Obituaries

Friday, May 21, 1999

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Thelma Aiu, 68,
was gold medalist
in '48 Olympics

Star-Bulletin

Thelma “Keko” Kalama Aiu, who won a gold medal in swimming in the 400-meter relay in the 1948 Olympics in London, died Monday in Queen's Hospital.

She was 68.

Attorney Allen Stack, who also won a gold medal swimming backstroke in the 1948 Olympics, described Aiu as “being well-well- thought-of.”

Aiu also served as a sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps.

She is survived by daughters Lani, Abigail, Hildegarde Barona and Mathilda Oliveira; sons John; James, Crispin and Travis; brother Egon Kalama; sisters Helen Silva and Hazel Bishaw; 19 grandchildren; and six great grandchildren.

Visitors may call from 5 to 8 p.m. at Borthwick Mortuary on Sunday.

Funeral services will be held at 6:30 p.m. Her ashes will be scattered at Sans Souci Beach at 5 p.m. on Monday.

Aurora C. Andres, 72, of Aiea died Saturday in Kapiolani Hospital at Pali Momi. Born in Ilocos Norte, the Philippines, she is survived by husband Ador R.; sons Robert and Ray; daughters Angie Jou, Yolanda Meneses, Ruth Edgar and Madeline, Miriam and Melveen Andres; sisters Cirenia and Mena Paredes, Adela Andaya, Candida Cardona and Araceli Ver; and 12 grandchildren. Wake services: 7 p.m. Monday at Mililani Downtown Mortuary. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Mass: noon Tuesday at the mortuary. Call after 10 a.m. Burial: Valley of the Temples. Casual attire.

Lawrence Asuncion Jr., 53, of Hilo, a storekeeper for Hilo Hospital, died Wednesday in Hilo Hospital. Born in Haina, Hawaii, he is survived by companion Carmen Fontes, parents Lawrence and Erlinda, and sister Faye Cawagas. Services: 7 p.m. Sunday at Dodo Mortuary. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Prayer services: 10 a.m. Monday at the mortuary. Call after 9 a.m. Burial: Veterans Cemetery No. 2. Casual attire.

Joseph M. Billaber, 75, of Honolulu will be remembered in a mass 11:30 a.m. Monday at the Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa Church. Call after 8:30 a.m. Incorrect information for an obituary published yesterday provided by the mortuary.

Mervin H. Chang, 52, of Honolulu, a professor at Honolulu Community College, died Monday in Queen's Hospital. Born in Honolulu, he is survived by wife Karen, stepdaughter Renee de Leon, and two grandsons. Services: 10 a.m. Wednesday at Diamond Head Mortuary. Call after 8 a.m. Burial: Diamond Head Memorial Park. Aloha attire.

Fred Y. “Lefty” Higashi, 85, of Honolulu, a retired state plumbing foreman, died Sunday in Kuakini Geriatric Center. Born in Kahana, he is survived by wife Jean K., son Jeffrey Y., and daughter Marsha R. Services: 6 p.m. Tuesday at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. Cremation to follow. Casual attire. No flowers.

Walter M. Ines, 91, of Kekaha, Kauai, died Tuesday in Queen's Hospital. Born in Ilocos Norte, the Philippines, he is survived by son Walter D., daughters Lillian Visitacion and Mercedes Ines, sister Hilarie Fernandez, seven grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. Services: 4 p.m. Monday at St. Theresa Church-Kekaha, Kauai. Call after 2:30 p.m. Burial: Kekaha Cemetery.

Betty J.M.K.I. Irvine, 65, of Paradise Park, Hawaii, a sales clerk for JC Penney, died Wednesday at home. She was also the founder of the Gabby Pahinui Memorial Golf Tournament. Born in Honolulu, she is survived by husband Ralph V.; son Ralph V. Jr.; daughters Haunani Dudoit-Kary, Pamela Irvine-Paulson and Lei I. and Margaret “Mugs” Irvine; brothers Herbert “Toby” Inouye and James Bartels; sister Geraldine Bartels; 11 grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. Services: 11 a.m. Sunday at Dodo Mortuary. Call after 9 a.m. Casual attire.

Tokio “Ish” Ishikawa, 64, of Aiea, a retired U.S. Air Force master sergeant, died May 13 in Kapiolani Hospital at Pali Momi. Born in Waipahu, he is survived by wife Setsuko; sons Vern T. and Lee K.; daughters Jan K. Takahashi, Cindy K. Masaki, Vera M. Ishikawa and Nina S. Fukuji; brothers Ken and Charles H.; sisters Clara Saito, Kiyoko Kimura and Iris Matsumoto; and 11 grandchildren. Services: 6 p.m. Monday at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. Casual attire.

Robert J. Keanini, 74, of Lahaina will be remembered in services 11 a.m. Monday at Ballard Family Mortuary. Call after 10 a.m. Services: Maui Memorial Park. Incorrect information for an obituary published yesterday provided by the mortuary.

Alfred A. Kitt, 77, of Ewa Beach, who retired from Shop 11, Pearl Harbor Shipyard, died Sunday in Ewa Beach. Born in Charleston, S.C., he is survived by wife Lovey T.; daughter Edlynn Collins; sons Albert Stevens, Nyle Neves and Voss Fernandes; 13 grandchildren; 16 great- grandchildren; and a great-great grandson. Services: noon Tuesday at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio, mauka chapel. Call after 10 a.m. Burial: Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery. Casual attire.

LeRoy M. Kosaka, 68, of Kihei, a retired state agricultural inspector, died Tuesday in Kahului Hale Makua. He was also a field agriculturist for the Hawaii Sugar Planters' Association. Born in Wailuku, he is survived by mother Blanche, brother Donald, and sisters Ruth Jones and Claire Kawamura. Services: 5 p.m. Monday at Nakamura Mortuary. Call after 4 p.m. Casual attire. No flowers.

Viem Van Lam, 68, of Honolulu died May 13 at home. Born in China, he is survived by wife Huong Tuy Au; sons Sau Van, Bay Van, Steven Tam, David and Hung Van; daughters Van Chu Wong, Yen Lam Quach, Ba Thi Lam, Tu Thi Tran and Nam Lam Oba; sisters Kim, Linna, Hue, Huong and Hue; and two grandchildren. Services: 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at Borthwick Mortuary. Burial: Hawaiian Memorial Park. Casual attire.

Tomezo “To” Matsumoto, 83, of Honolulu, a retired carpenter for Hawaiian Dredging & Construction, died yesterday in Queen's Hospital. Born in Niigata, Japan, he is survived by wife Jane K., son Kenneth K., daughters Nancy T. Hamada and Mitzi M. Naruse, and five grandchildren. Services: 4 p.m. Sunday at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. Casual attire. No flowers.

Kay K. Mijo, 76, of Kailua died May 12 in Kailua. Born in Hawaii, she is survived by husband Roy Y.; sons Melvin H., Warren H. and Allan T.; brothers Shintaro, Nobuo, Shingen and Ansei Matayoshi; sisters Shizue Dean and Tomiko Uema; mother Ushi Matayoshi; and two grandchildren. Services: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Hawaiian Memorial Park Mortuary. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Graveside services: 10 a.m. Thursday at the park. Casual attire.

James D. Morris, 77, formerly of Baltimore, a retired sergeant major in the U.S. Army, died May 12 in Tripler Hospital. Born in Baltimore, he is survived by wife Norma and sisters Marian L. Biondo and Theresa Noeth. Wake services: 7 p.m. Sunday at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio, makai chapel. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Burial on the mainland. Casual attire. No flowers.

Bong Hwan Park, 75, of Honolulu, a retired construction manager, died yesterday at home. Born in Jinhae, Korea, he is survived by wife Chunsu; son Wonsik; daughters Choon Ok Miike, Young Sun Hwang and Young Im Park; and 11 grandchildren. Services: 11 a.m. Monday at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. Call after 10 a.m. Burial: Hawaiian Memorial Park. Casual attire.

Felix C. Rivera, 55, of Waialua died May 13 in Waialua. Born in Ilocos Norte, the Philippines, he is survived by wife Zenaida M.; children Fabian R. and Ruby Rivera and Ruth Murray; father Celestino; sister Margarita Meneses; and four grandchildren. Wake services: 7 p.m. Sunday at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio, mauka chapel. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Mass: 9:30 a.m. Monday at St. Michael Church, 67-390 Goodale Ave. Call after 8:15 a.m. Burial: Mililani Memorial Park. Casual attire.

Dr. Walter T. Sand, also known as Walter Tetsuo Itagaki, a retired psychologist, died Monday in Kaiser Hospital. Born in Honolulu, he is survived by wife Noriko; sons Don and Maxwell; daughters Lisa Beardsley, Leila Taylor and Sonja Bradburn; brother Thomas Itagaki; sister Lily Fukuda; and five grandchildren. Services: 4:30 p.m. Sunday at the Manoa Seventh-day Adventist Church. Call after 3:30 p.m.

Osamu Tanaka, 70, of Kalaheo, Kauai, a retired state engineer's aide, died Wednesday at home. He was also a U.S. Army veteran. Born in Wahiawa, Kauai, he is survived by sons Michael and Wayne; daughters Wanda Aqui and Cheryle Tanaka; brothers Allen and Rex; sisters Ichiyo Tanabe, Komatsu Tanaka and Gladys Sanders; and eight grandchil dren. Memorial services: 4 p.m. Sunday at Kauai Soto Zenshuji Temple in Hanapepe. Casual attire. No flowers.

Primitivo A. “Primo” Valdez, 88, of Honolulu, a retired cook assistant for the Hilton Hawaiian Village, died Sunday in St. Francis Hospital. He was also a former employee at the Tradewinds. Born in the Philippines, he is survived by wife Theresa R.; children Katherine L. Villanueva, Stella M. Valdez-Tietz, Felisa P. “Faye” Duncan, Robert P. Valdez and Jane L. Washington; sister Anacleta Nones; 11 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. Wake services: 7 p.m. Sunday at Mililani Downtown Mortuary. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Mass: noon Monday at Our Lady of Peace Cathedral. Call after 10 a.m. Burial: Diamond Head Memorial Park.

Cipriano R. Valiente, 90, of Ewa Beach, a groundskeeper, died May 4 in Ewa Beach. Born in the Philippines, he is survived by sisters Vicenta Cacal and Eusebia Rumbaca. Memorial services: 10 to 11 a.m. tomorrow at Oahu Cemetery. Call after 9 a.m.

Guy B. Ward, 67, a retired major from the U.S. Air Force, died April 29 in Duke University Hospital in Durham, N.C. Born in San Francisco, he is survived by wife Louise, son Steven B. and Richard G., daughter Lori Baqui, brother Stanford Paulson and four grandchildren. Services: 3 p.m. Monday at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Punchbowl. No flowers. Donations suggested to American Leukemia Society.

Kiem Lang Wright, 54, of Honolulu will be buried at 1 p.m. today at Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery. Incorrect information for an obituary published Wednesday provided by the mortuary.