Obituaries
Friday, January 31, 1997


Life was struggle for
young heart transplant recipient

By Harold Morse
Star-Bulletin

Corey “Keola” Carpio, 18, of Wailuku, a 1994 heart transplant recipient, died Tuesday in St. Francis Hospital.

His original heart was weakened by a virus he contracted in April 1991. Although it was originally thought his condition was terminal in 1991, he made a comeback, and parents and friends held fund-raisers to help defray the cost of treatment.

After a long wait, he got a call June 6, 1994, to go to San Francisco for the transplant. The heart donor was a 13-year-old boy who died after he suffered severe head injuries in a bicycle-car accident.

“Both my husband and I -- we just thank God for all these extra years we’ve had with Corey, because it gave us that much time to build up all these memories of him,” said Myrna Carpio, his mother.

At first after the transplant, he seemed to be doing well. But some time later he started showing signs of mild rejection, his mother said.

He was able to take part in moderate activity along the way, and the biopsies never showed rejection traits serious enough for him to be hospitalized, just different levels of mild rejection, she said. He went to St. Francis for a regular biopsy over the weekend and took a turn for the worse, his mother said.

Corey Carpio was born in Wailuku and is also survived by father Albert; brothers Clayton and Lance Tanaka and James Carpio; and sisters Sheryl Tanaka, April Motooka and Debra Domogma.

A prayer service will take place at 7:30 p.m. Monday and Mass will be said at 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Anthony’s Church in Wailuku. Friends may call after 6 p.m. Monday and after 9 a.m. Tuesday. Burial will be at noon Tuesday in Maui Memorial Park. The family requests casual attire.


Lance W. Botelho is also survived by grandparents Mr. and Mrs. William Swinney, and MaryAnn Botelho; and great-grandmother Mary Damas. Incorrect information for an obituary published Wednesday was provided by the mortuary.

Faith Clifford, 73, of Las Vegas, formerly of Honolulu, a retired office man ager, died Jan. 17 in Las Vegas. Born in Minneapolis, she is survived by husband Paul; daughters Faith Murphy, Sue Jordon and Peggy Trotter; sons Rick, Darrell and Lee Clausen; stepdaughter Ashley Fenton; stepsons James and Dan; and 11 grandchildren. Private services. Donations suggested to the American Cancer Society.

Bernard K. Graff, 46, of Honolulu died Tuesday in Honolulu. Born in Honolulu, he is survived by son Raybern Kekoa-Kealoha Souza-Graff; and brothers Gilbert and Dexter Graff, and Austin and John K. Shaw. Service: 1 p.m. tomorrow at Oahu Cemetery Chapel. Call after noon. Casual attire.

Tasuku Ikeda, 88, of Honolulu, a retired mason, died Wednesday in Kuakini Hospital. Born in Kau, Hawaii, he is survived by wife Tona; sons Norman H., Kenneth T. and Stanley T.; daughter Gayle S. Murayama; brothers Yoshiaki, Tomomi and Kazuto; sisters Kikue S. Fook and Nancy C. Walker; and six grandchildren. Memorial service: 6 p.m. Tuesday at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. Casual attire. No flowers.

Tsukie Inatsuka is also survived by son Edward Y. Incorrect information for an obituary published yesterday was provided by the mortuary.

Doris M. Kaai, 79, of Kaneohe, a retired Fern Elementary School cafeteria baker, died Tuesday in Kaiser Hospital. Born in Waialua, she is survived by daughters Katherine Serrao, Carol “Kehau” Kunishima and Annette Kahalewai; sons Avard “Taka” and Randall; brothers Tadao “Rio” and Tetsuo Nakatsu; sister Emiko Ishikawa; 13 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandchild. Service: 6:30 p.m. Monday at Hawaiian Memorial Park Mortuary. Call after 6 p.m. Graveside service: 9 a.m. Tuesday at Hawaiian Memorial Park. Aloha attire. No flowers.

James S. Malakaua, 75, of Hilo died Sunday in Hilo Hospital. Born in Honuapo Kau, Hawaii, he is survived by wife Pearl; sons William K., Darrell, Randall and James Jr.; daughters Carolyn L. Malakaua, Trudy K. Yamada and Jamie L. DeSilva; sister Minerva Pang; 21 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Graveside service: 10 a.m. Tuesday at Hawaii Veterans Cemetery No. 2. Casual attire. No flowers.

Jackie I. Miller, 65, of Waikoloa, Hawaii, a service technician, died Tuesday at home. Born in Indiana, he is survived by wife Ruth; son James L.; daughters Jackie Casey and Toni Foist; brother William L.; 11 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren. Service over his ashes: 7 p.m. Tuesday at Central Baptist Church. Inurnment: 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery. Aloha attire.

Itono J. Miyasaki, 94, of Sandy Spring, Md., native of Honolulu, a retired teacher, died Jan. 21 in Montgomery, Md. She is survived by children Mabel, Mace and Roy Miyasaki, and Grace McCabe; and four grandchildren. Memorial services to be held on the mainland. Donations suggested to Friends Nursing Home, 17340 Quaker Lane, Sandy Spring, Md. 20860 or to the Greater Homewood Literacy Program, 3100 Wymann Park Drive, Baltimore, Md. 21211.

Carlos M. Perez, 17, of Honolulu, a former Radford High School student who was employed by All State Environmental, died Tuesday in Tripler Hospital. Born on Kauai, he is survived by mother Evelyn Mahelona; father Robert; stepfather Ron Mahelona; wife Deborah Tauai; son Carlos Jr.; brother Andre; sister Johnette Stevens; and grandparents Daniel Carvalho, and Antonio B. and Lupe Perez. Services: 5:30 p.m. Sunday at Borthwick Mortuary, call after 4 p.m.; and 1 p.m. Thursday at Borthwick/Kauai Mortuary, call after 10 a.m. Burial: Kauai Garden Memorial Park. Casual attire.

Masanobu Shinshiro, 74, of Honolulu died Jan. 17 in St. Francis Hospice. Born in Honolulu, he is survived by brothers James M. and Harry M.; and sisters Kiyoko Oshiro, Beatrice Izu and Adeline Ross. Private services.

Edith I. Takahashi, 66, of Wahiawa died Jan. 23. Born in Frankfurt, Germany, she is survived by husband Theodore K.; daughters Peggy E. White and Evelyn S. Rapoza; son Michael K.; sisters Gertrude, Gisela and Inge; brother Hartmut; a grandson; and three great-grandchildren. Private services.

Richard H. Tamai, 64, of Kaneohe, a Pearl Harbor retiree, died yesterday at home. Born in Honolulu, he is survived by wife Shirley Y.; son Gary H.; daughters Shirlene H.T. Tanabe, Laverne M. Tamai and Terry S.T. Lee; sisters Teruko Takara and Misao Mitsui; and a granddaughter. Service: 6 p.m. Monday at Nuuanu Memorial Park Mortuary. Casual attire. No flowers.

Mary L. Thomas, 84, of Honolulu died Monday in Honolulu. Born in Alliance, Ohio, she is survived by daughters Debra Jones, Nancy Thomas and Judy Iao; son David; brothers Frank, Dave and Robert Wirth; and two grandchildren. Services to be held on the mainland.

Shizue Ueda, 90, of Honolulu, retired co-owner of George’s Restaurant, died Jan. 16 in Hale Pulama Mau. Born in Yamaguchi, Japan, she is survived by daughters Florence S. Nakao and Alice T. Oshita; three grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Private services.

Shizuo Watanabe, 84, of Hilo, a retired carpenter, died yesterday in Hilo Hospital. Born in Amauulu, Hawaii, he is survived by wife Asae; sons Albert and Leslie; daughter Jean Hee; brothers Minoru and Paul S.; eight grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Service: 5 p.m. Monday at Borthwick Hawaii Funeral Home-Hilo. Call after 4 p.m. Casual attire. No flowers.

Chiyoko M. Wong, 84, of Kahului, a cook for Wailuku Hongwanji, died Saturday in Hale Makua. Born in Puunene, Maui, she is survived by sons Abe and Wesley; daughters Louise Lee and Rose Saito; brothers Masao and Yukio Matsumoto; 11 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Service over her ashes: 5 p.m. Feb. 10 at Wailuku Hongwanji.

Teruko Yamamoto, 90, of Hilo, retired co-owner of the former Tanigawa Manju Shop, died Tuesday in Hilo Hospital. Born in Hilo, she is survived by sons Hisao, Teruo and James Y.; daughters Sachiko Mitsuyoshi, Amy Ogawa and Helen Tanaka; sister Mitsuru Nakagawa; 10 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Service: 5 p.m. Sunday at Dodo Mortuary. Call after 4 p.m. Cremation to follow. Casual attire. No flowers.

Francis M. Yoshikami, 89, of Honolulu, a retired Young’s Department Store office manager, died Sunday in St. Francis Hospital. Born in Kawaihae, Hawaii, he is survived by wife Doris M.; son Rodney S.; daughter Marsha Y. Azuma; brothers the Rev. Egan I., Shoji and Marco M. Yoshikami, and Teruo Goma; seven grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. Private services.




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