Obituaries

Thursday, April 9, 1998

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Services tomorrow for ‘Iron’ Maehara,
the ‘Mr. Baseball’ of Maui

By Rod Ohira
Star-Bulletin

Ichiro “Iron” Maehara, the professional baseball scout who discovered and signed Sid Fernandez for the Los Angeles Dodgers, is remembered by the retired major league pitcher as a giving person.

“As a baseball man, he helped a lot of people,” Fernandez said of Maui’s “Mr. Baseball,” 88, who died of cancer Monday at Kahului Hale Makua.

“He treated everyone fairly -- someone you could always trust -- and was very humble.”

Fernandez, who pitched 15 years in the big leagues before retiring last August, sat next to Maehara recently at the dedication of Iron Maehara Stadium in Wailuku.

“I’m glad they did it while he was still alive,” Fernandez said.

“It was well deserved for what he has done for the community and baseball here.”

Maehara also signed Onan Masaoka, a left-handed pitcher from Waiakea High on the Big Island, for the Dodgers.

The Puunene native, the eldest of 10 children, guided the Maui AJA Baseball League for many years and was instrumental in setting up spring training on Maui for Japanese professional baseball teams such as the Hanshin Tigers and Yakult Swallows.

There was much more to his life than baseball.

Maehara retired from Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar as a division overseer in December 1970 after 42 years with the company to join Mayor Elmer Cravalho’s administration as director of Parks and Recreation. He later became Cravalho’s administrative assistant.

“Through his actions, he was able to demonstrate the definition of community,” Cravalho said. “History will be kind to him when it recognizes his many contributions to people.”

Maehara, an outstanding ballplayer, earned the nickname “Iron” because he could play every position.

His association with the Dodgers dates back to the mid-1960s, when the National League team sent coaches Junior Gilliam, Duke Snider and Red Adams to Maui to assist the Tokyo Orions, who were training there, Maehara’s wife of nearly 60 years said.

“He would go down after work and serve as an interpreter,” Florence Maehara added.

“Red Adams told him he knew a lot about baseball and got the Dodgers to make him a bird dog (talent scout).”

Maehara’s father was a Japanese language school principal and his mother was a teacher.

He gave up going to college to help raise the family.

“He was like my father, and people thought my father was my grandfather,” said Patrick Maehara, the youngest sibling. “He was a community-oriented person, always doing things to help others.”

Other survivors include son Paul; daughter Gayle Nakano of Palo Alto, Calif; brothers Angel, Dr. Edward G. and Dr. Samuel R. of Costa Mesa, Calif.; sisters Tokie Tsuji and Michie Sasai, and two granddaughters.

Services will be at 4 p.m. tomorrow in Kahului Union Church. Casual attire, no flowers.

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Richard N. Amine, 57, of Honolulu, store manager for Longs Drugs, Hawaii Kai, died Sunday in Queen’s Hospital. He was born in Lahaina. He is survived by wife Ruth; sons Randy and Ryan; parents Tetsuji and Tomiko; brother Wayne, and sister Karen Kuramoto. Memorial services: 6:30 p.m. Monday at Nuuanu Memorial Park. Casual attire. No flowers.

Sarah K.C. Apo, 73, of Waihee, Maui died Tuesday in Maui Memorial Hospital. She was born in Hookena, Hawaii. She is survived by son Allan; daughters Shari Nobriga, Emilou Mikami and Pamela Tom; brothers Sonny Cipriano and Reese Harrington; sisters Vicenta Lapera and Emily Chun, and seven grandchildren. Mass: 11 a.m. Monday at St. Ann’s Church. Call after 9 a.m. Burial: Maui Memorial Park. Aloha attire.

Vivian K. Awai, 58, of Kapolei died March 21 in St. Francis-West Hospital. She was born in Kahuku. She is survived by husband Adam D.; sons Buddy B. Yee Poong and Peter J., Robert M. and Richard L. Awai; daughter Willanette “Kuulei” Yee Poong; brother Hyrum Yee Poong; sister Roseann Sekel, and three grandchildren. Services: 11 a.m. Saturday at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio, Makai Chapel. Call after 9 a.m. Casual attire. Private inurnment.

Virgilio R. Betiong, 56, of Honolulu died yesterday. He was born in the Philippines. He is survived by wife Josefa; sons Romeo, Reynaldo and Hilario; daughters Cecilia and Virginia Betiong, Marilou Abarcar and Jocelyn Seril; father Alfonso; brothers Gaudencio, Domingo, Nardenio, Alfonso Jr. and Almario; sisters Erlinda Simon, Virginia Limon and Ann Caday, and 10 grandchildren. Services: 7 p.m. Saturday at Nuuanu Mortuary. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Burial will be in the Philippines.

Victoria Custer, 79, of Honolulu, vice president of a newspaper clipping agency, died March 8. She was born in New York City. She is survived by daughter Sharon; son Brian, and brother Irwin Coster. Memorial services: 5:30 p.m. Saturday at Unity Church. Private scattering of ashes. Call Williams Funeral Services for information.

Mabel Freitas, 75, of Pearl City died Friday in Queen’s Hospital. She was born in Hilo. She is survived by husband Alfred; sons Alfred Jr., Earl, Thomas and Russell; brother Edward Rapoza; sister Bobbie Cooper, 11 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. Services: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Our Lady of Good Counsel. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Services: 9:45 a.m. Wednesday at the church. Call from 9 to 10:15 a.m. Burial: Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery. Aloha attire.

Keiko Hashimoto, 41, of Honolulu, a customer service representative for Circle Island Tour Co., died Monday at home. She was born on Okinawa. She is survived by son Katsunori Hasunuma; brother Harvey H., and sister Blanche H. Raza. Services: noon Saturday at Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin. Casual attire.

Jane Y. Heu, 65, of Kahului died Saturday in Maui Memorial Hospital. She was born in Paia, Maui. She is survived by sons Hirum and Jay; daughter Cynthia J.; brother Robert Takishita, and five grandchildren. Private services.

Satoru Igawa, 96, of Aiea, a retired owner/proprietor of Igawa Lawnmower Repair Shop, died March 25 in Kapiolani Hospital at Pali Momi. He was born in Hiroshima, Japan. He is survived by son William, daughters Georgiana Aruga and Lois Sumida; six grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. Private services.

Lambert A.H. Kaleikini, 45, of Waianae, a school bus driver, died March 28. He was born in Honolulu. He is survived by wife Debra; daughters Shambert Gaison and Leialoha Kaleikini; sons Lambert Rego and Lambert Jr. and Robert Kaleikini; mother Emaline Kanakaole; sisters Peggy-Ann Savella and Marylil Kahuhu; brother Michael, and two grandchildren. Memorial services: noon Saturday at 87-233 Kulaaupuni St. in Maili. Scattering of ashes at a later date.

Harry H. Kanamu, 77, of Kaneohe is also survived by sister Leialoha Winkler. The additional information was provided for an obituary published Tuesday.

William Kawai, 81, of Hilo died Thursday in Life Care Center of Hilo. He was born in Ookala, Hawaii. Graveside services: 10 a.m. Saturday at Alae Cemetery.

Tsuruko “Jeanie” Landon, 75, of Lawai, Kauai died Friday in Hale Omao. She was born in Lawai. She is survived by sons Sidney, Clinton and Denis Ikehara; daughter Sally Adolfo; brothers Sensuke, Senji, Sentei, Senmatsu, Isamu, Stanley, Senmei, Thomas, George and Marvin Ueunten; sister Yoshiko Orlando, and seven grandchildren. Services: 9:30 a.m. Saturday, April 18, at Garden Island Mortuary. Call after 8 a.m. Casual attire. No flowers.

Lokelani E. Larinaga, 69, of Waianae, a retired custodian with Waimalu Elementary School, died Sunday at home. She was born in Honolulu. She is survived by sons Michael, Eric, Charles, Leonard and Jacob Monte; daughter Anna Monte; brother Willard Opunui; sister Marie Souza, and three grandchildren. Services: 7 p.m. Monday at Borthwick Mortuary. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Aloha attire.

Sam Hung Lee, 71, of Kaimuki died last Thursday in Queen’s Hospital. He was born in Kaneohe. He is survived by brothers Paul and Robert Lee and Raymond Ng, and sisters Ah Wan Costa Ayres and Lorraine Ng. Services: noon next Thursday, April 16, at St. Patrick’s Church. Call after 11 a.m. Burial: Hawaiian Memorial Park. Aloha attire. No flowers. Leis welcome.

Florence Lin, 86, of Honolulu died Monday in Tripler Hospital. She was born in Honolulu. She is survived by daughters Beryl Lin and Florane Mock; brother Danny Yap; sister Alice Wong, and two grandchildren. Memorial services: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. Casual attire. No flowers.

Nancy N.K. Lum, 74, of Honolulu, who retired from First Hawaiian Bank, died March 31 in St. Francis Hospital. She was born in Honolulu. She is survived by companion Yuen Hai Ng; sons Calvin, Milton and Rodney; daughters Karen Imai and Sharon Drummondo; brother William Young, and 10 grandchildren. Call from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. next Thursday, April 16, at Borthwick Mortuary. Burial: Hawaiian Memorial Park. Aloha attire.

James E. “Kimo” Manoi, 33, of Honolulu died Friday in Honolulu. He was born in Honolulu. He is survived by father Edward; hanai brother Rudy Iona; brothers Kalani and Edward, and sisters JennieAnn and Malia Manoi, Kalehua Vidinha, Charlene Cruz and Edwardian Grantham. Services: 10 a.m. Monday, April 20, at St. George Church in Waimanalo. Call after 9 a.m. Aloha attire. Call Ultimate Cremation Services of Hawaii for information.

Arcadio J. Montira, 78, of Waianae, a retired carpenter, died Friday at home. He was born in Hanamau, Kauai. He is survived by wife Angeline; sons Denis and Norman; daughters Carolyn Hammond, Christine Montira and Debra Ellis; brothers Pashion and Bobby Montero; sisters Mary Jiminez and Rose Navarez, 14 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. Services: 7 p.m. Monday at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Services: 11 a.m. Tuesday at the mortuary. Call after 10 a.m. Burial to follow. Aloha attire.

Violet S. Nekonishi, 91, of Honolulu, retired owner of Violet’s Dress Shop, died March 28 in Leahi Hospital. She was born in Waialua. She is survived by sons Harold Y. and Calvin S.; brother George T. Nagano; sister Jane Y. Uejio, two grandchildren and a great-grandchild. Private services.

Elaine S. Nitta, 43, of Honolulu, a former clerk at Longs Drugs, also known as Elaine S. Faria, died Saturday in Queen’s Hospital. She was born in Honolulu. She is survived by son Sheldon K. Faria; father James “Kazu”; mother Mae Y., and sister Lynn K. Miyahira. Memorial services: 5 p.m. Saturday at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio, Makai Chapel. Casual attire. No flowers.

Usa Oshiro, 97, of Honolulu died March 29 in Kuakini Hospital. She was born on Okinawa. She is survived by son Yasuhiko “Yasu”; daughters Nancy Oshiro, Helen Toyama, Marjorie Murakami and Doris Mugiishi; brothers Jinmei, Jinsei and Jinki Higa, nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Private services.

Ruspel “Pelto” Revera, 76, of Mililani and formerly of Moanalua Gardens, a retired heavy equipment operator for Hawaiian Cement, died last Thursday in Straub Hospital. He was born in Honolulu. He is survived by daughter Bertha Quihano; sons Frank Louis and Harold and Ruspel “Russ” Revera Jr.; brother Steven; sister Esther Fiqueroa, 14 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren. Services: 7 p.m. Monday at Borthwick Mortuary. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Mass: 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. John the Baptist Church. Call after 9 a.m. Burial: Sunset Memorial Park.

Robert A. Suwa, 62, of Honolulu, a retired sergeant first class in the U.S. Army, died March 30 in Honolulu. He was born in Honolulu. He is survived by wife Joanna K.; daughters Robin and Dephanie; son Chris; brothers Katsuhiko, Miles and Clarence; sisters Vivian Matsukawa, Grace Nakamura, Jane Shinke, Lillian Ishida, Nancy Tori and Carol Fujii, and four grandchildren. Memorial services: 6 p.m. Saturday at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio, Mauka Chapel. Call after 5:30 p.m.

Hatsuko Yamasaki, 85, of Hilo died Sunday in Life Care Center of Hilo. She was born in Hilo. She is survived by husband Minoru; daughter May Hatayama; son Harold; five grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Private services.