Fish market manager loved Wailuku family business

WAILUKU » Kanji Wakamatsu enjoyed working, especially at his family's fish market in Wailuku.

"He was intensely passionate in the way he approached things," said his son Donn K. Wakamatsu. "His wheels were always turning."

Wakamatsu died Thursday at Maui Memorial Medical Center. He was 85.

Until about four months ago, he was the butcher and manager of the Wakamatsu Fish Market.

Donn said the family is not making any decision for at least a couple more weeks about whether to continue the business founded by Kanji Wakamatsu's parents, Isaburo and Ito, in the early 1920s. The market has been in operation for some 83 years in Wailuku.

Kanji Wakamatsu was a branch manager at American Security Bank before he retired. He took over the fish market business about four years ago from his brother Yasushi, who ran it with his wife, Mary.

Wakamatsu is also survived by wife Ann, son Leigh, brother Tadashi, sisters Amy Sakata and Setsuko Kobayashi, and two grandchildren.

Visitation over urn will be held on Wednesday at Wailuku Union Church from 5 p.m., with a service at 6 p.m.