Ai's acumen was a boon for City Mill
By Harold MorseStar-Bulletin
The Honolulu native started the City Mill retail division in the mid-1950s. Other outlets were opened in the '60s and '70s, not only in Honolulu but also Kaneohe, Waipahu and Pearl City.
In 1981, the company closed its wholesale division to concentrate on its retail home centers. Expansion continued in the '80s and '90s with new stores in Kaimuki, Hawaii Kai and Mililani.
Ai's leadership won him a place in the National Home Center Hall of Fame in Chicago in 1990. The Retail Merchants of Hawaii honored him in 1992 with a Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1993, Junior Achievement of Hawaii inducted him into the Hawaii Business Hall of Fame.
His community activity included directorships on numerous boards, including Goodwill Industries, First Federal Savings & Loan, the Retail Merchants of Hawaii, Boy Scouts, Palolo Chinese Home and Hawaii Employers Council.
He raised orchids as a hobby for more than 30 years, producing prize-winning specimens.
Ai assisted the underprivileged and disadvantaged by supporting programs. He lived by the Chinese proverb that his father, Chung Kun Ai, had taught him: "When you drink water, remember the source."
His favorite organizations were the YMCA, Japanese American National Museum, Iolani School, American Diabetic Association and a number of Chinese charities such as the Ti-Hwei Orphanage in China.
"My father was a visionary for his time," said daughter Carol Ai. "He was very focused on the business, orchids and giving back to the community."
In early life, he attended Honolulu Military Academy, Punahou, McKinley High School and California State Polytechnical School. He was a machinist at Pearl Harbor for 14 years before joining City Mill and becoming its vice president in 1945.
He is survived by wife Kathleen; son Steven; another daughter, Cynthia Ai; brother Samuel Chung; and two grandchildren.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m., May 18, at First Chinese Church of Christ. Call after 9 a.m. Private burial.
Donations suggested to David C. Ai Charitable Trust, P.O. Box 1559, Honolulu, Hawaii 96806.
He was the dentist on the television program "Romper Room."
Ching promoted Children's Dental Health Week in Hawaii and other charitable events.
Ching, children's dentist at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children, died April 29 in St. Francis Hospital. He was 60.
Ching turned his waiting room into a playroom, taking a theme from the "Wizard of Oz."
He also was active in Punahou School's career program, assisting pre-dental students at Punahou and other schools, often helping support them through dental school and to begin practice.
Born in Canton, China, he was a graduate of Punahou and Indiana University.
He is survived by wife and fellow dentist Gwyneth Yim Ching; sons Brad and Brent; daughters Kwan L. and Cherene Ching; and sisters Eleanor Wong, Elaine Shew, Wai Ling Lum, Cecilia Doo and Carolyn Luke.
Friends may call from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Diamond Head Mortuary, where Taoist services will be held.
Additional services at 12:30 p.m. Burial will follow in Diamond Head Memorial Park.
Donations suggested to the Kidney Foundation of the Pacific.
Andrade, 54, born in Makawao, is survived by wife Faith P.; sons George W. Jr. and Walter R.; daughters Freda Lynn Abreu and Gwennette N. Purdy; brothers Howard and Michael; sister Melinda Leix; and four grandchildren.
Service: 7 p.m. May 8 at Christ the King Church. Call after 5 p.m. Mass: 11 a.m. May 9 at Holy Ghost Church. Call after 9 a.m. Burial: Holy Ghost Church.
Blasa D. Balmores of Salt Lake, formerly of Puunene, Maui, died May 2 at home.
Balmores, 92, was born in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte, the Philippines. She is survived by sons Jose, Licarion, Francis and John; daughters Maxima Capili, Remy Hood, Elizabeth Wong, Mona Lisa Wood and Mary; a brother; 13 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.
Service: 7:30 p.m. May 9 at St. Philomena's Church on Ala Laulani St. Call after 6 p.m. Mass: 10:30 a.m. May 10 at the church. Call after 8:30 a.m. Burial: Hawaiian Memorial Park.
Mabel C.K.T. Ching of Honolulu, a former cafeteria manager for the state Department of Public Instruction, died April 28 at home.
Ching, 84, grandmother of UH volleyball player Rick Tune and mother-in-law of Star-Bulletin
reporter Jerry Tune, was born in Ka`alaea. She is survived by husband Hung Leong; daughter Suelyn Tune; son Mun Yei "Chip"; sisters Lucy Ching and Martha Leong; and a grandson.
Memorial service: 11 a.m. May 11 at the Community Church of Honolulu, 2345 Nuuanu Ave. Call after 9:30 a.m. Private inurnment.
Aloha attire. No flowers.
Basilio Cuaresma of Halaula, Hawaii, a retired laborer for the former Kohala Sugar Co., died May 2 at home.
Cuaresma, 83, was born in Ilocos Sur, Magsingal, the Philippines. He is survived by wife Patrocinia; sister Juana C. Castillo; and brothers Eugenio and Severino.
Wake: 7 p.m. May 9 at the Father Damien Hall in Hawi, Hawaii. Call after 6 p.m. An all night vigil will follow at the family home. Mass: 10 a.m. May 10 at the Sacred Hearts Catholic Church in Hawi, Hawaii. Burial: Kohala County Cemetery. Casual attire.
Esabell Deniz of Honolulu died April 30 in Kuakini Hospital.
Deniz, 75, was born in La Linea, Spain. She is survived by sons John and Daniel; daughters Dolly Jose, and Rosita and Lolita Rabe; brothers Joe and Chris Arola; and sisters Dolores Russell, Katherine Medeiros and Anita De Motta.
Service: 1:30 p.m. May 9 at Hawaiian Memorial Park Mortuary. Call after 10:30 a.m. Burial: Hawaiian Memorial Park. Casual attire.
Isabel Domingo-Pascua of Kihei, Maui, died May 4 in Maui Memorial Hospital.
Domingo-Pascua, 88, was born in Biddig, Ilocos Norte, the Philippines. She is survived by son David Domingo; daughter Corazon Sturgess; stepsons David Kaiama and Jaime Domingo; 10 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Services: 7:30 p.m. May 9 at Borthwick Mortuary-Norman's, call after 6 p.m.; and 9:45 a.m. May 10 at the mortuary, call after 9 a.m. Burial: Maui Memorial Park.
Casual attire.
Eleanor Dopp of Honolulu, founder of the Dopp School of Speech Expression, died March 20 in Kaiser Hospital.
Dopp, 75, was born in San Antonio, Texas. No survivors.
Memorial service: 1 p.m. May 9 at Oahu Cemetery Chapel.
Karyn K. Esperago, baby daughter of Kiley and Sherry Esperago of Pearl City, died April 29 in Kapiolani Hospital at Pali Momi.
The baby was born on Nov. 11, 1994, in Honolulu. She is also survived by sisters Keeana and Kimmie; and grandparents Bobby and Kim Hanks, and Cornelius and Rosita Esperago.
Service: 9 a.m. May 8 at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio, makai chapel.
Helen C. Fulton of Honolulu, who died May 1, will be remembered in an 11 a.m. memorial service May 9 at the Community Church of Honolulu. No flowers.
Additional information provided by the mortuary.
Kenneth T. Furuichi of Kaimuki died May 2 at home.
Furuichi, 34, was born in Honolulu. He is survived by mother Alice M.; and uncle and guardian Richard S. Nagamine.
Service over his ashes: 6 p.m. May 9 at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. Casual attire. No flowers.
Raymond M. Hayashida of Aina Haina, a retired Schofield Barracks Fire Control and Assembly-Shop 3, supervisor, died May 3 in Queen's Hospital.
Hayashida, 75, was born in Kihei Maui. He is survived by wife Annie K.N.; daughters Carole Ann Roy, Phyllis M. Camara and Naomi S. "Suki" Hayashida; brother Richard K.; sister Geraldine F. Kikuta; and two grandchildren.
Memorial service: 5 p.m. May 9 at Waiokeola Congregational Church, 4705 Kilauea Ave.
Casual attire. No flowers.
Tsura Ishihara of Kauai died May 4 at home.
Ishihara, 103, born on Okinawa, is survived by son Charles; daughter Masako Arakaki; seven grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Service: 5 p.m. May 8 at the Foreign Church in Waimea, Kauai. Call after 4 p.m.
Casual attire. No flowers.
Alice Mae Janway of Waipahu died April 6 in Honolulu.
Janway, 64, born in Honolulu, is survived by daughter Penney Sanchez; brother Howard Johnson III; and four grandchildren.
Graveside service: 9 a.m. May 10 at Hawaiian Memorial Park.
Casual attire. No flowers.
Daniel K. "Danny" Kamekona of Honolulu and California, the Karate Kid II actor who died May 1 in California, will be remembered in a 12:15 p.m. service May 11 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Beretania Street. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. May 10 and after 8 a.m. May 11 at the church. Burial: Hawaiian Memorial Park.
Aloha attire. No flowers.
Emmet J. Kay of Wahiawa, the aviator who died May 2 in Wahiawa, will be remembered in an 11 a.m. service May 10 at Oahu Cemetery Chapel. Call after 9 a.m. Inurnment: National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Punchbowl.
Additional information provided by the mortuary.
Herbert H. Kiyan of Honolulu died May 4.
Kiyan, 68, was born in Wailuku. He is survived by wife Mildred "Millie"; daughters Lori Ann LaFontaine, Theresa Toman, Darnella Matsumoto and Michele Tengan; sons Paulino, Stafford and Mitchell Villanueva, and Michael, Stephen, Paul and Earl Kiyan; brothers Kenneth, Ralph, Gary and Isao; sisters Setsuko Nakasone, Elsie Hirayama and Betsy Sagara; and 27 grandchildren.
Service: 7 p.m. May 8 at Holy Family Catholic Church. Call after 5:30 p.m. Burial: 2 p.m. May 10 at Hawaii Veterans Cemetery No. 2.
Casual attire. No flowers.
Sam Moi C. Lam of Honolulu died April 24 in the Oahu Care Facility.
Lam, 81, was born in Honolulu. He is survived by stepson Daniel.
Taoist service: 10:30 a.m. May 9 at Nuuanu Memorial Park Mortuary, 2233 Nuuanu Ave. Burial: Hawaiian Memorial Park.
Casual attire.
Howard F. Miller of Honolulu died May 3 at home.
Miller, 92, was born in New York. He is survived by wife Eriel M.; and sister Alexandra Landis.
Memorial service: 7 p.m. May 9 at the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 1666 Mott Smith Drive. Call after 6 p.m. Casual attire. No flowers.
Donations suggested to Graceland College "Pop Miller" Scholarship Fund.
Rita M. Revell of Pahoa, Hawaii, a waitress for Ken's House of Pancakes in Hilo, died May 4 at home.
Revell, 68, was born in Shenandoah, Pa. She is survived by sons William J. and James W.; brother James Fogarty; sister Geraldine Zelasny; six grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.
Mass: 11 a.m. May 9 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Pahoa, Hawaii. Call from 6 to 8 p.m. May 8 at Borthwick Hawaii Funeral Home and after 10 a.m. May 9 at the church. Burial: Hawaii Veterans Cemetery No. 2.
Casual attire.
Toshiko Yanagi of Hilo, formerly of Kona, Hawaii, died May 4 in Hilo Hospital.
Yanagi, 75, was born in Kohala, Hawaii. She is survived by son Robert H.; daughters Eileen Paiva and Raemona Ozeki; brother Shigeru Matsuzaki; sisters Hisako Sumiki and Chieko Morishita; and four grandchildren.
Service: 4 p.m. May 9 at Kona Hongwanji Mission. Call after 3 p.m. Cremation to follow.
Casual attire. No flowers.
Hajime Yasuda of Honolulu, a retired Oahu Country Club landscaper, died May 4 in Kuakini Hospital.
Yasuda, 88, was born in Ewa. He is survived by wife Betty Y.; son Roy K.; daughter Judy S.; brother Roland Y.; sisters Janet C. Murakami and Edith S. Mew; four grandchildren; and two great- grandchildren.
Memorial service: 8 p.m. May 9 at Hosoi Garden Mortuary.
Casual attire. No flowers.