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UH physics
professor David
Yount dies at 64
The outspoken Yount had
More obituaries By Helen Altonn
a heart attack while playing
tennis with his publisher
Star-BulletinDavid Yount, 64, a University of Hawaii physics professor who rattled the community with a book about UH politics in 1996, died of an apparent heart attack yesterday while playing tennis.
"We've lost a key person at the university," said Vincent Peterson, physics professor emeritus.
Yount was recruited by Peterson and UH physics professor emeritus Robert Cence to join the UH high energy physics group in 1969. He was previously on the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center staff.
Shocked colleagues today described Yount as a dedicated researcher, teacher and athlete who played tennis and jogged regularly. Cence said he and Yount rode bicycles to the university for about 10 years -- Yount from Hawaii Kai and Cence from Kahala. "He was a very vigorous guy, very athletic-looking."
Peterson said Yount "went up the line very quickly" at UH because he was "the kind of person you can count on completely."
He served as chairman of the Department of Physics and Astronomy from 1979 to 1984, was acting assistant vice president for academic affairs in 1985 and was vice president for research and graduate education from 1986 to 1995.
He wrote more than 150 research papers on high-energy physics, diving medicine, acoustics and surface chemistry.
He received the prestigious Stover-Link Award of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society in 1987 for research explaining what causes bubbles.
In 1996, his book, "Who Runs the University: the Politics of Higher Education in Hawaii 1985-1992," was the talk of the town.
UH Press Director William Hamilton, who published the book, was playing tennis with Yount yesterday at the Hawaii Tennis Academy in Aina Haina when he collapsed.
"He was the kind of author publishers love to work with," Hamilton said today. "He wrote well. He was very logical in what he said. At the same time, he was willing to listen to any shortcomings I saw in his manuscript."
Yount had been working on an action intrigue novel the last few years, Hamilton said.
Reached in New York, former UH President Albert Simone, now president of Rochester (N.Y.) Institute of Technology, said, "Dave was a very intelligent and very hard-working colleague who set very high standards."
He said Yount often had insightful observations because he was introspective, and "he always tried to be fair and straightforward. ...
"He was very willing to take unpopular stands on issues, sometimes in very public places, because he had the strength of his conviction. I personally valued him as a friend and really will miss him."
Simone also commented on Yount's "superb physical condition," noting he always wanted to be ranked No. 1 in his age group in tennis. The U.S. Tennis Association had ranked him 6th in the state this year in his age group, Hamilton said.
Hamilton said he was at Straub Hospital last night with Yount's wife, Christel, who asked who was going to teach her husband's classes today. "She knows how much David loves teaching and loves his students and wanted to make sure they were OK."
Maximo S. Abalos, 100, of Kahului, Maui died Saturday in Pearl City Nursing Home. He was born in the Philippines. He is survived by son Ben; daughters Filomena Dafun, Adelina Walsh and Carole Baybayan; 16 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren. Mass: 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 6, at Christ the King Church. Call after 9 a.m. Burial: Maui Memorial Park. Casual attire.
Cecil E. Allman, assistant manager of Hotel Roanoke, died Tuesday in Honolulu. He was also vice president of Alsage Management Corp. and general manager of Holiday Inn Scope and Holiday Inns in Hampton Roads. He was born in Roanoke, Va. He is survived by wife Virginia V.; sons Cecil E. Jr. and Robert L., and brother James A. Services at a later date.
Sebastian C. "Sonny" Andrews, 73, of Hilo, a retired owner of Andrews Trucking Service, died Tuesday in Hale Anuenue Restorative Care Center. He was born in Hilo. He is survived by wife Christina T.; sons Richard S. Jr., Ronald and Francis D. Rickard; daughters Lissa and Trudie Andrews, Allyson Andrews-Nelson, Pauline M. Romero, Donna-Rae H. Akau and Susan N.R. Damo; sister Agnes Pacheco, 18 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Services: 7 p.m. Monday at St. Joseph Catholic Church. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Mass: 12:15 p.m. Tuesday at the church. Call from 9 a.m. to noon. Burial: Veterans Cemetery No. 2. Casual or aloha attire. Flowers welcome.
Ayako Asao, 92, of Honolulu, a retired food services manager for the Bank of Hawaii head office cafeteria, died Monday in Straub Hospital. She was born in Pahala, Hawaii. She is survived by sons Norman and Stanley; daughters Jean Terada and Marlene Uehara; brother Warren Eto; sisters Hisae Okamoto, Chiyoko Ikuta and Ethel Kim, 12 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren. Services: 6 p.m. Wednesday at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. Call after 5 p.m. Casual attire. No flowers. Private inurnment.
Priscilla Lopez Bielefeld, 49, of Cupertino, Calif., formerly of Waipahu, a former registered nurse at St. Francis Hospital, died March 20 at home. She was born in the Philippines. She is survived by husband John; daughters Caroline and Sarah; sons John and William; parents Ben and Soledad Lopez; brothers Hector and Homer, and sisters Hermila Galang, Ma. Salome Tanjuaquio, Marilenn Lopez-Paez and Maricel Lopez. Memorial mass: 2 p.m. tomorrow at the Dominican Center Hawaii, 94-1249 Lumikula St., Waipahu. Reception: 94-803 Leomana Way. Call 671-0708.
Lowell R. Burnette Jr., 73, of Kaneohe, a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps, died April 20 in Kailua. He was born in San Diego. He is survived by wife Doris; son Lowell R. III; daughters Lynn Goodmanson, Marla Benson and Lisa Sackett, and 11 grandchildren. No services.
Benedicta Cabatic, 45, of Honolulu died Monday in Straub Hospital. She was born in the Philippines. She is survived by husband Richard; son Kurt-Michael; daughters Rowena, Janette and Mary Ann; parents Alfredo and Marita; and sisters Esperanza Bueno and Christeta Isidro. Services: 7 p.m. Sunday at Borthwick Mortuary. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Mass: 12:30 p.m. Monday at the Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa. Call after 11:30 a.m. Burial: National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Punchbowl.
Elvira A. Feusi-Elefante, 47, of Honolulu, a flight attendant with Swiss Airlines, died Wednesday in Honolulu. She was born in Zurich, Switzerland. She is survived by husband Mark "Marco." Mass: 9 a.m. Monday at St. Augustine's Church. Call after 8:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations suggested to East Maui Animal Refuge, 25 Maluaina Place, Haiku, Hawaii 96708.
Paris K. "Bubba" France, 23, of Waialua, who played for Waialua and Kahuku football teams, will be remembered in memorial services at noon tomorrow at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio, makai chapel. Call after 11 a.m. Burial: Mililani Memorial Park. Casual attire. France was found dead on Feb. 3 in Haleiwa. He was born in Honolulu. He is survived by parents John Jr. and Stephanie; daughter Jatoria Bernades; brother James; sisters Raynetta and Quantrile, and grandfather David Canady.
Toshiko Kaneshiro, 80, of Honolulu, a retired Kaiser High School employee, died Sunday in Honolulu. She was born in Hamakua, Hawaii. She is survived by sons Paul, Larry, Gary, Glenn, David and Jason; daughter JoAnn Fuller, and sisters Harriet Hashimoto, Nellie Higa and Lillian Toma. Services: 2 p.m. Saturday, May 6 at Palolo Hongwanji. Private inurnment. Aloha attire. No flowers.
Hisayo Kurashige, also known as Hisayo Kagehiro, 96, of Honolulu died April 14. She was born in Hana, Maui. She is survived by sons Kenichi, Toshio and Hisashi Kagehiro; daughter Alice Oshita; brother Hiromu Ikeda; sisters Aiko Hamura and Yoneko Yamamoto, 12 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and a great-great-grandchild. Private services.
Charles J. Masatsugu, 93, of Waialua, who retired from Schofield Post Engineers, died April 20 in Wahiawa General Hospital. He was born in Waialua. He is survived by wife Shizue; sons George, Robert, Kenneth and Roy; daughters Grace Iwane and Jean Hauck; brother Nobuichi; sisters Mildred Sodetani and Alma Nishimura, 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Private services.
Ushi Matayoshi, 99, of Honolulu died Tuesday. She was born in Honolulu. She is survived by sons Shintaro, Nobuo, Shingen "James" and Ansei; daughters Shizue "Elaine" Dean and Tomiko Uyema, 23 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Memorial services: 6 p.m. Wednesday at Nuuanu Mortuary. Casual attire. No flowers.
Margaret M. Miwa, 80, of Honolulu, a retired Sears Roebuck credit supervisor, died Sunday in St. Francis Hospice. She was born in Waipahu. She is survived by husband Ronald; brother Mike Kobayashi, and sisters Florence Tanaka and Gail S. Kobayashi. Services: 6 p.m. Monday at Nuuanu Mortuary. Call after 5 p.m.
Stanley S. Nako, 70, of Kahului, a retired recreational program specialist for Maui County, died Tuesday in Kapiolani Hospital at Pali Momi. He was born in Kahului, Maui. He is survived by sisters Sumiko Nakasone, Amy Nako, Betty Hirata, Shirley Sakamoto, Harriet Kam and Jane Oshiro. Services: 5 p.m. tomorrow at Kahului Union Church. Call after 4 p.m.
Nu Thi Nguyen, 86, of Honolulu died April 20. She was born in Vietnam. She is survived by daughters Teresa Nguyen, Chinh Wynkoop and Tina Yang; sons Minh and Hanh, 10 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. Mass: 5 p.m. Monday at St. Theresa Church. Call from 3 to 6 p.m. Cremation to follow.
Derrick H. Oda, 43, of Honolulu died Tuesday. He was born in Honolulu. He is survived by sons Matthew, Maxin and Mason; companion Gloria Rodrigues; brothers Andrew and Mitchell Shigemoto and Craig and Warren Oda, and sister Lehua Wong. Memorial services: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Nuuanu Mortuary. Casual attire. No flowers.
Keevin K. Somalinog, also known as "Keev," "Lapolapo" or "Bondo," 33, of Kona, Hawaii, a custodian at the Kahakai Elementary School, died Saturday in Kona Community Hospital. He was born in Kona, Hawaii. He is survived by sons Samuel Crivello and Royden Somalinog; daughter Pakalana; companion Vicky Piper; mother Wilma; brothers Sacarias, Rizal and Paul; half brother Jimmy Dacalio; sisters Darlene and Grace Somalinog and Miracle Magallanes, and hanai parents Annie and Abel Araki. Call from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday at the Wilma Somalinog residence, 76-972 Kahaku Place. Potluck gathering to follow. Casual attire. No flowers. Memorial tributes welcome.
Dorothy E. Taba, 77, of Honolulu, a retired saleswoman for Security Diamond Co., died April 18. She was born in Kahili Valley. She is survived by brothers Seitoku, Barney, Sam and Harold Arakawa. Private services.
Thomas K. Takaesu, 65, of Honolulu, a retired machinist from Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, Shop 31, died last Friday at home. He was born in Hilo. He is survived by brothers Richard H., William T., George Y. and James G., and sisters Mabel C. Arakaki, Edith H. Morgan and Sharon N. Tasato. Memorial services: 6 p.m. Tuesday at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. Casual attire. No flowers.
Keona Tapaoan, infant daughter of Daniel and Tina Tapaoan, died Saturday. She is also survived by sister Keani and grandparents. Private services.
Florentina R. "Flo" Topinio, 68, of Waipahu, who retired from Happy's Drive Inn, died last Friday. She was born in Waimea, Kauai. She is survived by husband Percival "Fred"; son Rudy; daughters Deborah Topinio and Dani Pullins; sisters Rose Jacinto, Connie Espiritu and Nita Balantac, and two grandchildren. Wake services: 7 p.m. Sunday at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio, mauka chapel. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Services: 10:30 a.m. Monday at the mortuary. Call after 9 a.m. Burial: Mililani Memorial Park. Aloha attire. No flowers.
Robert J. Ward, of Haleiwa, a farrier, died April 14 in Ewa. He was born in San Leandro, Calif. He is survived by wife Polly; son Cory; daughter Megan, and brothers Steve and Rick. Private services.
Lily A. Wong, 89, of Honolulu, a retired schoolteacher, died April 20 in Leahi Hospital. She was born in Waimea, Hawaii. She is survived by sons Lester and Samuel; sisters Bessie Furukawa, Esther Ahuna and Gardie Chock, and three grandchildren. Private services.
Yu Cheong Yam, 81, of Honolulu died Tuesday in St. Francis Hospital. He was born in China. He is survived by wife Oi Wun; sons Chou Chan and Chou Mao; daughters Kathy Li, Cho Yin Yam, Cho Hai Yam and Sui Ling Lau, and nine grandchildren. Call from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at Borthwick Mortuary. Burial: Hawaiian Memorial Park.
Richard M. "Bo" Yamamoto, 82, of Lahaina, a retired assistant boiler at Pioneer Mill, died yesterday at home. He was born in Lahaina. He is survived by wife Mitsue; sons Larry, Lester and Ronald; brother Herbert, and six grandchildren. Services: 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Lahaina United Methodist Church. Inurnment: Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery. Casual attire. No flowers.
Kazuyoshi Yoshimura, 81, of Aiea, a retired general contractor for K. Yoshimura Contractor, died last Friday. He was born in Honolulu. He is survived by sons Dennis and Chris; daughters Susan Okuhara and Myra Awa; brothers Franklin and Francis; sisters Gladys Yoshimura, Mildred Miyata, Jean Okimoto and Charlotte Kobayashi, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Private services.
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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.
