Obituaries

Thursday, February 18, 1999

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Memorial rites Saturday for
noted UH plant physiologist

By Harold Morse, Star-Bulletin

Memorial services are scheduled Saturday for Ernest K. Akamine, a University of Hawaii emeritus professor of plant physiology. He died Jan. 5 at age 86.

Akamine is credited with contributing much to the study of plant physiology, publishing both popular and scientific articles on seed germination, sugar cane growth, herbicides and other subjects. He is considered a pioneer in the field, and his works are standard references.

Akamine received a 1995 UH Board of Regents' Medal of Distinction and the 1994 Outstanding Alumnus Award of the UH College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources.

Hilo-born Akamine earned bachelor's and master's degrees at the University of Hawaii, and later did postgraduate work at the University of California at Los Angeles.

His affiliations included the Hawaiian Academy of Science, American Society of Plant Physiologists and the American Society for Horticultural Sciences.

Active in church work, he served as president of Men of Wesley Church and first vice president of the Methodist Board of Lay Activities.

Akamine married Toki Nakasone at Lahaina, Maui, June 11, 1938. She preceded him in death in 1995. She was a retired teacher.

He is survived by daughters Carol Matsushita and Faye McCoy, son Harry, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

The rites Saturday will begin at 5:30 p.m. at Wesley United Methodist Church, 150 Hunakai St. Arrangements are by Ultimate Cremation Services of Hawaii.

George M. Archer Jr., 60, of Honolulu died Tuesday in Kaiser Hospital. He was born in Kula, Maui. He is survived by wife Lorna; daughters Renee A. Nakashima and Stacey Archer-Little; brothers Jean, Mark, Carl and Jimmy; sisters Pam, Tehani, Harriet, Lita and Delores, and five grandchildren. Memorial services: 5 p.m. Feb. 28 at Bernice Pauahi Bishop Memorial Chapel, Kamehameha Schools. Celebration of life: Pagoda Hotel. No flowers. Donations suggested to the Make a Wish Foundation or the Hawaii Dance Alliance. Casual attire.

Clifford O. Galiher, 78, of Honomuni, Molokai, a retired detective for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, died Feb. 10 in Kaunakakai, Molokai. He was born in Los Angeles. He is survived by wife Virginia; son Gary; daughter Devi, and eight grandchildren. Memorial services: 2 p.m. Saturday at Kaunakakai Baptist Church. Scattering of ashes: fronting their home at Honomuni.

Shizuko Gibo, 72, of Hilo died Monday in Hilo Hospital. She was born in Saipan. She is survived by husband Toshio; daughters Keiko Shewmaker, Hitomi Doi and Setsuko Tamura; son Ken; brother Eiko Takou, and seven grandchildren. Services over the ashes: 5 p.m. Monday at Dodo Mortuary. Call after 4 p.m. Casual attire.

Elaine K. Gifford, 59, of Sunriver, Ore., formerly of Hawaii, a secretary, died Feb. 8 in the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. She was born in Cleveland. She is survived by husband Allan H.; son Daniel K. Fisher; daughters Stacy Hunt, Tammie Barber, Randi Stephens and Shelley Gifford; mother Esther Kolod; brother Leonard Kolod; sister Annette Biggar, and five grandchildren. Services held. No flowers. Donations suggested to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, LY-120, P.O. Box 19024, Seattle, WA 98109-1024.

Ethel I. Inoue, 85, of Kamiloloa, Molokai, died Jan. 22 in Molokai General Hospital. She was born in Fukuoka, Japan. She is survived by husband Samuel; son Eugene; daughters Harriet Turner, Eleanor Clere and Frances Inoue; sister Chizue Nakamura, and two grandchildren. Memorial services held.

Frank Israel, 76, of Suisan, Calif., a retired master sergeant with the U.S. Air Force, died Feb. 10 in Northbay Hospital in Suisan, Calif. He was born in Hawaii. He is survived by daughter Marianne Jennings; brothers Benjamin and Patrick; sisters Josephine Castro, Sylvia Ribaya, Thelma Fernandez and Dorothy Lozano, and a granddaughter. Mass: noon tomorrow at the Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa. Call from 10 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Burial: Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery.

Edward M. Kaida, 72, of Honolulu, a retired captain for the Honolulu Fire Department, Station 10, died Sunday in Straub Hospital. He is survived by wife Angela; son Edward Jr.; daughter Dr. Jana K. Silva; stepson Roy Chung; sister Katherine Yee, and six grandchildren. Mass: 9 a.m. Saturday at Sacred Hearts Parish, 1701 Wilder Ave. Call after 8 a.m. Burial: Hawaiian Memorial Park. Aloha attire.

Wayne R.P. Kauka, 70, of Kaneohe, a mechanic with Dole Cannery, died Friday in Kailua. He was born in Honolulu. He is survived by wife Violet L.O.; sons William, Keith, Garry and Melvin Lau; daughter Caroldine Gonzales; sister Momi Harris, 16 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Services: 12:15 p.m. Tuesday at Hawaiian Memorial Park Mortuary. Call after 9:30 a.m. Burial to follow. Casual attire.

Estrella J. “Esther” Lagutan, 47, of Pahoa, Hawaii, a proprietor of Lagutan Farms, died Jan. 30 in Queen's Hospital. She weas born in the Philippines. She is survived by husband Pedro; son Johnson; daughters Janette and Jennifer; mother Leona Juan; sister Aida Lozada; brother Jean Juan, and a granddaughter. Wake services: 7 p.m. Sunday at Dodo Mortuary. Call after 5 p.m. Burial services: 10 a.m. Monday at the Church of the Holy Apostles. Burial: Hawaii Veterans Cemetery No. 2. Casual attire.

Ward J.A. Lemn III, 27, of Kaaawa was born in Honolulu. He is survived by brother Alvin K. Nishimura. Incorrect information in an obituary published yesterday was provided by the mortuary.

Ethel Y. Miura, 77, of Honolulu, a retired operations officer for First Hawaiian Bank Kapiolani branch, died Feb. 10. She was born in Honolulu. She is survived by husband Goro; son Gary; brother Satoru “Joe” Amaki, and sisters Ruth Takai, Jane Nakagawa and Florence Seto. Private services.

Margaret H. Murata, 93, of Honolulu died Monday in St. Francis Hospice. She was born in Kealia, Kauai. She is survived by son Clarence M.; daughters Edith S. “Sumi” Asari and Janet S. Ochiai; brothers Shigeru and Larry H. Suehiro; sisters Alice Kato and Michie Tanaka; four grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Services: 4 p.m. tomorrow at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. Casual attire. No flowers.

Mitsuko F. Naito, 80, of Kapaau, Hawaii, a retired proprietress for H. Naito Store Inc., died last Thursday in Hilo Hospital. She was born in Kohala, Hawaii. She is survived by son Herbert; daughters Nanette Umeda and Eleanor Nakahara; brother Tadao Saito; sister Ayano Nagata, and four grandchildren. Services: 2 p.m. Saturday at Kohala Jodo Mission. Call after 1 p.m.

Ethel H. Ogata, 85, of Honolulu died Saturday at home. She was born in Haleiwa. She is survived by sons Ronald and Randall; daughters Joyce Yoshino and Lorene Furutani; brother Yoshio Yoshioka, and nine grandchildren. Memorial services: noon Sunday at Nuuanu Mortuary. Casual attire. No flowers.

William F. Pierson, 65, of Pukalani, Hawaii, a retired deputy sheriff, died Friday in Maui Memorial Hospital. He was born in Los Angeles. He is survived by wife Sharon R.; daughters Lorna Soberano and Laura Pierson; stepsons Terry Felix and Dennis, David and Mark Manning; stepdaughters Ailona Stucci, Denise Bradbury and Misty Griffiths; sister Rita Lewis, and 17 grandchildren. Private services.

Delna K.Y.M. “Tita” Roxburgh, 39, of Hawi, Hawaii, an accountant for Mauna Lani Resort, died Saturday at home. She was born in Kohala, Hawaii. She is survived by husband Francis A.; sons Krieg and Glen; daughter Summer; brother Craig Miura; sister Evan Tolentino, and two grandchildren. Memorial services: 4 p.m. Saturday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Honomakau Ward, in Hawi. Call after 3 p.m. Inurnment: 2 p.m. Monday at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Punchbowl. Casual attire.

Masao “Charlie” Sasada, 89, of Kahului died Monday in Maui Memorial Hospital. He was born in Puunene, Maui. He is survived by sons Stanley and Wayne; daughters Eva A. Dull and Iris Matsuda; brothers Satoru Sasada and Masaru Fukuda; 21 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren. Services: 4:30 p.m. tomorrow at Kahului Hongwanji Mission. Inurnment: 9:30 a.m. Monday at Maui Memorial Park. Casual attire.

Eva A.C. Song, 90, of Honolulu died Jan. 31 in Straub Hospital. She was born in North Kohala, Hawaii. She is survived by daughter Ruth Hubbard; brother Philip Hahn; sister Shin Ho Kim, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Private services.

Tamashi Sumida, 84, of Hana, Maui, a retired supervisor for Maui Electric Co., died Monday at home. He is survived by wife Sumie “Sally”; son Ralph K.; daughters Myrna S. Costello and Lorna R. Ogata; brothers Kazuo, Yukio and Sandy, 11 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Services: 11 a.m. Saturday at Nakamura Mortuary. Call after 9 a.m. Burial: Maui Memorial Park. Casual attire.

Nancy C. Tamanaha, 73, of Honolulu died last Thursday in Pohai Nani Nursing Home. She was born in Kahaluu. She is survived by husband Masaru and brother Genchu “Tad” Tonaki. Services: noon Sunday at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. Casual attire. No flowers.

Hazel E. Taylor, 87, of Honolulu died Feb. 9 in Honolulu. She was born in Horsehads, N.Y. She is survived by daughters Georgia Moncada and Linda Knowles; sisters Verda Peterisin and Dortha Golley; brother Carlson Weaver, six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Services at a later date.

Felicita G. “Linda” Torres, 64, of Mililani, a child-caregiver in Waipahu and Mililani, died Feb. 3 in Wahiawa General Hospital. She was born in Hilo. She is survived by husband Fernando P. “Freddy”; sons Malcolm G. Liwai and John F. Jr., Marvin and Ricky Torres; daughters Marie Kauhako, Thalia Yacapin and Denise Higa; brothers Albert, Gilbert, Johnny and Leslie Guzman; sisters Sophie Hernandez, Patricia Guzman, Emalia Galius and Alberta Cachuela, 12 grandchildren and a great-grandchild. Wake services: 6 p.m. Saturday at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio, makai chapel. Call after 5 p.m. Casual attire.

Brutus T. Uemoto, also known as Tadao Uemoto, 84, of Honolulu, a retired laborer, died Feb. 4 in Kapiolani Hospital at Pali Momi. He was born in Honohina, Hawaii. He is survived by sisters Chiyono Yasunaga and Michiyo Oshima. Private services.

Douglas S. Victorino, 58, of Kona, Hawaii, a property manager at the Keauhou Shopping Center, died Monday in Kona Community Hospital. He was a U.S. Army veteran. He was born in Lihue, Kauai. He is survived by wife Victoria; daughters Kimberly Manuel and Joy Motta; mother Minnie, and sister Marlene Kauo. Memorial services: 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Michael's Catholic Church on Alii Drive in Kailua-Kona. Scattering of the ashes at sea. His boat, the “Wikilani,” will depart from Honokohau Harbor. Aloha attire. Loose flowers and leis welcome.

Raymond H. Yamasaki, 47, of Honolulu, died Friday in Tripler Hospital. He was born in Honolulu. He is survived by mother Yaeko; brother Robert T., and sister Sally K. Nishimura. Memorial services: 10 a.m. Sunday at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. Casual attire. No flowers.

Thomas K. “Fat” Yamashiro, 64, of Santa Ana, Calif., a U.S. Marine Corps retiree, died Feb. 2. He was born in Heeia. He is survived by wife Umeko; daughter Mary Held; son Thomas; brothers Fred and Samuel; sisters Jennie Lau, Eleanor McCabe and Janet Shiroma, and four grandchildren. Private services.

Daisy K.K. Young, 83, of Kona, Hawaii, died Sunday in Kona Community Hospital. She was born in South Kona. She is survived by son Charles; hanai son Osmar N. Kaapana; daughters Daisy Fujimoto, Mary Jane Luna, Pearl Yasuhara, Barbara Schmitt and Sandra Duarte; sister Mary Valera, 26 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren. Wake services: 7:30 p.m. tomorrow at Assembly of God Church in Kona. Call from 7 to 9 p.m. Services: 10 a.m. Saturday at Dodo Mortuary. Call after 9 a.m. Burial: Homelani Memorial Park. Aloha attire.