Stubenberg’s equipment
By Peter Wagner
changed state’s sugar,
pineapple industries
Star-BulletinHe was born on a Oahu plantation with the aid of a Hawaiian midwife. His ashes will be scattered off Laie with the blessing of a Hawaiian priest.
"He's going to go out the way he came in," said Jim Stubenberg, son of noted engineer and designer Arthur D. Stubenberg.
Stubenberg died Wednesday at Straub Hospital after a brief illness. He was 78.
"He's probably the nicest guy I've ever met," Jim Stubenberg said of his father. "He had a lot of friends."
Arthur D. Stubenberg -- like his own father, Arthur F. Stubenberg -- was considered a pioneer in the mechanization of Hawaii's sugar and pineapple industries. His company, Stubenberg Co., designed and made heavy equipment that improved productivity here and abroad.
The senior Stubenberg, Arthur F. Stubenberg, a former director of Castle & Cooke Inc., came to Hawaii in 1917 and died in 1979. He headed Kunia Plantation on Oahu when his son, Arthur D. Stubenberg, was born in 1921.
"He and my father really mechanized the whole thing," said Jim Stubenberg.
"They were there at the right time because plantation labor was getting more expensive and it was getting harder for sugar to pay for itself, even with the federal subsidies."
Arthur D. Stubenberg graduated from Roosevelt High School and attended the University of Hawaii. He served with the Army 476th Engineer Company during World War II.
His machines were exported to sugar plantations in South America and Africa.
He also founded Hawaii Fluid Power Corp., which specialized in hydraulic engineering for agricultural equipment.
"I do have early recollections of him coming home covered with grease from head to foot," said Jim Stubenberg.
In later years, he served as a consultant to numerous agricultural operations in Hawaii, including Hamakua Sugar Co. on the Big Island and Oils of Aloha in Waialua.
The Hawaiian Sugar Technologists awarded him a Distinguished Service Membership in 1982.
He is survived by his wife, Ann; sons James and David; daughter Joanne; brother Stanley; sister Mary Ireton; six grandchildren and one great-grandson.
A seashore service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday at 55-321C Kamehameha Highway in Laie. Donations may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Peter K. Ahuna, 86, of Kaneohe, a patriarch evangelist of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is also survived by stepsons Reginald, Richard and Edward Wong and Frederick and Edward Pang; stepdaughters Lavinia Martinez and Bertha Moses; and 21 stepgrandchildren. Services: 10 a.m. Friday at the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1666 Mott-Smith Drive. Call after 8 a.m. Additional information for an obituary published yesterday provided by the mortuary. James E. "Big Jim" Alana, 44, a retired correctional officer at Halawa Correctional Facility for the state Department of Public Safety, died Aug. 8. He is survived by sons Richard Aki, Robert Mielke, Dexter Choy, Arthur Suverkropp, Jeff Kamanaha and Ernie Martin. Services: 9 a.m. Friday at Hawaiian Memorial Park Mortuary. Call after 8:30 a.m. Burial: Hawaiian Memorial Park.
Geminiano Alinsunurin, 80, of Pearl City, died Aug. 5 in the Philippines. Born in the Philippines, he is survived by wife Angeles; sons Conrado and Allan; daughters Leovina Stiles, Maria Lourdes Mendoza and Tomasa Angeles; 14 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. Services: 7 p.m. Friday at Our Lady of the Mount Catholic Church. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Mass: 9 a.m. Saturday at the church. Call from 8 to 10 a.m. Burial: Valley of the Temples. Aloha attire.
Carolyn M.B. Apaka-Kawaauhau, 56, of Honolulu, a former star of Waikiki hotel aquacade shows, died Aug. 6. She was also owner of a bookkeeping firm, The Numbers Game. She is survived by mother Edna B. Apaka, son Keith E. Tario and brother Jeffrey A. Apaka. Services: 8 a.m. Aug. 28 in front of Duke's Canoe House Restaurant on Waikiki Beach. Scattering of ashes: on board the catamaran Na Hoku. Donations suggested to charity.
Craig W. Easom, 47, of Waipahu, died Wednesday. Born in Honolulu, he is survived by mother Judith, father Welton, brother Dexter and sister Lorna. Private services.
Esperanza P. Echauz, 88, of Honolulu died Thursday in Honolulu. Born in Occidental, the Philippines, she is survived by sons Pancrasio, Carlos, Mariano, Rogelio, Antonio and Nicasio; daughters Leticia Ching, Elisa Tan, Elsie Perks, Lucila Robles and Lolita Ching; sisters Expectacion Porral and Flora Pasteras; 32 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren. Mass: 7 tonight at Holy Family Church. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Cremation to follow. Inurnment in the Philippines. Casual attire.
Willard M. "Bill" Eller, 80, of Paukukalo, Maui, a retired mechanical engineer for Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co., died Wednesday at home. Born in Moscow, Idaho, he is survived by sons Willard "Jack" and Tom, three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Memorial services: 5 p.m. Friday at Nakamura Mortuary. Call after 4:30 p.m. Graveside services: Monday at Homelani Memorial Park. Casual attire. In lieu of flowers, donations suggested to Maui Shrine Club, P.O. Box 330323, Kahului, HI 96732 or charity.
Kikumo Fujikawa, 81, of Keei, Hawaii, died Friday in Kuakini Hospital. Born in Kealakekua, Hawaii, she is survived by son Bert, daughters Amy Hanaoka and Gail Matsuda, brothers Satoshi and Sueto Iwasaki, sisters Nobue Teshima and Satoe Kawano, five grandchildren, and a great-grandchild. Services: 5 p.m. Friday at Kona Hongwanji Mission. Call after 4 p.m.
Yukinori "Cotton" Fujioka, 77, of Honolulu, a retired automobile salesman for Servco Pacific, died Wednesday in Kaiser Hospital. Born in Waiakea-Hilo, Hawaii, he is survived by wife Doris T., sons Terence Y. and Ricky N., daughters Penny Lou N. Mau and Jerolyn Fujioka-Wickstrom, brothers John M. and Yoshito, sisters Bernice K. Yamada and Miyoko Sato, and four grandchildren. Memorial services: 1 p.m. Sunday at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. Call after noon. Aloha attire. No flowers.
Yoneichi Kosora, 94, of Kurtistown, Hawaii, a retired truck driver for Puna Sugar, died Wednesday in Hilo Hospital. He is survived by wife Ochito, sons Danny and Jerry, daughter Shirley Hirakami and Pepe Hernandez, three grandchildren, and a great-grandchild. Services held.
Hilda F.H. Larobis, 61, of Waimanalo, died Aug. 3 in Waimanalo. Born in Pahala, Kau, she is survived by husband Frederick; daughters Laurie Renken and Terri Larobis; sons Frederick Jr. and Jeffrey; sister Jessie Marks; brothers William, Severino, Abraham and Alvin Amalato; and five grandchildren. Services: 7 p.m. Friday at St. George Catholic Church. Call from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Call from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Mass: 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the church. Call after 9 a.m. Burial: Hawaiian Memorial Park.
Beatrice P. Lum, 94, of Honolulu, died Sunday in St. Francis Hospice. Born in Honolulu, she is survived by daughters Flora Thong, Laura Lum and Leonora Hiu; sister Myrtle P. Tom; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Mass: 11:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Patrick Catholic Church. Call after 10:45 a.m. Burial: Diamond Head Memorial Park. No flowers.
Wallace J. Manley, of Lihue, a retired attorney, died Friday at home. He is survived by wife Karoline "Carol"; sons Steven, Timothy and Christopher; daughters Melinda and Lisa; and seven grandchildren. Private scattering of ashes.
Kazuo Marumoto, 83, of Kaneohe, a retired heavy equipment operator for Finance Home Builders, died Friday in Castle Hospital. Born in Laie, he is survived by wife Elaine Y.; son Walton "Wally"; daughters Grace Marumoto, Linda Tanaka and Sharlene Yogi; brothers Iwao and Yuichi; sisters Toshiko Inouye, Hisayo Kaneyuki, Mitsuyo Fujinaka, Marion Shimaoka and Tami Lee; and four grandchildren. Services: 6 p.m. Friday at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. Aloha attire. No flowers.
Takeo Namba, 88, of Kaneohe, died Aug. 6 in Kuakini Hospital. Born in Kurtistown, Hawaii, he is survived by wife Shimae, daughters Kimiko Donlon and Naomi S. and Marilyn T. Namba, five grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and a great-great-grandson. Private services.
Chieko M. Palumbo, 74, of Honolulu, a retired classified sales representative at Hawaii Newspaper Agency, died Wednesday in Straub Hospital. Born in Kamakani, Kauai, she is survived by son Paul; daughters Patricia Jackson, Mary Rin Yee and Helen and Brenda Palumbo; brothers Sadao and Dennis Miyagi; sisters Mineko Burtch, Yvonne Sharpless, Linda Naumu and Ella Hink; and eight grandchildren. Mass: 6:30 p.m. Thursday at St. Philomena Church. Call after 6 p.m. Private burial. Casual attire.
Donald D.N. Park, 85, of Honolulu, a retired cement mason, died Saturday in Queen's Hospital. Born in Honolulu, he is survived by wife Helen K., son Dean, daughter Sandra Nobunaga, brother Derrick, sisters Beatrice and Barbara Kim and three grandsons. Services: 10 a.m. Friday at Borthwick Mortuary. Call after 9 a.m. Private burial. Aloha attire.
Glenn R. Petty, 83, of Kailua, who retired from Armour & Co., died Wednesday. Born in Noble, Ill., he is survived by daughter Leslie Adams, and four grandchildren. Military burial: 2 p.m. Thursday at the Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery. Donations suggested to the Aloha Temple Hospital Patient Transportation Fund. Casual attire.
Val Raneses, 97, of Kaneohe, who retired from Bank of Hawaii, Hilo branch, died Wednesday in Leahi Hospital. Born in Ilocos Norte, the Philippines, he is survived by sons Robert and Alika, five grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. Services: 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Borthwick Mortuary. Call from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Burial: Hawaiian Memorial Park. Aloha attire. No flowers.
Kazuto Sawa, 88, of Honolulu, a retired mechanic for Universal Motors, died Aug. 4 in St. Francis Hospice. Born in Ewa, he is survived by wife Mitsuru, son Edwin, daughters Carol Sawa and Velma Tsuda, brother Masato, sister Shizuyo Ishida, and four grandchildren. Private services.
Tsutayo Tanita, 97, of Hilo, died July 16 in Life Care Center of Hilo. Born in Hiroshima, Japan, she is survived by sons Fred, Yoshio and Tadashi; daughters Mary S. Honma, Helen A. Fujisaki and Aileen Tottori; brother Katsumi Okubo; 12 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. Private services.
Carolynne M.J. Teves, 63, of Kailua, a retired registered nurse with state Department of Health, died Friday in Kaiser Hospital. Born in Honolulu, she is survived by companion Alfredo R. Tagab; daughters Mary Rose and Marla Anne P. Teves and Marlene Mae Pilares; brothers Lucius Jr. and Leonard Jenkins; sisters Sr. Regina Mary Jenkins, Luella Malkin and Clarissa "Chris" Moku; and four grandchildren. Mass: noon Saturday at St. John Vianney Church. Call after 9 a.m. Rosary: 9 a.m. Burial: Hawaiian Memorial Park. Aloha attire.
Clinton C.W. Tom, 70, of Honolulu, died Wednesday in Kuakini Hospital. Born in Honolulu, he is survived by wife Ellen, son Dr. Russell, daughters Alison Ching and Lisa Spencer, mother Bernice, brother Frederick, sisters Evelyn and Maureen Tyau, and six grandchildren. Services: 10:45 a.m. Friday at Borthwick Mortuary. Call after 9 a.m. Burial: Hawaiian Memorial Park. Casual attire. No flowers.
Frank Van Gieson Jr., 77, of Honolulu, a retired plant superintendent from Kaiser Cement Co., died Saturday in Queen's Hospital. Born in Honolulu, he is survived by wife Marilyn; son Michael; daughters Kathleen Lawton and Sharleen Nakamura; sisters Sylvia Underwood, Faustina Sitton and Geraldine Klein; and three grandchildren. Memorial services: 6 p.m. Thursday at Harris United Methodist Church. Casual attire. No flowers.
Wesley O. Walker, 74, formerly of Honolulu, died Wednesday in Clackamas, Ore. Born in Long Beach, Calif., he is survived by wife Canzada; daughter Martha Howell; sons Denny, Gary and Jimmy; sister Amert Randall; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Services held.
You can also search the Hawaii State Library System's
Hawaii Newspaper Index online for older obituaries at:
http://www.hcc.hawaii.edu/education/hcc/library/hiindex.html
The index, which goes back several decades,
is available via Telnet software.
