Obituaries

Monday, May 17, 1999

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Services slated
Saturday for isle
big band leader
A.W. Duke Heatherly

By Lori Tighe
Star-Bulletin

They called him "Brother Duke."

Musician and big band leader for more than 60 years in Hawaii, A.W. Duke Heatherly Jr., died May 5 in Kaneohe. He was 81.

He had provided Hawaii and locations overseas with the big band sound and ballroom dance music since the mid-30s as orchestra leader of Duke Heatherly's Penthouse Orchestra.

Heatherly also orchestrated the Penthouse Serenaders, Penthouse Trio and Penthouse Five. His theme song was "Penthouse Serenade."

He played in all the major hotels, lounges, military base clubs, hospitals and local high schools.

Heatherly worked with a number of big band musicians, including Randy Oness, Buddy Peterson, Chuck Roberts, Freckles Lyons and Alvin K. Isaacs, to name a few.

He also wrote songs such as "Heather," "Please Don't Say Goodbye," "When I First Met You" and others.

Heatherly belonged to the Musicians' Association of Honolulu, Local 677, for more than 50 years and served as the union's sergeant-at-

arms. He always provided the music for the Hawaii Irish community's annual Emerald Ball.

As a Fourth Degree member of the Knights of Columbus for more than 60 years, Heatherly was a past Grand Knight of our Lady of Peace Council No. 5000. He also served in Bishop John J. Scanlan's honor guard at religious functions. He participated in the Knights' newsletter, and radio and television shows.

For more than 20 years, he also was known as Santa Claus to thousands of Maryknoll Grade School students, including his grandchildren.

He was born in New Haven, N.C. He came to Hawaii in 1935 as a member of the U.S. Army Wolfhounds, D Company, 27th Infantry.

Heatherly is survived by his wife Blanche; children Richard, Robert and Roy Heatherly, Kathleen Peters and Heather Fujikawa; sister Mickey Serfass; step-sister Polly Atkinson, 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Services are scheduled for 9:45 a.m. Saturday at Sacred Hearts Catholic Church. Friends may call after 8 a.m. Burial will be at noon at Hawaiian Memorial Park Cemetery. Aloha attire.

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Lydia Ibarrientos Balbuena, 63, of Wahiawa, retired from Mililani Waena Elementary School, died May 6 at University Medical Center in Las Vegas. She was born in the Philippines. She is survived by husband Augosto; mother Marta Desquitado, and brothers and sisters Teodora Barrientos, Carmen Morales, Lourdes Sadang, Virginia Bio, Antonio Desquitado, Pebrito Desquitado and Jim Desquitado. Service: 7 p.m. Wednesday at Mililani Mortuary Makai Chapel. Call: 6 to 9 p.m. at the chapel. Casual attire. Burial will take place in the Philippines at a later date.

Enrique Asuncion Curammeng, 65, of Honolulu, retired from American Electric, died May 12 at Kuakini Medical Center. He was born in the Philippines. He is survived by his wife Virginia; sons Charles, Adonis and Noel; daughter Marlyn Manuel; brothers Gregorio and Juanito; sister Serafina Tolentino, and a granddaughter. Service: 7 p.m. Thursday at Nuuanu Memorial Park Mortuary. Call: 6 to 9 p.m. Service: 9:30 a.m. Friday at the mortuary. Call after 8 a.m. Burial to follow at Valley of the Temples Memorial Park.

Nancy Toshie Hamada, 77, of Pahala, Hawaii, died May 14 at Kuakini Medical Center. She was born in Kealakekua-Kona, Hawaii. She is survived by son Richard Y. Hirata; daughter Evelyn Mendoza; brother Robert Oshima, sisters Gladys Kumagai, Edna Forcum and Yaeko Maltezo; six grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. Service: 4 p.m. Wednesday at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. Call after 3 p.m. No flowers. Aloha attire.

Sueko “Sue” Ikeuchi 94, of Keopuka, Kona, a retired housekeeper, died May 13 at Kona Community Hospital. She was born in Honokaa, Hawaii. She is survived by son Lyle; daughters Yaeko Kobata, Taeko Ikenaga and Constance Amano; 10 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. Service: 5 p.m. Thursday at Kona Hongwanji Mission. Call after 4 p.m. Casual attire. No flowers.

Shizu Tamanaha, 93, of Honolulu, a retired crusher at Dole Cannery, died May 12 at Kuakini Geriatric Care Inc. She was born in Tsuha, Okinawa. She is survived by sons Shigeo, Kiyoshi, Henry, Thomas and Roy; daughter Janet Kaneshiro; sister Haruko Gaza, 12 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. Service: 8 p.m. Thursday at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. Call after 7 p.m. No flowers. Casual attire.

Anna Gibb Tenneyson 60, of Hawaiian Ocean View Estate, Hawaii, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and a retired artist, died May 12 at her home. She was born in Kingston, Luzerne, Penn. She is survived by husband William; son Scott; daughter Misty Dornon; sister Mary Swaboski, and two grandchildren. Services will be private.