‘Aunty’ Elaine K. Kaopuiki,
By Harold Morse
Lanai kumu hula,
dies at 70
Star-BulletinKumu Hula "Aunty" Elaine Kauwenaole Kaopuiki of Lanai City, who taught hula more than 40 years and staunchly maintained her rights as a native Hawaiian, died Saturday in Straub Hospital in Honolulu. She was 70.
Born at Koele, Lanai, where she belonged to Kalokahi Oka Malamalama Church, she was one of the fourth generation of the Kauwenaole family knowledgeable in Hawaiian lore and the history of Lanai.
In 1973, she was a member of a group that traveled to Washington, D.C., to support introduction of a reparations bill in Congress.
Her Halau "Na Hula O Lai Kealoha" was known statewide. A member of a number of Hawaiian organizations, she was a quilter, weaver and maker of kolohala leis from pheasant feathers.
Her artistic creations also included lauhala weaving, seed-lei making and ukulele making, which went with her love of music and singing.
Friends regarded her as a renaissance woman of Lanai who was responsible for the reintroduction of the hula, and who was an inspiration to generations of women to follow her example.
She is survived by husband Samuel; son Owen; daughter Mapuana Soriano; sister Arline Eaton; hanai son Sol Kahoohalahala; four grandchildren, and numerous nephews and nieces.
Services will be at 7 p.m. tomorrow at Waiola Church in Lahaina, Maui. Call after 4 p.m. Services also take place at 7 p.m. Friday at the ILWU Hall in Lanai City, Lanai. Call after 11 a.m. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Kalokahi Oka Malamalama Church. Call after 8 a.m. Burial will follow in Lanai Veterans Cemetery. The family encourages the wearing of Kihei and aloha attire.
John L. Branciere, 66, of Kaneohe died Nov. 22 in Castle Hospital. He was born in Honolulu. He is survived by wife Margaret; son Raymond; daughter Marian Tsukayama; brothers Seymour and Thomas Teer; sister Lena Murrison, and four grandchildren. Memorial services: 6:30 p.m. Friday at Mililani Downtown Mortuary. Call after 5:30 p.m. Casual attire.
Robert L. Bull, 68, of Aiea, who retired from the Coca-Cola Bottling Co., died Friday. He was born in Philadelphia. He is survived by wife Eileen; daughter Lori; son Robert; brothers William and Paul; sisters Caroline Fetterman and Doris Gump, and three grandchildren. Private services. Donations suggested to St. Francis Hospice, 24 Puiwa Road, Honolulu, HI 96817.
Dennis B. Decoite, 79, of Escalon, Calif., a rancher, died Nov. 23 in Modesto, Calif. He also owned Dennys Poultry Farm on Maui. He was born on Maui. He is survived by wife Irene; sons Dennis Jr., Ernest, Richard and Nelson; daughters Agnes Lopes, Rosemarie Fernandez and Irene Abreu; brother Louis; sister Helen Jacintho, 17 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Mass: 10 a.m. Friday at Holy Ghost Church. Call after 8:30 a.m. Burial: Makawao Cemetery.
Miguel E. Eala Jr., 42, of Honolulu, an electrician with Hawaiian Electric Co., died Nov. 7 in Straub Hospital. He was born in Honolulu. He is survived by parents Miguel and Eleita; companion Cyra Okamoto; brother Emil, and sister Ethel Barcelona. Services: 7 p.m. Friday at Nuuanu Mortuary. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Mass: 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Philomena Church. Call after 9 a.m. Burial: Valley of the Temples. Casual attire.
Miriam J. Emery, 98, of Boulder, Colo., formerly of Honolulu, a retired home economist, died Nov. 23 in Boulder, Colo. She was born in Logan, Utah. She is survived by sons Bill and John, and six grandchildren. Services: 10 a.m. Saturday at Borthwick Mortuary. Burial: Laie Cemetery. Aloha attire. No flowers.
Betty O. Harada, 75, of Aiea, a retired clerk typist from Pearl Harbor Naval Supply Center, died Nov. 22 in Queen's Hospital. She was born in Naalehu, Hawaii. She is survived by daughter Gayle K. Nakamoto; brother Thomas Okuna; sisters Rose Labrador, Helen Takamori, June Tomita, Tomeo Kawakami and Sumiko Konishi, and two grandchildren. Memorial services: 4 p.m. Saturday at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio, makai chapel. Call after 3:30 p.m. Casual attire. No flowers.
Alexander K. Harris III, also known as "Bully" or "Alika," 57, of Hilo, owner of Alika's Equipment Rental, died last Wednesday in Hilo Hospital. He was born in Hilo. He is survived by wife Joanne; sons Alexander IV and Dale; daughters Lorrie Fulton, Kimberly Chung and Tikei Sagon; parents Alexander II and Katherine; brothers Alfred A., Nicholas C., Richard, Leroy J. and Francis "Macky"; sister Winona I. Hai-Kelly, and six grandchildren. Wake services: 7 p.m. tomorrow at Dodo Mortuary. Call from 5 to 8 p.m. Mass: 9 a.m. Friday at Malia Puka O Kalani Catholic Church. Call from 8 to 8:45 a.m.
Rudolph K. "Akong" Ing, 90, of Honolulu, a retired U.S. Post Office mail carrier, died Nov. 23 at home. He was born in Kula, Maui. He is survived by wife Gladys; sons Alvin and Rudolph; daughter Rita Mae Lee; brother Richard, goddaughter Aileen Deese, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Chinese services: 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday at Diamond Head Mortuary. Burial: Diamond Head Memorial Park. Casual attire. No flowers.
Espolito Jose, 72, of Honolulu, a retired maintenance man at the Ilikai Hotel, died Nov. 22 in Kuakini Hospital. He was born in Hamakua, Hawaii. He is survived by brothers John and Frank Bargas and Raymond Rosa Jr.; sisters Emily Soto Bonilla, Laura H. Torres, Flora Martin, Marie Ahsing and Katherine Liete, and companion Beverly Griffin. Services: 10 a.m. Friday at Mililani Downtown Mortuary. Call after 9 a.m. Cremation to follow. Aloha attire. No flowers.
Edward Y.N. Kim, 81, of Honolulu, an attorney, died Nov. 21 in Seattle. He was born in Makaweli, Kauai. He is survived by wife Carol Y.; daughters Claire Arrowsmith and Gay Midkiff; sons Bruce and Carl; sister Margaret, and five granddaughters. Committal services: 10 a.m. Friday at Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery. Donations suggested to the University of Hawaii Korean Studies Center.
Loretta A. Lizama, 39, of Kapaa, Kauai died Saturday at home. She was born on Oahu. She is survived by husband John; daughter Kanoelani, and sons Jeris and Kapono. Services: 2:30 p.m. Friday at the Kapaa Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Call after 1:30 p.m. Burial: Kauai Memorial Gardens. Aloha attire.
Felisa S. Malanog, 74, of Wahiawa, an employee at Marian's Catering Services, died Nov. 8 in Wahiawa General Hospital. She was born in the Philippines. She is survived by sons Vicente and Rodrigo; daughters Maria Villamor, Nora Domingo, Aida Fajardo, Andrea Longoria, Geronia Barbaso and Elsa Glass; brothers Cristitoto, Uldarico and Juanito Salac; sisters Josefa De Guzman and Ambrocia Gumahad, 32 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Eulogy: 7 p.m. Friday at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio, mauka chapel. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Eulogy: noon Saturday at the mortuary. Call after 10 a.m. Burial: Mililani Memorial Park. Casual attire.
Sueko Muraoka, 84, of Lihue, a registered nurse, died Friday in Wilcox Hospital. She was also a retired small business owner. She was born in Kealia, Kauai. She is survived by daughter Sandra Labuguen; sister Shizue Watamura and three grandchildren. Memorial services: 5 p.m. tomorrow at Lihue Christian Church. Casual attire. No flowers.
Darla F. Nakagawa, 55, of Reno, Nev., formerly of Aiea and Waipio, a United Airlines flight attendant, died Nov. 17. She was born in Reno. She is survived by sons Chad and Chip; mother Reva Groves; sister Donna Fetting; brother Travis Groves, and companion Ed Tanaka. Memorial services: 4 p.m. Saturday at Nuuanu Mortuary. Casual attire. No flowers.
Yukio Nako, 75, of Kaneohe, a cargo representative for Pan American World Airways, died Friday in Castle Hospital. He was born in Honolulu. He is survived by wife Janet C.; sons Jeffery Y., David A. and Steven M.; sisters Alice Masatsugu, Irene Arakaki and Sumie "Sue" Harada; mother Kamato, and four grandchildren. Services: 2 p.m. Saturday at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. Casual attire. No flowers.
Peggy M. Oda, 74, of Wailuku, a former owner/manager of Peggy's and Johnny's in Kahului Shopping Center, died Friday at home. She also managed Wailuku Dry Goods in Wailuku. She was born in Wailuku, Maui. She is survived by children Cynthia Oda-Kanno and Beverly, Randal, John Jr. and Samuel Oda; brothers Kiyoshi and Shoma Hotta; sisters Frances Emura and Jeanette Takara, and five grandchildren. Services: 4 p.m. tomorrow at Nakamura Mortuary. Call after 3 p.m. Burial: 9 a.m. Friday at Maui Memorial Park. Aloha or casual attire. Donations suggested to charity.
Hisashi Ogata, 89, of Hilo died Nov. 20 in Hilo Hospital. He was born in Pahoa, Hawaii. He is survived by brothers Mitsuo, Harold H. and Mitsunari, and sister Grace M. Nishii. Private services. No monetary gifts.
Isami Oyama, 90, of Wailuku, a painter for Nagamatsu General Contractors, died Nov. 20 in Maui Memorial Hospital. He was also a retired painter for Honolulu Painting Co. He was born in Wailuku, Maui. He is survived by wife Joan, son Howard and daughter Susan. Private services.
Glenn M. Paahana, 49, of Aiea died Sunday in Aiea. He was born in Honolulu. He is survived by mother Violet; sisters Lauraline Camacho and Sandra Crumrine, and brothers Edward Jr. and Rodney. Services: 7 p.m. tomorrow at St. Elizabeth's Catholic Church in Aiea. Call after 6 p.m. Casual attire. No flowers.
James G. Serrao, 39, of Kamuela, Hawaii, formerly of Kaneohe, an auto mechanic, died Nov. 21 in Hilo. He was born in Kohala. He is survived by sons Kalei and Ka'Ha; daughter Kaulana; parents James and Katherine "Emi," and brother Michael. Services: 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Hawaiian Memorial Park Mortuary. Call after 2:30 p.m. Scattering of the ashes at a later date. Casual attire. No flowers.
Taifau G. "Taimoana" Tuumalo, 57, of Hilo died last Wednesday in Hilo Hospital. She was born in American Samoa. She is survived by daughters Jel Dasalla, June Sula and Marie Tuumalo; sons Junior and Kaiser Tuumalo and Tanner Scanlan; sisters Dalphne Fano, Sina Moliga, Sister Langkilde, Kat Toms and Olga, Joyce, Tammy and Queenie Togiai; brothers Fina, Aveina Jr. and Sui Aveina and Togiai Jr., Miller, Reuben and Rick Togiai, and 12 grandchildren. Services: 7 p.m. Friday at the Hilo Church of God. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Burial services at a later date. Casual attire.
Ceriaco R. "Benny" Viernes, 85, of Honolulu died Nov. 8 in Kaiser Hospital. He was born in the Philippines. He is survived by wife Revelinda J.; son Jonathan; stepson Robert Arterburn; daughters Shirley Hall and Joanne M. and Jeanne M. Viernes; brothers Irenio, Aquino and Gavino; sisters Rosalia Viernes, Leonilla Agbayani and Rosita Agcaoili, six grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. Wake services: 7 p.m. Friday at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio, makai chapel. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Mass: 9:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Anthony Church. Call after 8:30 a.m. Burial: Mililani Memorial Park. 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.
