Obituaries

Monday, March 29, 1999

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Petrus Tun took a lead
in federating Micronesia

By Susan Kreifels
Star-Bulletin

The first vice president of the Federated States of Micronesia, a strong voice in creating the independent nation in 1979, was buried Saturday (yesterday in Hawaii) in his home island of Yap.

Petrus Tun, 64, died last Monday in Tripler Hospital. Tun had been heading economic negotiations during talks with the United States on new compact funding for the Federated States of Micronesia.

He received his degree through the East-West Center at the University of Hawaii in 1964.

Tun became the first vice president of his country in 1979 when it changed from a U.S. trust territory of the Pacific Islands to an independent nation under an agreement called the Compact of Free Association.

In 1970 as talks stalemated between the Micronesian islands and the United States on a new political status, it was Tun, then a senator in the Congress of Micronesia, who urged the sides to go back to the negotiation table.

Tun also served as governor of Yap, one of the most traditional island groups in Micronesia, from 1986 to 1994. He was an advocate of preserving Yapese culture and tradition as tourism developed in the Western Pacific islands.

Taylor G. Bayles, 62, of Gresham, Ore., formerly of Kailua, a retired naval chief petty officer, died March 18 in Bellingham, Wash. He was also a former owner of Air Filter Sales-Hawaii. He was born in Farmerville, La. He is survived by wife Genevieve; children Ollie, Neil, Wendy, Mark, Carey and Kristin; a brother; two sisters; 16 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Memorial services: noon Thursday at Kualoa Beach Park.

Nora Chew Kau Chun, 80, of Honolulu, a retired Liberty House sales clerk, died March 22 at Queen's Hospital. She was born in Honolulu. She is survived by husband David; son Stephen; daughter Phyllis Lau; sisters Betty Chang, Alma Yee, Florence Young, Eunice Kyle, Gertrude Chun and Brenda Pang, and two granddaughters. Services: 10 a.m. Thursday at Diamond Head Mortuary. Call after 9 a.m. Burial to follow at Diamond Head Memorial Park. Casual attire. No flowers.

Jerry DeLima, Jr., 88, a retired blacksmith, died March 24 at the Hilo Medical Center. He was born in Hakalau, Hawaii. He also worked as a welder for Old Flintcote Company and a millwright for Campbell & Burns. He is survived by wife Hilda; son Ronald; daughter Dolores Oskins; brothers Alexander, Richard and Howard; sisters Inez Markell, Hilda Cugene and Eleanor DeLima; stepmother Lydia; hanai sons Vernon Madeiros, Robin DeLima, Arnold DeLima, Rodney DeLima, Michael Oskins, Mark Oskins and Melvin Oskins; hanai daughters Johnalynn Hanohano, Renee DeLima and Alicia Kekela, 26 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren. Mass: 12:15 p.m. Wednesday at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Hilo. Call: 8:30 a.m. to noon. Burial to follow at Homelani Memorial Park. Casual attire. No flowers.

Hisako Bugawa Hirata, 86, of Honolulu, a homemaker, died March 21 at Kuakini Geriatric Care, Inc. She was born in Fresno, Calif. She is survived by husband James; son Ernest; daughters Alma Minato, Marion Jean Tansey and Linda Hirata; sisters Ayako Kinoshita and Yoshiko Fujimoto, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Services: 6 p.m. Thursday at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. Call after 5 p.m. No flowers. Aloha attire.

Kimiko “Edna” Kaneshiro, 77, of Waimanalo, a homemaker, died March 21 at her home. She was born in Waialua. She is survived by sons Eric, Jason, Paul and Cyrus; daughters Lois Arakawa, Gerry Ho, Sarah Nakagawa and Marie Kaneshiro; brothers Minoru and Masao Yone shige; sisters Shizuko Yamashita and Violet Matsumoto, and nine grandchildren. Services were private.

Hosea “Randolph” Kekauoha, 86, of Laie, a retired painter, died Wednesday in Laie. He was born in Laie. He is survived by sons Samuel, Randolph, William and Hosea Kekauoha and Johnny and Gabriel Nauahi; daughters Helen Kahawaii, Mary Jones, Henrietta Rudisill and Evangeline Miller; 32 grandchildren, 67 great-grandchildren and five great- great-grandchildren. Services: 7 p.m. Thursday at Hawaiian Memorial Park Mortuary. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Services: 11 a.m. Friday at Laie North Stake Center, Laie Sixth Ward. Call after 9 a.m. Burial: Laie Cemetery. Aloha attire.

Edward A.O. “Pops” Tom Ling, 89, of Honolulu, who retired from the U.S. Coast Guard, died March 20. He was born in Kuoloa, Hawaii. He is survived by daughters Faye Chee and Jo Ann Nunley; brother Ernest “Aku”; sister Annie Alana, and four grandchildren. Services: 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at Nuuanu Mortuary. Call after 10 a.m. Burial: Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery. Casual attire.

Trinidad L. Paschal, 74, of Honolulu, a retired registered nurse, died Thursday. She was born in Pahala, Hawaii. She is survived by her daughter Bonnie Collier; sons Paul and Phillip Quiban; brothers Franklin and Vidal Lining; sisters Ruth Galvez, Lillian Dose and Ruby Hopkins, 13 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Services: 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Borthwick Mortuary. Call: 9 a.m. to noon. Cremation to follow. Casual attire. No flowers. Private inurnment.

Zoe C. “Muggins” Thomas, 89, of Kaneohe died Sunday in Kaneohe. She was born in Honolulu. She is survived by daughters Beverly Oliveira and Jereen Thomas; five grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and nine great-great-grandchildren. Private services.

Bertha P.M. Yamashiro, 81, of Mililani, a retired Holiday Inn Waikiki supervisor, died March 18. She was born in Honolulu. She is survived by husband Richard; sons Douglas and James Miyashiro; daughters Marianne Hee and June Yamashiro; brothers Robert, Philip and Richard Mendiola; nine grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and six great-great- grandchildren. Services: 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at Diamond Head Mortuary. Call after 9:30 a.m. Graveside services: Diamond Head Memorial Park. Casual attire.