Ken Alford, 79,
By Harold Morse
tuned isles in
to Dixieland
Star-BulletinKen Alford -- Honolulu band leader, musician and television personality -- died yesterday in Straub Hospital. He was 79.
After his 1949 Hawaii arrival, he became an announcer-writer with radio station KULA from 1949 to 1951 and with KGU from 1951 to 1953.
He made daily TV appearances on KGMB-TV as Sheriff Ken in "Sheriff Ken's Posse" from 1953 to 1958 and from 1958 to 1965 on KONA-TV.
Musically a trumpet player, he and his Dixie Cats band performed at a number of Hawaii hotels. During World War II Army service, Alford played with jazz bands and was an entertainment director for USO camp shows.
He organized his own Dixieland group here in 1950 and enjoyed a record-breaking 16-year Sunday evening run at the Moana Hotel Banyan Court.
He performed at Hawaii arrivals of four presidents -- Truman, Eisenhower, Johnson and Nixon.
Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong not only attended the wedding of Alford and Donna Nance, Satchmo also made a rare sit-in appearance with Alford's band. Another highlight was Benny Goodman's sitting in with the group to play his big hits of the 1930s.
Alford's band performed for the 1959 Hawaii Statehood celebration in Waikiki, also for the 125th anniversary of Parker Ranch; and he played for a three-day grand opening of Lawrence Rockefeller's Mauna Kea Beach Hotel in 1965.
Another highlight was a 1977 Dixie Cats gig at Hawaii Theater downtown for the 80th anniversary of the first Consolidated movie showing here.
Tony Todaro, chronicler of Hawaiian musical entertainment, summed up Alford's contribution: "Ken Alford gave Hawaii a Dixieland beat to its favorite Island melodies."
He was named entertainment "Father of the Year" in 1960 by the Honolulu Chamber of Commerce.
Born in Santa Cruz, Calif., he attended San Jose State. He joined New York Life Insurance Co. in 1965 and later became a member of its "Million Dollar Round Table."
He is survived by wife Donna; sons Ken Jr., Thomas and John; daughter Nancy Alford; sisters Dorothy Smith and Myra McWhinney; and one grandchild.
Services are pending.
Felix Barientos, 71, of Honolulu, a retired warehouseman, died last Friday in Honolulu. He was born in Hilo. He is survived by companion Elizabeth Yoshimura and sister Jennifer Viernes. Services: 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Hawaiian Memorial Park Mortuary. Call after 9 a.m. Burial: Hawaiian Memorial Park. Casual attire. No flowers.
Caroline T.T. Black, 64, of Honolulu, an account service representative for First Hawaiian Bank, died Tuesday in Honolulu. She was born in Honolulu. She is survived by daughter Pearl Nemecek; brothers Joseph Ahn and Edward Kim; sisters twin Natalie Lee and Mary Kendrick and Annie Reagan, and a granddaughter. Wake services: 6:30 p.m. Monday at Mililani Downtown Mortuary. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Private burial. Aloha attire.
Ricardo J. Cabaniero, 33, of Honolulu, a maintenance man for Waikiki Community Service, died Nov. 21. He was born in Honolulu. He is survived by parents Ruben and Lourdes; brothers Ruben Jr. and Reynold, and sisters Rhonda Bemis, Roxanne Cabaniero-Buendia and Ranessa Asuncion. Services: 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. tomorrow at Hope Chapel South Shore. Call from 11 to 11:45 a.m. and 1:15 to 2:15 p.m. Burial: Diamond Head Cemetery. Aloha attire. Flowers welcome.
Clio O. Chamberlain, 91, will be remembered in graveside services at 10 a.m. Monday at Missionary Kawaiahao Cemetery. Incorrect information was published yesterday.
Richard Chun, 73, of Honolulu, a regulatory manager for GTE-Hawaiian Telephone, died Nov. 22 in Honolulu. He was born in Honolulu. He is survived by wife Janice H.; daughters Wendi L. Chun, Lynne J. Forsmo and Lii Atienza; brothers Allen and Wallace, and sisters Mildred Holu and Beatrice Chong. Private services. Donations suggested to Hospice Hawaii or American Cancer Society, Windward Unit.
William D. Cutcliffe, of Hawaii, who was in executive positions with the Waikiki Gateway, Hyatt Regency and Ilikai Hotels, died Nov. 4 in Wahiawa Hospital. He was also a project manager at Makaha, F&B manager at Hale Koa and a retired U.S. Army chief of housing for singles at Schofield. He is survived by Richard, Ceil, Terry and Melia. Scattering of ashes held. Invitational memorial: Dec. 16. For information, call 623-1305. Memorials suggested to Big Brothers & Sisters of Hawaii.
Danilo A. Escober, 50, of Wahiawa, a retired groundskeeper from Waimea Falls Park, died Nov. 20 in Wahiawa General Hospital. He was also an employee at Dot's Restaurant Wahiawa. He was born in the Philippines. He is survived by wife Carmelita B.; son Jeffrey B.; daughter Jaqueline B.; mother Rosa; brothers Edgardo, Jose Jr. and Antonio, and sisters Ofelia Escober, Helen Moran and Mila Rubio. Wake services: 7 p.m. Sunday at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio, mauka chapel. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Mass: 9:45 a.m. Monday at Our Lady of Sorrow Church. Call after 8:45 a.m. Burial: Mililani Memorial Park. Casual attire.
Angeline Huch, 60, of Honolulu died Nov. 24 in Kaiser Hospital. She was born in Honolulu. She is survived by sons Theodore and Olando Jr.; daughters Geneva Toyama, Doreen Lee and Healani Huch; brothers Frank and Gilbert Rodrigues; sisters Virginia Moniz, Rita Kaopio and Jenny Hamasaki, eight grandchildren and a great-grandchild. Private services.
Howard T. Ishikawa, 64, of Ewa Beach, who retired from the U.S. Army, died Nov. 20 in Honolulu. He was born in Honolulu. He is survived by brothers Donald and Gaylord; stepbrother James Miyashiro, and sister Josephine Ahsing. Private services.
Richard Y. "Maui" Iwamoto, 75, of Honolulu, a retired branch manager for Hawaii National Bank, died Tuesday in Kaiser Hospital. He was born in Lahaina. He is survived by wife Amy E.; son Kevin M.; daughters Joi N. Muranaka and Gayle M. Wong; brother Isamu, sisters Nancy A. Omoto and Dorothea K. Miyashiro, and five grandchildren. Memorial services: 4 p.m. Monday at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. Casual attire. No flowers.
Roland E.C. Kim, 73, of Winchester, Ky., formerly of Wahiawa, a retired police sergeant in Honolulu, died Wednesday at home. He was a World War II veteran. He is survived by wife Judy L.; sons Roland E.C. Jr. and Ronald K.; daughters Rochelle Kim, Roxanne Yamamoto, Rosalyn Perez and Rodele Bar; stepdaughter Dawn Hay, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Private services. Memorial contributions suggested to Hospice East, Box 115, Winchester, KY 40392.
Richard "Jackie" Mata, 68, of Papaikou, Hawaii, a retired utility worker for Pacific Tropical, died last Friday at home. He was born in Hilo. He is survived by wife Annabelle; sons Richard, Steven and Curtis; daughters Stephanie Nation, Penny Mata and Jond Rae Leong; brothers Albert, James and Michael; sisters Sylvia Ferreira, Irene Visaya and Violet Raminez; 24 grandchildren. Mass: 7 p.m. Tuesday at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Papaikou. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Inurnment: 10 a.m. Wednesday at Hawaii Veterans Cemetery No. 2. Casual attire. No flowers.
Robert L. McGinnis, 87, of Honolulu, a piano and organ salesman, died Nov. 20. He was born in Missouri. He is survived by daughter Patricia Okeson; son Michael, six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Memorial services: 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at First Presbyterian Church. No flowers. Donations suggested to First Presbyterian Church at 1822 Keeaumoku St., Honolulu 96822.
Dr. Yonemichi Miyashiro, 73, of Eleele, Kauai, will be remembered in services at 2 p.m. Dec. 12 at the Veterans was published yesterday.
Kamako Nakasone, 106, of Honolulu died Nov. 15 in Nuuanu Hale Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. She was born in Okinawa. She is survived by daughter Kimiye; care-giver Bessie, two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Private services.
Emillo V. Natividad, 80, of Honolulu, owner of Tradewind Taxi Service, died Nov. 25 in St. Francis Hospital. He was born in the Philippines. He is survived by wife Catalina C.; sons Herman and John; sister Juliana Sordilla, and nine grandchildren. Wake services: 7 p.m. Sunday at Honolulu Central Seventh-day Adventist Church. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Services: 9 a.m. Monday at Mililani Downtown Mortuary. Call after 8:30 a.m. Burial: Valley of the Temples.
Duane A. Nelson, 73, of Honolulu, a retired office manager, died Wednesday. He was born in Wisconsin. He is survived by wife Ruby; daughter Katherine Beckman; sons Duane and Donald; sister Enyde Schultz, six grandchildren and a great-granddaughter. Committal services: 9:30 a.m. Monday at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
George Paresa, 74, of Honolulu, a retired security supervisor at Wheeler Air Force Base, died last Friday in Honolulu. He is survived by wife Betty Anne; son George Stace; daughters Laurene Pagoyo and Nancy Thomas; brothers Joseph Jr. and James; sisters Caroline and Mildred Medeiros and Bernice Rego, and four grandchildren. Mass: 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. Augustine By the Sea Church. Call after 10 a.m. Burial: Diamond Head Memorial Park.
Henry L. Peters, 76, of Honolulu, a retired master gunnery sergeant with the U.S. Marines, died Sunday in Tripler Hospital. He was born in St. Paul, Minn. He is survived by wife Kiyoko; son Monte, and brother Pete. Graveside services: 11:30 a.m. Monday at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. Casual attire. No flowers.
Annie T.K. Pi'ianai'a, 81, of Honolulu died Nov. 23. She was born in Honolulu. She is survived by husband Abraham; sons Gordon and Norman; daughter Ilima; sister Sadie Gouveia; brothers Richard T.Y., Ernest, Ralph and Raymond Yee, four grandsons and a great-grandson. Services: 11 a.m. Sunday at Nuuanu Memorial Park. Call after 9:30 a.m. Burial at a later date. Aloha attire. Leis preferred. Donations suggested to The Annie Yee Pi'ianai'a Fund (a University of Hawaii Foundation Scholarship Fund) c/o 2822 Peter St., Honolulu, 96816.
Jane T. Sakaue, 75, of Honolulu, a retired state youth corrections officer, died Nov. 25 in Honolulu. She was born in Kaaawa. She is survived by husband George; son Steven; daughter Cynthia; brothers Lawrence and Andrew Murakami, and sister Eleanor Yasuda. Private services.
Kikuno W. Teraoka, 98, of Kapaa, Kauai, a retired sales clerk with Miura Store in Kapaa, died Nov. 23 in Wilcox Hospital. She was born in Moloaa, Kauai. She is survived by sons Albert and Lincoln, sister Sumie Miyoshi, 10 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. Private services.
Edith Trelogan Webster, 86, formerly of Honolulu, a former Hawaii state director of Common Cause, died Nov. 23 in Westwood, Mass. She is survived by daughter Dr. Meredith S. Repetto; three stepchildren; two granddaughters, seven stepgrandchildren and two great-grandsons. Services on the mainland. Donations suggested to Common Cause, 1250 Connecticutt Ave., N.W., Washington D.C. 20036 or to the Campaign for United Nations Reform, 418 Seventh St. S.E. Washington, D.C. 20036.
Simi Williams, 49, of Aiea will be remembered in services at 11 a.m. tomorrow at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Aiea Ward. Call after 8:30 a.m. Incorrect information for an obituary published yesterday was provided by the mortuary.
Tadashi Yamasaka, 84, of Waipahu, a retired welder from Oahu Sugar, died Nov. 22 in St. Francis-West Hospital. He was born in Kapaa, Kauai. He is survived by wife Fumie; sons Robert T. and Craig N., and five grandchildren. Private services.
Kenneth H. Zaima, 79, died Sunday in San Diego, Calif. He was born in Makaweli, Kauai. He is survived by wife Satsuki; children Janis Zaima Leong, Harold Zaima and Arlene Zaima Hahnenfeld; brother James; sisters Rose Ibara, Gladys Shintani, Marjorie Johnson, Patsy Sakai, Mary Ann Shimamoto and Ruth Johnson, and six grandchildren. Graveside services: 4 p.m. Dec. 12 at Kauai Veterans Cemetery in Hanapepe.
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.
