Mary Whang Choy was one of the core of Hawaii’s longtime political activists who pursued their vision of justice in causes as historic as 1970s anti-Vietnam War demonstrations and as current as the Hawaiian sovereignty movement.

“She always acted with clear-headed conviction,” said Kekuni Blaisdell.

He said Choy was one of the organizers of the 1993 Kanaka Maoli Tribunal staged to pass judgment on the participants in the 1893 overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy.

“She didn’t just talk; she was there when we needed her. She was always for what was right,” he said, recalling her presence in numerous demonstrations and meetings as “very tall and handsome and slim, very soft-spoken.”

Choy, 78, died last Friday at her home.

She is one of several activists interviewed in a recent University of Hawaii Press publication, “Autobiography of Protest in Hawaii” by Bob and Ann Mast. She grew up in San Francisco, the child of Korean immigrants. She told the authors that she was inspired by the American black civil rights movement.

The wife of Dr. Duke Cho Choy, “Way back when she played the doctor’s wife role, she was very mainstream,” said daughter Patti Choy. “When the ’60s came, she

made a change in her lifestyle. For whatever she did, she took the risk of losing friends. She was brave enough to stand her ground and move on to make other friends.”

Patti Choy said one of her mother’s first causes was support of Kalama Valley pig farmer George Santos and supporters in their stand against eviction to make way for suburban development of the east Oahu area.

She joined demonstrations against eviction of Ota Camp residents, against state closure of the Hale Mohalu facility for leprosy patients and against H-3 freeway routing near ancient Hawaiian sites in Halawa Valley.

She was in the group that pressed University of Hawaii and state lawmakers for establishment of the ethnic studies program there, said Marion Kelly, a professor in the program.

“When students staged a sit-in, Mary was there in a soup kitchen in Bachman Hall organizing the food. Again, when the tribunal was held in 1993, she was there in the kitchen. She wasn’t one to take leadership roles -- she was always there when people needed support.”

Kelly said Choy “was a very principled person. She tried to live by her principles. She was extremely sensitive to people who needed help, particularly in the cause of Hawaiians and Hawaiian lands.”

Choy was active with the American Friends Service Committee and was a student of Zen Buddhism for 25 years.

Born in San Francisco, she is survived by husband Duke; son Glenn; daughters Patti, Peggy and Shelley Choy and Diane Choy-Fujimura; brothers Paul and Francis Whang; sister Elizabeth Nahm; and three grandchildren.

Services will be at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Church of the Crossroads. Friends may call from 5-8:30 p.m. The family asks that flowers be omitted and casual attire be worn.

Masayu Izumoto, 82, of Honolulu, a retired owner of the Hananoya Tea House and retired chef of Wong’s Okazu-ya, Ala Moana, died Tuesday in Straub Hospital. Born in Kekaha, Kauai, he is survived by son Richard I.; daughters Janice M. Kobayashi and Irene T. Izumoto; brother Sadato; sisters Umeko Kurihara and Yuriko Izumoto; and three grandchildren. Services: 6 p.m. Monday at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. Casual attire. No flowers.

Abigail J. Johnson, 88, of Hoolehua, Molokai, is also survived by daughter Theone Nohara. Memorial services: 5 p.m. tomorrow at Jehovah’s Witnesses-Kalihi Kingdom Halls, 2055 Kamehameha IV Road; and 5 p.m. March 28 at Lot No. 68 Farrington Road, Hoolehua. Incorrect information for an obituary published yesterday was provided by the mortuary.

Helen Y. Kato, 73, of Kahalui died Sunday at home. Born in Keahua, Maui, she is survived by brother Jack; and sister Daisy. Private services.

Dorothy S. Konishi, 86, of Honolulu, a retired accountant for Chun Hoon Ltd., died March 13 in Hale Pulama Mau. Born in Kipu, Lihue, she is survived by brothers Henry T. and Hisashi Seki; and sister Katherine K. Moriguchi. Private services.

Hilario C. Leones, 88, of Waipahu, a member of the Hawaii Laborers Union for more than 30 years, died March 1 in St. Francis-West Hospital. Born in Narvacan, Ilocos Sur, the Philippines, he is survived by wife Margarita C. “Rita”; son Arturo C.; daughter Elisa C.; brothers Macario and Benjamin; and sister Apolonia Babida. Services: 7 p.m. Sunday at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio, mauka chapel. Call 6-9 p.m. Mass: 11:15 a.m. Monday at St. Joseph Church, Waipahu. Call after 9:30 a.m. Burial: Mililani Memorial Park. Casual attire.

June S. Lewis, 73, of Hilo died Tuesday at home. Born in La Grande, Ore., she is survived by husband Dr. Harold; sons Daniel and Eugene; daughters Anne Clark and Laura Motta; brother David Sanford; and four grandchildren. Service at a later date.

Maximo S. Nacis, 81, of Laupahoehoe, Hawaii, a retired truck driver for Honokaa Sugar Co., died Monday in Hilo Hospital. Born in Luna, La Union, the Philippines, he is survived by wife Gladys K.; sons Vance Awa, Alfred, Franklin, Tony, John, Alberto, Artemio and Vicente Nacis; brother Marcelino; 18 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Wake: 7 p.m. Tuesday at Dodo Mortuary. Call 6-9 p.m. Services: 9 a.m. Wednesday at the mortuary. Call after 8 a.m. Burial: Alae Cemetery. Casual attire. No flowers.

Saburo Nakasone, 65, of Hawaii, a retired truck mechanic, died March 13 in Queen’s Hospital. Born in North Kona, he is survived by brothers James, Hediki and George; and sister Alice Wong. Services: 6:30 p.m. Monday at Hawaiian Memorial Park Mortuary. Call after 6 p.m. Private burial. Casual attire. No flowers.

Juliet K. Rodrigues, 58, of Mililani, a kapuna for the elementary school system, died Tuesday at Kaiser Hospital. Born in Honolulu, she is survived by husband Domingo Jr.; daughters Gina Kondo and Laura Paz; son Robert Kaleopaa; brothers Bill, Frances and James Holokahi, Kealoha Brown and Roy Belisario; sisters Kaluna Morreia, Dolly Stringfield and Nona Venne; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Services: 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Borthwick Mortuary. Call 6-9 p.m. Services: 11:30 a.m. Friday at the mortuary. Call from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Burial: Hawaiian Memorial Park.

Grace K. Takiguchi, 79, of Ewa Beach, a former employee of Arakawas and former lei-maker, died March 11 in Pearl City Nursing Home. Born in Honolulu, she is survived by sons Clyde A. and Stanley N.; daughters Gail M. Nagaoka and Sharon I. Higa; brothers Ralph I., Gary T. and Ronald T. Uyeoka; five grandchildren. Private services.

Nicanor D. Tancayo, 80, of Mililani, a heavy equipment mechanic foreman for Dillingham Young Brothers, died Monday at Wahiawa General Hospital. Born in Lawai, Kauai, he is survived by sons Rodney and William V. Kinilau; daughters Janice U. Cortez and Michelle U. Takeguchi; brothers Ludivico “Rudy” and Graciano “Joe”; sister Ann Concepcion; ex-wife Florence; 14 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. Wake: 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Nuuanu Mortuary. Call 6-9 p.m. Services: 11 a.m. Monday3/24 at the mortuary. Call after 9 a.m. Burial: Valley of the Temples.

Yaeko Uyesugi, 71, of Waialua died last Friday in Wahiawa General Hospital. Born in Kapaa, Kauai, she is survived by husband Masao; sons Howard, Richard and Kenneth S.; sisters Misao Shimamoto, Tsuneko Shiroma, Fumiko Kakehi, Shirley Morimoto, Loretta Ishida and Daisy Ishihara; six grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. Private services.

Caesar R. Villaluz, 80, of Waipahu, a retired audio-video technician at the University of Hawaii-Manoa, died last Friday in St. Francis-West Hospital. Born in Makaweli, Kauai, he is survived by wife Henrietta; sons Eugene, Edward F. and Aloysius C.; daughters Shirley A. Beemer and Sandra S. Benevides; brother Ignacio; and sisters Marikit Sawaguchi and Esther Asis. Mass: 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at St. Joseph Church, Waipahu. Call after 9 a.m. Burial: Schofield Cemetery. Casual attire.

Haruko Watanabe, 69, of Kula, Maui died yesterday in Maui Memorial Hospital. Born in Lanai, she is survived by sons Alan, Ernest, Ivan, Myron and Warren; daughter Gerrene Tobara; sister Asako Soma; and five grandchildren. Services: 5 p.m. Sunday at Nakamura Mortuary. Casual attire.

Albert J. “Endora” Watson, 46, of Waianae died March 8 in Waianae. Born in Honolulu he is survived by brothers William Kaneakalau and John A., David G. and Hiram Watson; and sisters Margaret Kealohanui, Agnes and Ruth Watson, and Annie Sotelo. Services: 11 a.m. today at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio, makai chapel. Call 9:30-11 a.m. Casual attire.

Andy R. Wisler, 89, of Wahiawa, a retired U.S. Navy chief petty officer and recipient of the Navy Cross and a retired transmitter technician with RCA, died March 8 at in Waihawa General Hospital. Born in Joshua, Mo., he is survived by wife Janet S.Y.; sons Andy Jr., William and Joseph; daughter Annette Edwards; nine grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. Private services.

Adelina S. Wolf, 48, of Honolulu, a former teacher, died March 9 at home. Born in Ilocos Norte, the Philippines, she is survived by husband James R.; sons Edward W. and Jonathan C.; daughter Danielle R.; brothers Ferdinand and Joaquin Sagucio; sisters Flordelina Sagucio and Eliza Roamboa; and a grandchild. Service: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Nuuanu Mortuary. Call 6-9:30 p.m. Cremation: March 28.

Victoriano Zampaga, 86, of Waipahu, a retired practical nurse at Queen’s Hospital, died March 12 in St. Francis-West Hospital. Born in Luna, La Union, the Philippines, he is survived by wife Helen; son Stephen V.; daughter Stephanie L.; hanai daughter Susan Hore; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Services: noon tomorrow at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. Casual attire. No flowers.