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Wood Craft
Ben Wood
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Jensen watches celebration of his life from hospital bed
A celebration of
Dick "Slugger" Jensen's life was held Thursday in Kaiser Hospital's Tranquility Garden. Dick, suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease and unable to speak, was brought to the party in his hospital bed. About 150 family members and guests came to wish him well. Dick's wife,
Toni, helped his daughter
Rene and her husband,
Rick Oliveira, who own Sanctuary Salon, organize the event. Dick's other children --
Jennifer, Summer, Brandon and
Nickie -- also attended, as did his dad, four brothers and sister.
Augie Rey's Trio -- Augie,
Carlos Barboza and
Bobby King -- played music. Augie is close to Dick and lived in the home of his parents --
Ed and the late
Dallas Jensen -- when he came to Hawaii from L.A. Celebration singers included
Melveen Leed, Nephi Hannemann and "Chef"
Iva Kinimaka. Iva and
Ben Dowling of Nick's Fishmarket provided food. Dick, Carlos, Bobby and Nephi are Farrington grads.
Colleen Nomura and the original dancers in Dick's show --
Hula Almeida-Cauton, Pua Gamiao, Peahi "Baby Doll" Spencer and
Beverly Rosskosf -- danced hula.
Alex McAngus gave the blessing ...
Alan Akaka's wife, Machiko, sort of surprised him with a 50th-birthday party at the Pagoda June 9. Alan, a Halekulani steel guitarist-singer, found out about the party but he was unaware that some of Hawaii's finest vocalists and instrumentalists were on the guest list. Those helping him celebrate were Genoa Keawe and her son, Gary Aiko; Hiram Olsen and his son, Casey; Harold Hakuole, Greg Sardina, George Kuo, Keith and Carmen Haugen, the Bee Sisters, Nicky Hines, Tillie Kauhane and Japanese steel guitarist Lion Kobayashi, who flew in for the party. Alan sang and Michiko danced hula, but he left the steel guitar playing to Greg, Casey and Lion ...
Beeck holds Chart House party for daughter Lei
Charlie Beeck has taken over the Chart House today to toss a luncheon party for his daughter,
Lei Kamahele-Beeck, in honor of her gradation from Iolani School. Charlie is owner of Tropical Roofing and Raingutters. Lei's mom is former Miss Aloha Hula
Kaula Kamahele. Charlie and Kaula's younger daughter,
Kealoha, 9, Lei and Kaula will dance hula together at the party ...
Ben Wood, who sold the Star-Bulletin in the streets of downtown Honolulu during World War II, writes of people, places and things every Wednesday and Saturday. E-mail him at
bwood@starbulletin.com