H. Ezra Wolff, 80,
Star-Bulletin staff
helped establish PALH. Ezra Wolff, 80, of Honolulu, a retired U.S. customs official who died Sept. 10, is remembered as a star outfielder in the old Hawaii Baseball League.
He was born in Honolulu. He was a 16-year veteran of the Honolulu Police Department who helped establish the Police Activities League in the late 1940s.
He worked out an arrangement for boys in PAL clubs to sell tickets to HBL games with money raised going to the clubs. Wolff later became PAL baseball field director.
PAL in its early days was credited with reducing delinquency on Oahu.
Wolff was regarded as an outstanding hitter with HBL in the 1940s. Although he had a career in law enforcement, he remained close to baseball, becoming Roosevelt High School head baseball coach while a police officer in 1947 and pioneering in his PAL work later.
As special agent in charge of enforcement with U.S. Customs, Wolff led investigations into a number of high-profile drug, counterfeiting and gambling cases in the 1970s.
He is survived by his wife, Hariette; daughter Beverly Harbin; sons Michael and Dean, and four grandchildren.
Services are at 1 p.m. Tuesday in Oahu Cemetery. Inurnment to follow, aloha attire.
Momi Kai dies at 86
Petra C. Bagasol, 87, of Wahiawa, who retired from Dole Co., died Sept. 7 in Kaiser Hospital. She was born in the Philippines. She is survived by sons Faustino "Tino" and Bernardo "Bernie"; sisters Silvina C. Oallesma and Selestina C. Lacro, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Wake services: 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio, mauka chapel. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Services: 10:15 a.m. Monday at the mortuary. Call after 8:30 a.m. Burial: Mililani Memorial Park. Casual attire.
Hilario "Larry" Cariaga, 64, of Ewa Beach, a maintenance supervisor with Pearlridge Center, died Saturday in St. Francis-West Hospital. He was born in Lahaina, Maui. He is survived by wife Sylvia; daughters Suzanne DeVera and Sally Cariaga-Taneyo; sons David and Michael; brothers Jose and Alfred; sisters Loretta Landkammer and Maria Aquino, and three grandsons. Services: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Borthwick Mortuary. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Mass: 11 a.m. Wednesday at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Ewa Beach. Call after 9 a.m. Burial: Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery. Aloha attire.
John H. Davis, 51, of Honolulu, minister of the Universal Life Church, died Aug. 13 in Honolulu. He was born in Birmington, Wash. He is survived by friends. Services held.
Helen L. Escalante, 61, of Kapolei died Tuesday in Ewa Beach. She was born in the Philippines. She is survived by sons Alfredo Ascunsion and Samuel and David Capistrano; daughter Liberty Herr and Sarah Capistrano; mother Felisan Laganzo; sister Eleonor Kring, and brother Esagani Escalante. Services held.
Marilyn "Midge" Farmar, 73, of Newport Beach, Calif., who was retired, died Wednesday in Honolulu. She is survived by husband Philip; daughters Georgia Gardner-Guth and Marilyn Allemann, and two grandsons. Services on the mainland. Donations in her memory suggested to the Children's Hospital of Orange County.
Yaeko Fujii, 79, of Honolulu died yesterday at home. She was born in Lahaina, Maui. She is survived by daughters Evelyn Nakamura and Jeannie and Louella Fujii; sisters Satsuyo Nakamura, Asayo Ishizaka, Hanako Kuioka and Yasuko Tamashiro, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Memorial services: 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Borthwick Mortuary. Burial: National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Punchbowl. Casual attire. No flowers.
Van Court M. Hare III, 70, of Amherst and formerly of Hawaii, professor in the School of Management at the the University of Massachusetts, died Aug. 28 at home. He was born in Memphis, Tenn. He is survived by wife Joan; son Van Court M. IV; daughters H. Bailey Ledesma, Cynthia Beckert and E. Doane Hare, and three grandchildren. Services: 10 a.m. tomorrow at the Honolulu Elks Lodge, Waikiki. Aloha attire. Memorial gifts suggested to the Boy Scouts of America, Great Trails Council Endowment Fund, 88 Old Windsor Road, Dalton, Mass. 01226.
April T. Hirono, 74, of Honolulu, a retired budget clerk for the U.S. Navy, Commander Submarine Pacific, died Wednesday in Kaiser Hospital. She was born in Honolulu. She is survived by daughters Faye and Eileen; brother William Hamaguchi, and sisters Ayako Matsumoto and Joan Mukai. Memorial services: 6 p.m. Tuesday at Hosoi Garden Mortuary.
Charles M. Hodai, 73, of Honolulu, a retired pipefitter for Hawaiian Electric Co., died Saturday in Queen's Hospital. He was born in Honolulu. He is survived by wife Saeko; daughters Liane, Doreen and Sherry, and sisters Michiyo Itagaki, Clara Ichiriu and Dora Matsuoka. Memorial services: 6:30 p.m. Monday at Mililani Downtown Mortuary. Call after 6 p.m. Casual attire. No flowers.
Gerald E.K. Hodson, 62, of Wahiawa, a former employee of the Wahiawa Rapid Transit, died Saturday in Wahiawa General Hospital. He was born in Honolulu. He is survived by father Wallace J. Estenes and brother Randell W.K. Memorial services: 11:30 a.m. Sunday at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio, makai chapel. Call after 10:30 a.m. Casual attire. No flowers.
Yasuo B. Ishikawa, 96, of Hilo, a retired math teacher at Hilo High School, died Aug. 31 in Hilo Hospital. He was born in Hookena, Hawaii. He is survived by wife Ayano; daughters Aiko L. Doi and Winnie I. Ishigo; brother Tomoo; sisters Yoshi A. Kimura and Dorothy Hamada, six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Private services. No flowers. No monetary gifts.
Hilda Kawai, 83, of California and formerly of Waimea, Hawaii, died Tuesday in Mercy San Juan Hospital. She was born in Hawaii. She is survived by son Tony Ferreira; daughters Gerri Ferreira and Betty Jane Cypriano; brother Eddie Souza, five grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Services: 11 a.m. Wednesday at Homelani Memorial Park Mausoleum. Entombment to follow. Casual attire. Flowers welcome.
Bing Wah Lee, 79, of Honolulu, a retired machinist, died Sept. 8 in Honolulu. He was born in China. He is survived by sisters Seet Fai L. Kan and Mary L. Ching. Services held. Burial: Hawaiian Memorial Park.
Frances C. Lemn, 60, of Kaaawa, a stationary clerk with Hawaiian Electric Co., died Sept. 8 in Kaaawa. She was born in Hawaii. She is survived by husband Ward J. Jr; sons Alvin P.K. Kaohu Nishimura and Harry J.O. Lemn; daughters Debbie M. Kaohu Kanekua, Wendy Ann K. Macaluso and MaryAnn K. Lemn; brothers Kim Mansfield and Clifford Stein; sister Barbara Francisco, and 15 grandchildren. Services: 7:30 tonight at Hawaiian Memorial Park Mortuary. Call after 5:30 p.m. Cremation to follow.
Eugene Lithgow, 66, of Kailua died Wednesday in Castle Hospital. He was born in Huntington, N.Y. He is survived by sons Charles and Eugene Jr.; daughters Marie Pekelo, Naomi Lithgow-Foidl and Michelle Osborne; brother Douglas; sisters Kathleen DiLauro and Lorraine Kelly, and six grandchildren. Graveside services: 2 p.m. Monday at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Punchbowl. Casual attire.
Barbara Jean Malia, 67, of Honolulu died Aug. 26 in Maluhia Long Term Care Health Center. She was born in Honolulu. She is survived by son Ned; daughters Doreen Fernandez, Deborah Farrow and Desiree Killingsworth; mother Maria F. Bartels; brother Herbert Bartels; sisters Gladys Bartels, Gloria Iwamoto and Mary Jane Sakahara, and seven grandchildren. Wake services: 7 p.m. tomorrow at Mililani Downtown Mortuary. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Inurnment: 12:30 p.m. Tuesday at Mililani Memorial Park. Casual attire.
Bruno Mayer, 94, of Haiku, Maui died Tuesday in Hale Makua. He was born in Berlin, Germany. He is survived by wife Maria. Private services.
Alice V. Peris, 87, of Kailua died Aug. 20 in Kaneohe. She was born in Waikapu, Maui. She is survived by sons Morgan B. Jr., Edward and Lawrence; daughter Dolores Ferreira, 17 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. Private services.
Marshell Pritikin, 71, of Mililani died Sunday in Wahiawa General Hospital. He was born in Chicago. He is survived by wife Amy S.; children Susan Miller and Richard and Jeffrey Pritikin, and a granddaughter. Private services.
Gilbert Rios, 64, of Hilo died Tuesday in Life Care Center of Hilo. He was born in Paauilo, Hawaii. He is survived by wife Merry; daughters Monique and Rosie Rios and Kathleen Gouveia; sons Gilbert Jr. and Danny; sisters Rose Pagan, Linda Batino, Lorrain DeRego, Marry DeMotta and Dorothy Carvalho; brothers Richard, Freddie, Ronald, Daniel and Leabert Manuel; stepson Chanda Sutisno, 15 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. Services: noon Monday at Dodo Mortuary. Call after 10 a.m. Burial: Hawaii Veterans Cemetery No. 2. Casual attire.
Frances C. Tsumoto, 89, of Honolulu, retired co-owner of Monkey Pod Center, died Sept. 7 in Hale Nani Rehabilitation and Nursing Facility. She was born in Waipahu. She is survived by sons Stanley, Gary and Roy; brother Chikaku; sisters Melvia Ikeda, Janice Nakamura, Jane Yamamoto and Elaine Nakatani, and four grandchildren. Memorial services: 6 p.m. Thursday at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. Call after 5 p.m. Casual attire. No flowers.
Peter K. Watson, 68, of Wailuku, a retired crane operator, died Tuesday in Maui Memorial Hospital. He was born in Honolulu. He is survived by wife Mary K. Akima; sons Peter, Robert, Ross and Harry; daughters Dawn Acpal, Leila Alexander and Puanani, Maile, Kanani and Tema Watson; brother Arthur; sisters Mary Duarte and Charlene Naipo, 34 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren. Services: 11 a.m. Tuesday at Hawaiian Memorial Park Mortuary. Call after 9:30 a.m. Burial to follow. Casual attire.
Jane S. Yamashita, 77, of Honolulu, a retired waitress for Spencecliff Corp., died Monday in Straub Hospital. She was born in Hilo. She is survived by son Joseph H.; daughters Ellen M. Nakamura, Janet S. Morioka, Irene Y. Chung, Frances J. Ishihara and Marie T. Watanabe; godson Herbert K. Moke, nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Services: 7 p.m. Monday at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. Mass services: 9 a.m. Tuesday at St. Patrick's Church. Burial services: National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Punchbowl. Casual attire.
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.
