; sisters Marjory Fairbanks and Jean E. Campbell; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Services to be held later.

Shizue Sasahara will be remembered in a noon memorial service Saturday at Hosoi Garden Mortuary.

Casual attire. No flowers.

Additional information for an obituary yesterday was provided by the mortuary.

Theodore T. Sasaki, also known as Takeshi and Ted "Sonny" Sasaki, of Kailua, a mason and retired owner and proprietor of Oahu Plastering & Masonry, died Monday in Castle Hospital.

Sasaki, 81, was born in Honolulu. He is survived by wife Violet H.; son Alvin T.; daughter Claire K. Shirota; half brothers Robert and James Takahashi; half sisters Violet Takaoka and Dorothy Chong; and five grandchildren.

Memorial service: 5 p.m. Sunday at Hosoi Garden Mortuary.

Casual attire. No flowers.

Edmund R. Shimizu of Kamiloloa, Molokai, died Monday in Kamiloloa, Molokai.

Shimizu, 49, was born in Hoolehua, Molokai. He is survived by wife Susan; father and stepmother Donald and Masako; sisters Gail Mora and April Yatogo; and grandmother Hana Masuhara.

Mass: 11:30 a.m. next Thursday at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Kaunakakai. Call after 6 p.m. Burial: Kapaakea Cemetery.

Gary A. Thorpe of Kapaa, Kauai, a yard maintenanceman for Lihue Public Cemetery, died Tuesday at home.

Thorpe, 43, was born in Queens, N.Y. He is survived by wife Debora J.; mother Mildred; sister Karen Gee; and brother Glen.

Service: 6 p.m. Saturday at Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in Kapaa, Kauai.

Casual attire. No flowers.

Noboru Yamaoka of Wahiawa, a Del Monte Corp. retiree, died Friday in Wahiawa General Hospital.

Yamaoka, 79, was born in Waikea Uka Camp No. 6, Hawaii. He is survived by wife Dorothy H.; brother Takaji; and sister Sueno Kido.

Memorial service: 6 p.m. Saturday at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio, mauka chapel.

Casual attire. No flowers.




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