Majoska was chief medical examiner
By Harold Morse
Star-Bulletin
Those who knew him well remember Dr. Alvin V. Majoska, forensic pathologist with the medical examiner's office for many years, as a perfectionist and precise master in his work."The way he conducted an autopsy was very thorough, very efficient and very fast," said Jim Annino, a medical examiner's investigator who worked with Majoska about 10 years.
Majoska died Tuesday at his Honolulu home. He was 80.
"He never voiced an opinion until he was absolutely sure - and then when he did voice it, you could never change his mind," Annino said.
Majoska stood by his help, he added.
"He might chew you out for a mistake you made, but nobody else had better do it," Annino said.
"He was a gentleman as far as I was concerned, somebody I really enjoyed working for, somebody I respected very highly."
Majoska was born in Newark, N.J. He attended Rutgers University and the University of Pennsylvania, where he received his medical degree in 1940, later interning in Philadelphia.
He became a resident in pathology at Queen's Hospital in 1942 and was in general practice here from 1943 to 1960.
He also was the city coroner's physician from 1945 to 1960, before becoming chief medical examiner, a position he held until 1968, when he went on extended active duty with the call-up of the 29th Infantry Brigade of the Hawaii Army National Guard.
He returned to civilian life in 1969 and performed autopsies for the city Medical Examiner's Office under contract for more than 10 years after that.
Majoska belonged to a number of professional organizations.
Additionally, he was a member of the North American Yacht Racing Union and Waikiki and Hanalei Bay Yacht Clubs.
He is survived by wife Jean; daughter Penny Walker and hanai son Dirk von Guenthner.
There will be no services.
Charles W. Brestle of Aiea, a merchant, died April 4 in Aiea. Brestle, 89, was born in Philadelphia. He is survived by son Charles A. "Skip"; stepson Pitt S. Hayden; and two grandchildren. Private services.
Herbert T.L. Ching of Kaneohe, a Hawaiian Electric retiree who died March 29 is also survived by daughter Josie Agres. Additional information provided by the family.
Marcos J. Felix of Honolulu died April 1 in Kaneohe. Felix, 89, was born in Ilocos Norte, the Philippines. He is survived by wife Rufina; daughters Valerie Kamai, Gwendolyn and Terri; sons Jerry, Phillip, Frank and Angel; brother Juan; sister Serafina; 22 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. Service: 6 p.m. April 9 at Oahu Cemetery. Aloha attire.
Helen L.T. Gomez of Aiea, a Kona coffee entrepreneur and retired Tripler Army Medical Center manpower management analyst, died March 28. Gomez, 66, was born in Honokaa, Hawaii. She is survived by husband Constantino "Joe"; sons Ted and Dr. Scott; daughters Helene Branciere, Pam Murnane and Gigi La Torre-Couch; parents Emma and Frank Rania; brother Gilbert "Gegs" La Torre; and eight grandchildren. Mass: 7 p.m. April 8 at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, 1525 Waimano Home Road. Call after 5:30 p.m. Service: 10:30 a.m. Tuesday April 9 at Mililani Memorial Park Mortuary. Call after 9:30 a.m. Burial: Mililani Memorial Park. Casual attire. Family requests no black attire.
Edna M.H.P. Goo of Honolulu, who died April 1 in Honolulu, is also survived by son Wayne K.S. His name was left out of an obituary published April 3.
Soon Keum Han of Honolulu died April 3 in the Convalescent Center of Honolulu. Han, 74, was born in Kimpo, Korea. She is survived by husband Kwan-Ho; sons Tae-Soo, Yoon, Young-Soo and Chan-Soo; daughters Soon-Ja Lee, Elaine Kitamura and Eun-Joo Kim; sister Soon-Chul Kim; 14 grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren. Service: 1 p.m. April 5 at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. Call after noon. Burial: Hawaiian Memorial Park.
Robert E. Hancock of Kaneohe, a retired Pearl Harbor, Public Works Center, general foreman, died March 25 at home. Hancock, a U.S. Navy veteran who served during World War II and the Korean War, was born in Ohio. He is survived by wife Violet-Louise H.; sons Charles B. and Frank G. Pires, and David Wallace; sisters Louise Foster, Wanda Kelch and Betty Lou Connor; and six grandchildren. Service: 12:30 p.m. April 9 at Hawaiian Memorial Park Mortuary. Call after 10 a.m. Burial with military honors: Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery, Kaneohe. Aloha attire.
Thomas F. Hausa of Poipu, Kauai, a painter, died March 28 in St. Francis Hospital. Hausa, 48, was born in California. He is survived by son Eric Yetter; and brothers Paul, Tim, Frank and Francis. Service: 7 p.m. April 13 at the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Lawai, Kauai. Casual attire.
Penny S. Holts of Honolulu, a pathology lab clerk for Kuakini Medical Center, died April 1 in Castle Hospital. Holts, 40, was born in Honolulu. She is survived by sons Paul W. and Jonathan C.; parents Paul S. and Alice T. Watanabe; and sisters Paula R. Mijo and Patrice Y. Marcado. Memorial service: 6 p.m. April 8 at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. Casual attire.
Chieko Ito of Pukalani, Maui, died March 29 in Maui Memorial Hospital. Ito, 77, was born in Hawaii. She is survived by son Wayne; and brothers James, Larry and Patrick Nakagawa. Private services.
Miteno Joyo of Kahului, a Hawaiian Commercial Sugar Co. retiree, died April 3 in Wailuku Hale Makua. Joyo, 98, was born in Hiroshima, Japan. She is survived by sons Sadao, Teruo and Isao; daughters Shizuko Honda, Ayako Muranaka, Alice Morris and Shirley Yoshinaga; a sister; 21 grandchildren; and 26 great-grandchildren. Service over her ashes: 5 p.m. April 7 at Kahului Hongwanji Mission. Casual attire. No flowers.
Asaye Kusumoto of Makawao, Maui, died March 29 in Kula Hospital. Kusumoto, 93, was born in Hamakuapoko, Maui. She is survived by sons Howard and Richard; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Private services.
William P. Lacy of Kaneohe died April 3 in Pohai Nani Nursing Home. Lacy, 93, was born in Michigan. He is survived by wife Marcella C.; son John A.; daughters Estelle Aiazzi and Jean Kelley; and six grandchildren. Private services.
Charles A. "Sonny" Lean III of Pahoa, Hawaii, a retired Cabrillo College equipment director, died April 3 in Hilo Hospital. Lean, 65, was born in Hawaii. He is survived by wife Johanna; daughter Melissa A. Farmer; mother Mary McLean; brother Wally K.; and two grandchildren. Memorial service: 10 a.m. April 6 at the Lean's home in Pahoa. Casual attire. No flowers.
Richard C. Lo of Honolulu, an attorney with Devens Lo Nakano Saito Lee & Wong, died April 4 in St. Francis Hospital. Lo, 67, was born in Honolulu. He is survived by wife Lorna L.; sons Russell C. and Barry R.; daughters Lynette Lo Tom, Joanne L. Grimes and Charlene L. Chan; brothers William and Dr. Pershing; sisters Ethel Ching and Esther Chinn; and six grandchildren. Service: 10 a.m. April 10 at Nuuanu Memorial Park Mortuary. Call after 9 a.m. Burial: Nuuanu Memorial Park. Casual attire. Donations suggested to the Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific or American Cancer Society.
James D. McMurtrey of Milila ni, will be remembered in memorial services May 4. McMurtrey's skeletal remains were discovered last week near a crashed Jeep Cherokee at Waialua Ranch. The Cherokee reportedly went off a 244-foot cliff. McMurtrey, 52, was reported missing since last November. Born in California, he is survived by wife Nancy L.; sons Jonathan and Blake; parents Allan and Josephine; brothers Allan McMurtrey and Lenny Smith; and sister Barbara Jones. Memorial service: 11 a.m. May 4 at Waialua Beach on Crozier Drive. Casual attire. No flowers. Donations suggested to the YMCA of Honolulu or Maui Community College, Agriculture Department.
Flora S. Nakamura of Naalehu, Hawaii, a retired office clerk for the former Kau Agribusiness, died April 3 in Kau Hospital. Nakamura, 68, was born in Honolulu. She is survived by husband Herbert N.; daughters Lisa Cabudol and Jann Nakamura; sisters Ayako Doi and Yaeko Hara; and three grandchildren. Service: 3 p.m. April 7 at Naalehu Hongwanji Mission. Call after 2 p.m. Casual attire. No flowers.
Kim Ten "Bert" Pang of Pearl City died March 30 in Kapiolani Hospital at Pali Momi. Pang, 77, was born in Waipahu. He is survived by son Ronald; daughters Lorna Miyagi and Bren
da Hearn; brothers Kim San "Jerry" and Kim Chan; sister Kim Fung "Jessie" Lum; and two grandchildren. Wake: 7 p.m. April 8 at Mililani Memorial Park Mortuary. Casual attire. No flowers.
Ethel U. Shichida of Kaneohe died March 27 in Castle Hospital. Shichida, 87, was born in Honolulu. She is survived by son Harry H; daughter Jane K. Miyashiro; brothers Masato, Kazu and Yoshito Mito; sisters Kimie Hirota and Matsue Arakaki; nine grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. Private services.
Glenn K. Takamiya of West Hills, Calif., formerly of Honolulu, a senior scientist for Hughes Aircraft Co., died March 14 in Los Angeles. Takamiya, 47, was born in Honolulu. He is survived by father Harry H.; mother Gladys S.; brother Lance T.; and sister Lynn Y. Private services.
June Wdowiak of Kailua-Kona, a self-employed home builder and seller who owned a California escrow company, died Feb. 18 at home. Wdowiak, 75, was born in Salt Lake City. She is survived by son Rusty Furmidge; hanai sons Daniel S. and Michael Varney; brother Robert Miller; sister Ann Miller; and two grandchildren. Private services.