Obituaries

Monday, February 9, 1998

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Saturday, February 7, 1998

Alan W. Albao, 58, of Koloa, Kauai died Wednesday in St. Francis Hospice. Born in Hawaii, he is survived by wife Karin; son Alan Jr.; daughters Alane, Alynda and Azlinn; mother Harriet; brothers Timothy and Jeffery; sister Candice Yanagihara; and two grandchildren. Memorial services: 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at All Saints Church in Kapaa, Kauai. Call from 4 to 4:40 p.m.

Esther K. Cofran, 78, of Wailuku died yesterday in Maui Memorial Hospital. Born in Hoolehua, Molokai, she is survived by sons Alexander and Leroy Bishaw, Larry Schneider and Alan, Robert, Kealii and Francis Cofran; daughters Ione Godsey and Loke Ching; 19 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. Services: 10 a.m. Wednesday at Nuuanu Mortuary. Call after 9 a.m. Burial: Valley of the Temples.

Timoteo S. Cruz, 86, of Honolulu, a retired housekeeper at Kuakini Hospital, died Jan. 29 in Honolulu. Born in the Philippines, he is survived by wife Juana Dionicia S.; son Herminio; daughters Laureana Lungay, Maria E. Abara and Rose Daproza; brother Felix; 21 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. Wake services: 7 p.m. Monday at Mililani Downtown Mortuary. Call 6-9 p.m. Mass: 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at Our Lady of the Mount Church, 1614 Monte St. Call after 8 a.m. Burial: Valley of the Temples.

Rose K. Freitas, 81, of Waianae died Wednesday at home. Born in Paia, Maui, she is survived by husband William; sons John Jr., Jordan and Donald Martin and William Freitas Jr.; sister Hattie Ako; 18 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. Memorial services: 7 p.m. Wednesday at St. Rita Church, 89-318 Farrington Highway. Call after 6 p.m. Casual attire.

Claro P. “Tata Larry” Galeon, 72, of Honolulu died last Saturday in Kuakini Hospital. Born in the Philippines, he is survived by son Moses, daughter Cinderella, 16 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Wake services: 7 p.m. Tuesday at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio. Call 6-9 p.m. Services: 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the chapel. Call from 8:30 to 11 a.m. Burial: Mililani Memorial Park. Casual attire.

Violet Y. Goeas, 87, of Nevada, a retired teacher, died Sunday in Nevada. Born in Aiea, she is survived by daughter Lucille Bakke, son Lawrence, sister Roseline Turner, two grandchildren and a great-grandchild. Mass: 10 a.m. Monday at St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church. Call after 9 a.m. Inurnment: Hawaiian Memorial Park.

Evelyn L.P. Hanohano, 84, of Waimanalo, a retired supervisor for Dole Pineapple Cannery, died Tuesday at home. Born in Kealia, Hawaii, she is survived by sons William Jr. and Melvin, sisters the Rev. Gertrude Gomes and Philomena Kaneakua, brother Lincoln Kahue, eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Graveside services: 12:30 p.m. Wednesday at Mililani Memorial Park.

Benjamin Ilac, 70, of Mililani, a retired U.S. Army staff sergeant, died Jan. 30 in Wahiawa General Hospital. Born in Paukaa, Hawaii, he is survived by sons Robert, Alan, Benjamin Jr., Richard and Louis; daughters Lucia Sebay and Linda McKinley; brothers Himenis “Norman” and John; sisters Augustine “Aggie” Wilker, Angelina “Kay” Acoba, Rose Meyers and Josephine “Jessie” Navarro; 20 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. Services: 10:30 a.m. Monday at Sts. Peter & Paul Church, 800 Kaheka St. Call after 8 a.m. Burial: National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. Casual attire. No flowers.

Valentine A. Jones, 90, of Kaneohe, a retired heavy equipment operator, died last Saturday in Kailua. Born in Heeia Koolaupoko, he is survived by wife Julia; sons Benjamin and Conrad; daughters Elizabeth Waialae, Marie Ishiki and Loretta McKeague; brother Edmond; sisters Agnes Pastuskin and Thelma Edwards; 20 grandchildren; 41 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. Services: 7 p.m. Monday at Hawaiian Memorial Park Mortuary. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Mass: 11:45 a.m. Tuesday at St. Ann’s Catholic Church. Call after 10 a.m. Burial: Hawaiian Memorial Park. Casual attire. No flowers.

Evelyn T. Kashiwai, 66, of Honolulu died last Saturday in St. Francis Hospice. Born in Honolulu, she is survived by daughters Gale T. Chaves and Linda T. Rodrigues; brothers Richard, Francis and Hiroshi Matsumura; sisters Edna Murata, Marion Nishihara and Rose Fletcher; and five grandchildren. Memorial services: 12:30 p.m. Wednesday at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio, mauka chapel. Call after 11:30 a.m. Inurnment: Mililani Memorial Park. Casual attire. No flowers.

Kaoru Kikuta, 77, of Honolulu, a retired housekeeper for Hawaii Newspaper Agency, died last Saturday in St. Francis Hospital. Born in Hilo, he is survived by sisters Satsuki Uratani and Katsumi Narikawa. Private services.

Lawrence “Larry” Mariano, 73, of Honolulu, a retired welder with Dole Cannery Co., died Wednesday in St. Francis Hospital. Born in Honolulu, he is survived by wife Isabelle “Nani”; sons retired Master Sgt. John, Maj. Lawrence “Jeff,” retired Maj. Lynn Barry, David and Merle “Tony”; daughters Mary “Tessie” Bogus, Charmaine “Shortie” and Leslie Ahn; 15 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. Services: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Diamond Head Mortuary. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Mass: 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa. Call after 8:30 a.m. Aloha attire. Kiyoko Masusako, 79, of Makawao, Hawaii died Wednesday at home. Born in Pukalani, Maui, she is survived by son Elden, daughters Thelma and Rhodie Masusako and Marvene Moore and three grandchildren. Services over ashes: 5:30 p.m. Monday at Nakamura Mortuary. Casual attire. No flowers.

Apolonia A. Militante, 78, of Waialua, an elementary schoolteacher, died Jan. 30 in Wahiawa General Hospital. Born in Bohol, the Philippines, she is survived by husband Catalino, son Felix Ladera, sister Eryang Lusterio and three grandchildren. Services: 7 p.m. Wednesday at St. Elizabeth Church, 99-312 Moanalua Road. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Services: 10 a.m. Thursday at the church. Call after 8:30 a.m. Cremation to follow.

Alvin C. “Pono” Morgan, 75, of San Mateo, Calif., a TV repairman, died last Saturday in Comming Home Hospice. He was also a World War II veteran. Born in San Francisco, he is survived by sisters Helen Rodrigues, Alice Paik and Ramona Hess; and brothers Albert and Stanford Morgan. Mass: 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Catherine’s Catholic Church in Kapaa. Call after 9 a.m. Burial to follow. Casual or aloha attire.

Futoshi “Taffy” Okamura, 83, of Hilo, a retired foreman for the city Department of Parks and Recreation, died Tuesday in Hilo Hospital. Born in Hilo, he is survived by sons Gerald and Allan; daughter Mae; brothers Richard, Edward, Jack and George Fujio; sisters Misao Enomoto, Doris Baxter, Asae De Ramos and Harriet Fujio; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Services: 11 a.m. Monday at Borthwick Hawaii Funeral Home. Call after 10 a.m. Casual attire. No flowers.

Nicholas S. Ramos, 72, of Honolulu, a World War II veteran, died Jan. 30 in Queen’s Hospital. He was also a retired carpenter. Born in Lahaina, he is survived by wife Millie; sons Reggie, Andrew, Melvin “Bino” and Kenneth Sabagala and Nicholas “Dinky” Ramos Jr.; daughters Loreen Plunkett, Cleora Dewitt and Nicholette Ramos; sisters Jane Santiago and Margaret Ramos; 22 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Memorial services: 10:30 a.m. Monday at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio. Call after 9:30 a.m. Inurnment: National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. Casual attire. No flowers.

Salvador C. Talha, 94, of Carson, Calif., a retired masoner and finisher for the U.S. Navy Public Works Center, died last Saturday in Los Angeles. Born in the Philippines, he is survived by sons Salvador Talha Jr. and Florencio Villacorta, daughter Yonilla Villacorta, five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Services: noon Tuesday at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio. Call after 10 a.m. Burial: Mililani Memorial Park. Casual attire.

Jane C. Yayoshi, 74, of Kahului died yesterday at home. Born in Kaheka, Paia, Maui, she is survived by son Glenn, brother Minoru Ujiie and sister Mae Furomoto. Services over ashes: 5 p.m. Monday at Kahului Hongwanji Mission. Casual attire. No flowers.

Sharon D. Voorhees, 63, of Honolulu died Dec. 27 in Honolulu. Born in Washington, she is survived by sons Jim Gussens and Ronnie Voorhees and daughter Teri Williams. Private services. Call Ultimate Cremation Services of Hawaii for information.

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Monday, February 9, 1998

Robert W. Hiatt
memorial slated Saturday;
headed research at UH

By Star-Bulletin staff

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Memorial services are scheduled at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Kaneohe Yacht Club for Robert W. Hiatt, former University of Hawaii research leader and administrator.

Hiatt, 83, died of a massive stroke Sept. 6 at Lake Tahoe, Nev.

The family will go by boat to scatter his ashes in waters next near the University of Hawaii Laboratory of Marine Biology at Coconut Island. Hiatt developed the laboratory and the zoology program into a world-renowned research center.

He was dean of the UH graduate school and director of research from 1955 to 1963 and was vice president for academic affairs from 1963 to 1968.

He served for one year as acting UH president, starting in May 1968, and was executive director of the UH Pacific Research Foundation. He left the UH in 1969 to join the U.S. diplomatic corps, and from 1970 to 1973 served as consular officer and secretary at the U.S. embassy in Tokyo.

He was University of Alaska president from 1973-1977.

Anthony “Sonny” D. Fernandez,81, of Kula, Maui, died Feb. 4 at home. He was supervisor of Dole Foods. He is survived by son Don; adopted daughters Dawn U. Amoral and Tracie N. DeCoite; brothers Louis Jr. and David K.; sister Sara “Sweetie” Jones, two grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Services: 7:30 p.m. tomorrow at Borthwick Mortuary-Norman’s. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Mass: 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Anthony’s Church. Call after 9 a.m. Burial: Maui Memorial Park. Aloha attire.

Elsie Y. Fukuda, 77, of Honolulu, a retired seamstress for Union Supply Co., died Jan. 26 at home. She was born in Koloa, Kauai. She is survived by husband Keichi; sons Alvin, Patrick and Vernon; daughters Rosanne Fukuda and Laura Takahashi; brothers Joe and Don Nakamura; sisters Hatsuko Inafuku and Stella Ishihara, and seven grandchildren. Private services.

Sumako Fukumitsu, 84, of Aiea died Feb. 1 in Kapiolani Hospital at Pali Momi. She was born in Mountain View, Hawaii. She is survived by son Bruce, daughter Nora Matsumoto, and two grandchildren. Private services.

Maybelle T. Gorder, 90, formerly of Wahiawa and Volcano, Hawaii, died Feb. 1 in Walnut Creek, Calif. She was retired from the Naval Supply Center, Pearl Harbor. She was born in Nehawka, Neb. She is survived by daughter Kay, two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Private services. California service at a later date.

Joseph P. “Joe K.” Kekoanui III, 52, of Jeffersonville, Pa., a manager/engineer, died Feb. 1 at home. He was born on Oahu. He is survived by wife Elaine M.; son Joseph P. IV; daughters Kim Kekoanui and Kristin Smith; brothers Bobby Kekoanui and Curtis Leggett; sister Vicki Bernadel; mother Edith Leggett, and two grandchildren. Services on the mainland. Donations suggested to the American Lung Association, 528 Plymouth Road, Suite 315, Plymouth Meeting, Pa., 19462.

Charlene “Maka” Makanani, 48, of Honolulu, a flight attendant with Hawaiian Airlines, died Thursday in Honolulu. She was born in Lihue. She is survived by mother Mabel; brother Attwood, and sisters Pamela Nakoa, Rachelle Nam, Terry Pililaau and Londa Fukumitsu. Services: 10 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Calvary Chapel of Honolulu, 1190 Nuuanu Ave. Call after 9 a.m. Casual attire. No flowers. Call Ultimate Cremation Services of Hawaii for information.

Joaquin “Jack” S. Mello Jr., 71, died Feb. 5. He was born in Honolulu. He was a Kahaluu farmer, dairyman and retired animal caretaker for the state Animal Quarantine Station. He is survived by wife Agnes; daughters Jacqueline “Snookie,” Lynda and Ann; sons Joaquin “Joey,” Paul and Denis; brothers Franklin and Thomas; sister Veronica M. Cambra, and five grandchildren. Mass at noon Wednesday at St. Ann’s Church in Kaneohe. Call after 10 a.m. Burial: Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery. Casual attire. No flowers.

Masato Mukai, 94, of Lihue, a Lihue Plantation worker, died Jan. 31 at home. He was born in Lihue. He is survived by daughters Jane Arita, Joanne Kessinger, Josephine Claevenger, Betty Arakawa and Jean Cuthrell; son Robert Mukai, and 14 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

Kiyoshi Nakama, 65, of Kailua, a retired electrical technician at Pearl Harbor, died Jan. 26 in St. Francis Hospice. He was born in Lahaina. He is survived by sisters Oharu Uyehara, Ann Tanouye, Tsuguko Gornechec and Michiko Kam. Private services.

Gerald Oster, 68, of Honolulu, died Feb. 1 in Honolulu. He was born in New York. He was a retired senior mooring master with Chevron Shipping Inc., based in Honolulu. He is survived by wife Toshiko; sons Stanley and Robert; brother Allan, and five grandchildren. Call after 1 p.m. Wednesday at Hawaiian Memorial Park Mortuary. Inurnment: 2 p.m. at Hawaii State Veteran’s Cemetery.

Lucille Silverman, 91, of Honolulu died last Monday in Honolulu. She was born in Kansas City, Mo. She is survived by sons Burton Barnett and Ron Silverman, three grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Private services. Call Ultimate Cremation Services of Hawaii for information.

Eugene M. Suzuki, 71, of Honolulu, a retired tour bus driver for Grayline Tours Hawaii, died Jan. 27 in Queen’s Hospital. He was born in Kapehu, North Hilo, Hawaii. He is survived by sons Eugene Jr. and Jason; brothers George, Stanley and Richard, and sister Mabel Shimabukuro. Private services.

The Rev. Liusa S.M. Ulavale, 72, of Waianae, minister of Honolulu First Samoan Church of the Nazarene and Nuuuli American Samoa Church of the Nazarene, died Feb. 1 in St. Francis-West Hospital. He was born in American Samoa. He is survived by wife Faaitiiti Mamea; sons Eddie, Soliga Jr., George and Matthew; daughters Ituau Alaga, Latasi Fereti, Taumanupepe Mamea-Faafiti and Tafafao Soliga-Samau; brothers Sausau Mamea and Faalavelave Foumai; sisters Faataga Faraimo and Falefitu Akau, 24 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Services: 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Honolulu First Samoan Church of the Nazarene, 408 Judd St. Call from 3:30 to 9 p.m. Services: 10 a.m. Friday at Nuuanu Mortuary. Call after 8 a.m. Burial: Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery.

Lester A. Young Jr., 59, of Kailua died Tuesday in Honolulu. He was born in Trenton, N.J. He is survived by wife Dannette; sons Michael, Colen, Lester III and Kawika; daughters Patricia, Shawanna, Christie, Jessica, Tania and Davannette; father Lester; sister Loretta, 22 grandchildren and 16 hanai children. Services: 10 a.m. Wednesday at Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery. Scattering of ashes: Kaione Park. Casual attire. Call Ultimate Cremation Services of Hawaii for information.