Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.
Purinton, 78,
More obituaries
made Waikiki
Shell workBy Harold Morse
Star-BulletinJock N. Purinton of Hilo -- whose career spanned managing early productions at the Waikiki Shell, beginning with opening night, to his retirement as concert hall manager in 1981 -- died Jan. 6 in Kailua. He was 78.
Longtime Honolulu columnist Eddie Sherman recalled Purinton's early days at the Shell, which at first appeared to be an unprofitable "white elephant." But Purinton made it succeed, he said.
"He had a lot to do with this resurrection at the beginning," Sherman said, describing Purinton as a charming and gifted man. "He brought in good talent."
Purinton's wife, Natalia, said her husband made the Waikiki Shell the most important entertainment center of Honolulu.
He worked on such diverse projects as Shakespearean productions and opera, and introduced Starlight Concerts at the Shell, she said.
He began his career as a talented artist and branched out to become a theater designer, producer and director, she said.
Purinton became productions manager at the Shell in 1957 and productions manager at Honolulu International Center -- now Blaisdell Center -- in 1963. Along the way, he became producer and scenic director with Honolulu Theater for Youth in 1960, and was co-producer of the 1959 Hawaii Statehood Shows.
He was founder and president of the Hawaii Bicycling League and founder and chairman of the Oahu Bikeways Council, among other positions.
Purinton also made great strides in overcoming the effects of a 1961 stroke at age 39, which made him a bicycle enthusiast. He also became a determined jogger, which aided rehabilitation. Purinton was named Hawaii's Handicapped Man of the Year in 1967.
Besides his wife, he is also survived by son Stephen; daughters Regina Purinton, Lisa Tadda and Sanna Purinton-Miller; and six grandchildren. Private services were held.
John Botelho Jr., 93, of Kailua, a retired engineer with the federal government, died Jan. 5 in Waipahu. He is survived by daughter Shirley Kalama; sister Josephine De Luz; eight grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. Services: 7 p.m. Wednesday at Hawaiian Memorial Park Mortuary. Call 6 to 9 p.m. Mass: 9:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Anthony's Catholic Church. Call after 8:30 a.m. Burial: 11 a.m. at Hawaiian Memorial Park Cemetery. Casual attire.
Tito Rivera Cabacungan, 97, of Honolulu, died Dec. 27 at the Convalescent Center of Honolulu. Be was born in the Philippines. He is survived by sons Bernardo, Tito Jr., and Ernesto; daughters Rosita Cadiente and Angelique; sister Primitiva Liquan, 28 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren. Services 7 p.m. Friday at Nuuanu Mortuary. Call 6 to 9 p.m. Mass: 9 a.m. Saturday at St. Anthony's Catholic Church. Call after 8 a.m. Burial to follow at Valley of the Temples Memorial Park.
Young Soo Choo, 81, of Honolulu, a retired salesman, died Jan. 3 at Queen's Medical Center. He is survived by wife Elsie; son Patrick; brother Frank Kim; sisters Diana You, Marian Rajcevich and Hannah Han, and two grandchildren. Services were private.
Cariaco Domingo Duldulao, 80, of Waipahu, died Jan. 3 at his home. He was born in the Philippines. He is survived by sons Arturo and Rodolfo; daughters Teresita Campanano, Pureza Baptista and Liza Duldulao, 18 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Services: 7 p.m. Friday at Nuuanu Mortuary. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Mass: 11 a.m. Saturday at Our Lady of the Mount Church. Call after 9:30 a.m. Burial to follow at Valley of the Temples Memorial Park.
Kazue Nancy Fujimoto, 94, of Honolulu, died Jan. 1. She was born in Sprecklesville, Maui. She is survived by son Joe; daughters Yvonne Oka, Elsie Shimizu, Thelma Misawa, Doris Tengan, Violet Stockstill and Mildred Tomooka; brothers Yoshiteru "Lanky" and Masao "Larry"Nagata; sister Velma Sano, 23 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren. Services were private.
Richard T. Hirokawa, 91, of Pearl City, a retired physical therapist, died Dec. 28 at the Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific. He was born in Honolulu. He is survived by caregiver and niece Pat Hansen, and brother Raymond Yoshio Hirokawa. Services were private.
George Kalamau Keanu III, 48, of Hilo, a carpenter, died last Monday at Hilo Medical Center. He was born in Pahala, Hawaii. He is survived by companion Jaimie Galdones; sons Jeffron Galdones, Johnny-Coe and Keoki, IV; daughters John-Lynn Ylch, Georjanna Nau, Kanani Keanu, Kekai Keanu, Kemauka Keanu, Kamalani Keanu and Michele Galdones; sisters Pearl Keanu Silva, Yvonne Keanu, Charlotte Liborio and Mabel Katayama, and eight grandchildren. Services: 7 p.m. tomorrow at Memorial Mortuary Chapel. Call: 6 to 9 p.m. Casual attire. Flowers welcomed.
Shigeo "Steve" Nakasone, 63, of Honolulu, a retired power plant operator for Raytheon Corp., died Jan. 9 in Kuakini Hospital. He was born in Sprecklesville, Maui. He is survived by brothers Isamu and Roy, and sisters Myrna Taira, Maude Higa, Nancy Iimoto, Gladys Miyasato, Sueko Matsuo, Kazue Okuhara and Mildred Nakasone. Services were private.
Maximo Imperial Santiago, 90, of Honolulu, died Jan. 8 at Kuakini Hospital. He was born in the Philippines. He is survived by wife Felicidad and brother Domingo Aglipay. Services: 7 p.m. Thursday at Nuuanu Mortuary. Call 6 to 9 p.m. Mass: 9:30 a.m. Friday at St. Anthony Catholic Church. Call after 8:30 a.m. Burial to follow at Valley of the Temples Memorial Park.
Allan On Shak, 71, of Cupertino, Calif., formerly of Honolulu and Kapaa, Kauai, died Jan. 1. He was born in Kapaa. He was an industrial engineer retired from Philco-Ford Corp. He is survived by wife Lovelle; daughter Leslie Strommer; son Joseph; sister Lily Au Hoy; brothers Harold, Clarence, Arthur and Lawrence, and three grandchildren. Memorial services were in Palo Alto, Calif.
Donald Kenso Tada, 88, of Honolulu, retired pharmacist and owner of Don's Drug Store, died last Monday at the Pearl City Nursing Facility. He was born in Lihue, Kauai. He is survived by wife Harue; sons Spencer and Byron; daughter Lana Oshiro; brothers Roy and Satoru, seven grandsons and a great-granddaughter. Services were private.
Yutaka Tanaka, 86, of Hilo, a retired state and Kamaaina Motors employee, died Jan. 13 at Queen's Hospital. He is survived by companion: Shizue Arima; son Kenneth; daughters Thalia Smith and Janet Slaughter; sister Kay Taosaka, eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. Services: 4 p.m. tomorrow at Dodo Mortuary. Call: after 3 p.m. Casual attire. No flowers.
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.
