Pocketbook Man,
By Leila Fujimori
Ernest Sneidman,
dies at 87
Star-BulletinErnest J. Sneidman, founder of The Pocketbook Man -- the Ala Moana Center luggage and handbag store -- died Wednesday. He was 87.
Sneidman, born in Harrisburg, Pa., first came to Hawaii in the mid-1930s as a soldier and returned to stay two years after his discharge.
He opened a leather-goods stand in part of the Benson-Smith Drug Store in downtown Honolulu that specialized in gold-engraved wallets.
He later opened a luggage and handbag store downtown and eventually became one of the early tenants of Ala Moana Center.
Described as a self-educated intellectual, Sneidman was well read and had a lifelong interest in literature.
He said he would rather have been a good poet than a rich businessman. His poems appeared in "Our Only Hope Is Humor" and "Treasured Poems of America."
He had a passion for music, and one of his poems was set to music and performed at the University of Hawaii-Manoa.
Sneidman also was committed to improving the lot of the disadvantaged and had a wide range of friends.
Upon retirement he settled in Maui after living in Waikiki for many years.
He is survived by wife Iwalani Mottl; son Joel; stepchildren Tahi L. Reynolds, Kamala J. Mottl and Joseph R. Mottl III; three grandchildren; and two step-grandchildren.
Services will be held at Oahu Cemetery at 10:30 a.m. next Saturday.
Vivian B. Asio, 74, of Lahaina, Maui, a former employee for Baldwin Packers Pineapple Cannery, died Wednesday at home. She was also a former part owner of Coconut Grove Restaurant in Lahaina. She was born in Lahaina, Maui. She is survived by sons Glenn, Jimmy and Mike; daughters Yolanda Castro and Norma; brothers Antonio "Tony," Joseph "Joe," John "Harry" and Rudy Balinbin; sisters Mary Laborte and Susan Donnelson, 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Mass: 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Maria Lanakila Catholic Church. Call after 8:30 a.m. Burial to follow. Aloha attire.
Philip V. "Young Bolo" Cantere, 92, of Pearl City, a retired taxi driver, died Sunday in Pearl City. He was born in the Philippines. He is survived by wife Gertrude, daughters Cynthia Cantere and Barbara Figueroa, sons Philip and Vincent, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Service: 12:15 p.m. Wednesday at Hawaiian Memorial Park Mortuary. Call after 10 a.m. Burial to follow. Casual attire.
Alfredo N. "Al" Daguio, 64, of Aiea, a retired certified public accountant, died Monday in Aiea. He was born in Wahiawa. He is survived by wife Rosemarie F.; daughters Sheryl and Karyn; hanai daughter Naomi Amuro; brothers Rosario, Gerardo, Juvent and Robert, and sisters Rosalina Holmes and Sister Dorothy Ung. Mass: 7 p.m. Tuesday at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church. Call after 6 p.m. Private committal. Aloha attire. No flowers.
Benjamin "Boy" Estencion Jr., 52, of Ewa Beach died Nov. 29 in Ewa Beach. He was born in Wahiawa. He is survived by son Michael K., parents Ben and Sue, brother Howard, sisters Shirley Propios and Jo Bautista and a grandson. Memorial services: 10 a.m. Monday at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio, mauka chapel. Call after 8:30 a.m. Inurnment: Mililani Memorial Park. Casual attire.
Isabella T. Gonzales, 71, of Mililani died Dec. 2 in Kuakini Hospital. She was born in Honolulu. She is survived by sons Tommy Mercurio and Danny; daughters Geraldine McCormick, Nancy Fox, Shirley A. Gonzales-Lewis and Bernie Hipa; two brothers; nine sisters, 15 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Services: 10:30 a.m. Monday at Waipio Grace Bretheren Church. Call after 8:30 a.m. Burial: Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery. Casual attire.
Helen H. Hirata, 88, of Honolulu died Nov. 26 in Oahu Care Facility. She was born in Kealia, Kauai. She is survived by husband Masami, son Robert, daughter Elaine Shimabuku, sister Shigeko Yoshida, nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Private services.
Raymond Jesus, 69, of Aiea, a roofer, died Wednesday in Haleiwa. He was born in Waialua, Hawaii. He is survived by sons Andrew, Raymond, Michael and Eddie; daughters Evangeline, Brenda, Mary, Roxanne, Nina, Naomi, Corinne, Dorinne and Donna; brother Manuel; sisters Florence and Mildred, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Services: 6:30 p.m. Monday at Faith Tabernacle Apostolic Church in Wahiawa. Casual attire.
Eloise M. Kaipo, 76, of Honolulu, who retired from Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, died Sunday in Hilo Extended Life Care Center. She was born in Honolulu. She is survived by daughters Carlene Lee, Mamo Laranang and Eloise P.; sons Charles, Michael P. and Carl Kahalewai; brothers James and Henry Field, 16 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren. Service: 11 a.m. Wednesday at Borthwick Mortuary. Call after 9 a.m. Burial: Valley of the Temples. Aloha attire. No flowers.
Susan T.K. Kaniaupio, 72, of Waimanalo died last Saturday in Hilo Hospital. She was born in Honolulu. She is survived by husband Clement, son Carter Spencer, daughters Sandralynn "Sela" Naea and Mercy-Faye Ianusi, sister Abigail Hattori and seven grandchildren. Services: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Borthwick Mortuary. Call after 6 p.m. Services: 10 a.m. Wednesday at the mortuary. Call after 8:30 a.m.. Burial: Hawaiian Memorial Park. Aloha attire.
Sakayo Koyanagi, 90, of Kona, died Dec. 2 at home. She was born in Kona. She is survived by son Wilbert; daughters Lilian Suefuji and Gladys Texeira; sister Lily Youngblood; 12 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. Services: 11 a.m. next Saturday at Kona Koyasang Daishiji Mission. Call after 10 a.m. Casual attire. No flowers.
Irene S. Lau, 63, of Honolulu, owner of Laurene's Salon, died Wednesday in Straub Hospital. She was born in Kapapala, Hawaii. She is survived by husband Alvin C.M.; brothers Sam S., Lincoln Y. and Arthur K. Yoshida, and sisters Haruko Kajiwara, Violet H. Teramoto, Daisy M. Shimooka, Velma Y. Yoshida, Alice A. Honda and Sarah S. Morimoto. Services: 11 a.m. Wednesday at Diamond Head Mortuary. Call after 10 a.m. Call again from 10 to 11 a.m. Friday at Dodo Mortuary in Hilo. Burial: Homelani Memorial Park. Casual attire.
George S. Mizumoto, 68, of Honolulu, a retired master sergeant from the U.S. Air Force, died Wednesday in Kuakini Hospital. He was born in Honolulu. He is survived by wife Nuanprang "Mary;" son Marc; daughters Valerie Larita and Pamela Mikasa; brothers Ralph and Allen; sister Toki "Doris" Nakano and five grandchildren. Services: 6 p.m. Tuesday at Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin on Pali Highway. Private scattering of ashes. Casual attire. No flowers.
Watson S. "Aifua" Moe, 67, of Pearl City, who retired from military service, died Dec. 3 in Kapiolani Hospital at Pali Momi. He was born in Faleniu, American Samoa. He is survived by wife Betsy P.; sons Watson "Paul," Thomas, Donald, Joseph and Vincent; daughters Christina Laupapa, Elaine Brown, Mary Uiagalelei and Eleanor Lauifi; brothers Papail'ii Vanu Le'i and Tafaoga Mulitalo; sisters Meta Leafaitulagi Koenig and Tamato Lavatai; 26 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Services: 11:45 a.m. Tuesday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Call after 9 a.m. Burial: 2 p.m. at Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery. Casual attire.
Yoshiharu Nishida, 86, of Honolulu, a retired labor relations manager for GTE Hawaiian Telephone Co., died Thursday in Queen's Hospital. He was born in Honolulu. He is survived by wife Florence, son Gary, brother Toshiaki and a granddaughter. Services: 6 p.m. Tuesday at Waiokeola Congregational Church. Call after 5 p.m. Inurnment: 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Punchbowl. Casual attire. No flowers.
Florence S. Selfridge, 81, of Naalehu, Hawaii, a kupuna for Na Kupuna O' Ka'u, died Dec. 3 in Hilo Hospital. She was born in Honolulu. She is survived by sons John Rowe and Clement and Raymond Sheldon; daughters Susan Becker, Anna May Bayous, Hannah Ka'auamo and Deborah-Ann Dancel; sister Emily "Honey" Ho; brother Manuel Silva Jr., 28 grandchildren and 45 great-grandchildren. Service: 1 p.m. Tuesday at Naalehu Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Call after 11 a.m. Burial and graveside services: 1 p.m. Wednesday at Hawaii Veterans Cemetery II. Casual attire. Leis welcome.
Uto M. Shimojo, 102, of Honolulu died Dec. 3 in Pearl City Nursing Home. She was born in Henza, Okinawa. She is survived by sons George, Donald, Harold and Bernard; daughters Lily Ozoa and Helen Dias; 14 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren. Services: 6 p.m. Monday at Nuuanu Mortuary.
Jeanette F. Smith, 66, of Waipahu died Dec. 3 in Tripler Army Hospital. She was born in Wailuku, Maui. She is survived by Billy; sons Honorio "Bobo" Jr., Eugenio "Henyo" and Michael Quiacuson and Santiago L. "Sonny" Jr., Shayne L. and Shannon L. Romano; daughters Carlada "Kim" and Cora Lee Quiacuson and Estrellita Johnson; brothers Graciano Jr., Tyrone W. and Don C. Fernandez, and sisters Ruby F. Manuwa Rogan and Emelia "Mei Ling" Manuwa Fernandez Green. Services: 10:45 a.m. Tuesday at Mililani Downtown Mortuary. Call after 10 a.m. Inurnment: National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Punchbowl. Casual attire.
Bobbie E. "Tom" Tomlinson, 68, of Waipahu, a retired building inspector for the Corp of Engineers at Schofield Barracks Wahiawa, died Tuesday at home. He was born in Los Angeles. He is survived by wife Gerry L.; daughters Donna M. Chang, Sheri A. and Kathleen B. Tomlinson, Cynthia L. Alakai and Jodie L. Panganoran; brothers Glenn Tomlinson and Larry Townsend, nine grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Wake: 7 p.m. Tuesday at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio, mauka chapel. Call after 6 p.m. Committal services: 11 a.m. Wednesday at Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery. Casual attire.
Anthony W. Ventura, 59, of Kula, Maui died Monday in Maui Memorial Hospital. He was born in Puunene, Maui. He is survived by wife Christine N.; sons Tracy, Dereck and Akoni; daughters Annette Kanae and Crystal, Violet and Kauhi; mother Cecilia; brothers Robert and George Jr.; sisters Aileen Shim, Colleen Weimer, Nona Pikipala, Maryann Sylvia and Carol Pamat, and five grandchildren. Memorial services: 9 a.m. next Saturday at Holy Ghost Church. Mass to follow. Casual attire. No flowers.
Sister Agnes A. Vierra, 97, of Honolulu, a sister with the Sacred Hearts Order, died Wednesday at home. She was born in Portugal. Mass: 10:30 a.m. Monday at Malia O Ka Malu. Call after 8:30 a.m. Rosary: 9:30 a.m. Burial: Hawaiian Memorial Park.
Kiyoshi Yasui, 79, of Waipahu, a retired manager for the Ewa Shopping Basket, died last Saturday in St. Francis West Hospice. He was born in Ewa. He is survived by wife Millie F., son Aaron H., daughter Jan T.Y. So, sisters Yaeko "Sadie" Kaya and Kikue "Lorraine" Miyake and three grandchildren. Memorial services: 6:30 p.m. Monday at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio, mauka chapel. Call after 5:30 p.m. 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.
