DURING WORLD WAR II, Maj. James W. Lovell led 1,432 mostly second-generation Japanese-American men to the mainland for training and then to Italy for battle. MAJ. JAMES W. LOVELL
Nebraska native became
leader of isle nisei troopsStar-Bulletin staff
Besides earning military medals, the Nebraska native won the respect, admiration and affection of his men.
But Lovell's contributions to Hawaii did not stop there. They included educator, coach and businessman.
Lovell, retired president of Lewers & Cooke and a former Hula Bowl coach, died Sunday in Honolulu. He was 94.
Lovell was second in command of the 100th Battalion. During his military career he was awarded the Purple Heart with cluster, Silver Star, Bronze Star with cluster, American Theater, African Theater, European Theater, Asian Theater, Victory, Combat Infantry Badge and 10-year Continuing Service medals.
The Nebraska native also served as president of Club 100 after the unit returned from the war.
Before the war, Lovell taught and coached a variety of sports at Washington Intermediate School and later was a teacher and coach at Roosevelt High.
He went to McKinley High School, which at the time was known as "Tokyo High" because of the high number of students of Japanese ancestry.
Lovell worked his way up from manager of the lumber and merchandise department of Lewers & Cooke to president. Later, he was executive director of the Wood Products Association of Hawaii.
He had worked on the settlement of Hawaii Thrift & Loan and then served as interim president of Mid-Pacific Airlines.
Lovell is survived by his wife, Wilma Reiko (Odo); sons James Lovell Jr. and Ray Yokoyama; daughter Maile-Gene Sagen; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Memorial services will be held at St. Andrew's Church at 9 a.m. April 27.
Jean Johnson Chung-Hoon, 93, of Honolulu, an aviator, died Sunday at home. She was also an interior designer. She was born in North Carolina. She is survived by son Perry J. White, sister Virginia Williams and two grandchildren. No services. No flowers. Donations suggested to Hospice Hawaii or the Waikiki Health Center.
Albert P. Cortez, 70, of Ewa Beach died Tuesday. He was born in Makawao, Maui. He is survived by wife Perifidia "Fita"; sons Michael and Albert Jr.; daughters Alberta, Francine and Manuela; sister Adeline Salva; stepsons Stanley and Anthony Gonsalves; stepdaughters Cynthia Pearson, Lori Figueroa and Cathy Gonsalves; four grandchildren; 23 step-grandchildren and six step-great-grandchildren. Services: 7 p.m. Sunday at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio, makai chapel. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Committal services: 10 a.m. Monday at Schofield Post Cemetery. Aloha attire.
M. Louise Duby, 79, of Honolulu, a former resident manager for Meridian East, Kailua, died last Friday in Honolulu. She was born in Kansas. She is survived by husband Harold, son Ted and sister Lorene Hurley. Memorial services: 3 p.m. today at Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery. Aloha attire.
Juanita Endrina Estiamba, 61, of California and formerly of Lanai, died April 7. She was born on Lanai. She is survived by husband Carlos; daughters Teri and Carla Estiamba, Althea Bjorkman and Josette Polancic; son Michael; brother Lawrence Endrina; sisters Florence Endrina, Joanna Pascua, Christine Hickman, Claudia Arnold and Francine Costales; and five grandchildren. Services: 7 tonight at First Assembly of God Church in Honolulu. Call from 6 to 8 p.m. Mass: 11 a.m. Monday at Sacred Hearts Catholic Church in Lanai. Burial: Lanai Veterans Cemetery. Aloha attire.
Kikuyo "Elsie" Fujiwara, 86, of Mililani, a retired cafeteria worker for M's Buffet Garden, died April 11 at home. She was born in Olaa, Hawaii. She is survived by husband Seiko, son Edward, brother Katsuji Horiuchi, sisters Tamiyo Yamane and Shizuyo Horiuchi, and a granddaughter. Private services.
Ruth Otani Imamura, 79, of Kailua, a retired clerk for the state Department of Labor, Unemployment Insurance Division, died April 7. She was born in Texas. She is survived by sons Herbert and Aaron; sisters Mary Dewitt, Ida Ninomiya and Kate Otani; and two grandchildren. Private services.
Allen Thomas Kanoa, 63, of Hoolehua, Molokai, died April 12 in Molokai. He was born in Honolulu. He is survived by wife Genoa; sons Pal and Kai; daughters Leslie Kanoa-Naeole, Tammy Levi, Cassie Kanoa-Namakaeha and Shannon Lima; sister Margaret Labenia and 17 grandchildren. Services: 7 tonight at Hauula Congregational Church on Hauula Homestead Road. Call after 5 p.m. Services: 10 a.m. tomorrow at the church. Call after 8 a.m. Cremation to follow. Scattering of ashes at a later date.
Mutsuyo Katsuda, 91, of Lahaina, a self-employed seamstress, died Wednesday in Hale Makua. She was born in Wailuku. She is survived by sons Donald and Roy, daughters Claire Furukawa and Jane Gutierrez, sister Jane Takayama, 12 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Memorial services: 4:30 p.m. Monday at Lahaina Jodo Mission. Casual attire.
Henry Kawawaki, 69, of Haleiwa died March 30 in Crawford Convalescent Home. He was born in Hawaii. He is survived by friend William Uyehara. Graveside services: 10 a.m. Thursday at Oahu Cemetery.
Thelma Kameno Kaya, 87, of Honolulu, a retired laundry attendant for Sheraton-Waikiki Hotel, died April 11 in Straub Clinic and Hospital. She was born in Kahului. She is survived by daughters Faith T. Inoshita and Sharlene N. Kaya, sons Richard M. and Robert I., brothers Hisao and Pipi Wakayama, sister Margie Inouye and four grandchildren. Private services.
Mabel Mersberg Laau, 92, of Kamuela, Hawaii, who was formerly employed with T. Doi & Sons, died Wednesday at home. She was born in Puako, Hawaii. She is survived by sons Jack and Edward Jr., daughters Annie Martinson and Naomi Kahili, sister Rachael Benjamin, eight grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and a great-great-grandchild. Services: 11 a.m. Tuesday at Dodo Mortuary. Call after 10 a.m. Burial: Homelani Memorial Park. Casual attire.
Martha W. Landrum, 77, of Kailua-Kona, a retired real estate agent, died Tuesday in Kona Community Hospital. She was also former owner of B&L Marine. She was born in Okmulgee, Okla. She is survived by son Dale, daughter Gerry Rott and four grandchildren. Private scattering of ashes and ceremony. Open house celebrating the "Life of Martha Landrum" 5 p.m. Sunday at her home. No flowers. Donations suggested to American Cancer Society or Hospice of Kona.
Ologa Faaa'e Mauga, 54, of Kaneohe, a certified nurse's aid, died Wednesday. She was born in Ta'u Manua, American Samoa. She is survived by son Matthew; brothers Fuavasa and Tema Eteuati, Tafe'a Mauga-Faaa'e and Apu, Faaa'e and Fagafua Mauga; sisters Akesa Quirit, Fa'avale Malo, Epe Drone, Sivaifale Victor and Fa'asegi Mauga; and four grandchildren. Services: Noon Wednesday at Valley of the Temples. Call after 10 a.m. Burial: Valley of the Temples.
Edward Takashi Morihara, 88, of Honolulu, a retired pharmacist, died last Friday in Kuakini Medical Center. He was born in Paia, Maui. He is survived by wife Elaine, son Gerald, daughter Marcia, sister Patsy Shiigi, three grandchildren and a great-grandchild. Private services.
Hung-Lit "Lit" Ng, 85, of Honolulu is survived by daughter Vicky Tik-Wai Ng Tada. The mortuary provided incorrect information for an obituary published yesterday.
Toradio Nino, 94, of Kohala, Hawaii, a retired truck driver for Kohala Sugar Co., died April 10 in North Hawaii Community Hospital. He was also in the Army Reserves during World War II. He is survived by wife Matilda E., son Thaddeus, daughters Maxine and Nina, and three grandchildren. Services: 11 a.m. tomorrow at St. Augustine Episcopal Church in Kapaau. Call after 10:30 a.m. Burial: Church cemetery.
Kil Cha Ohama, of Honolulu, a retired housekeeper for Pacific Beach Hotel, died March 30. She was born in Pusan, Korea. She is survived by husband Stanley. Private services.
Joanne Rumiko Ota, 60, of Kona, Hawaii, a retired reservations manager at King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel, died Wednesday in Kona Community Hospital. She was born in Kona, Hawaii. She is survived by brothers Morris, Harris, Leonard and Vernon, and sisters Sandra Ota, Doris Yanagi and Winifred Yamagata. Services: 4 p.m. tomorrow at Kona Daifukuji Soto Mission in Honalo, Kona. Call after 3 p.m. Casual attire. No flowers.
Anna Luise Schalk, 94, of Kaneohe died April 5. The mortuary provided incorrect information for an obituary published yesterday.
Jenichi Jerry Tengan, 81, of Corpus Christi, Texas, formerly of Waianae, a retired farmer, died April 9. He was born on Kauai. He is survived by wife Yaeko "Jean," daughters Faith Nakasone and Joy Sparks and three grandchildren. Memorial services: 6:30 p.m. Monday at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio, mauka chapel. Casual or aloha attire. No flowers.
Hatsume Terada, 92, of Kula, Maui, a self-employed dressmaker, died Wednesday in Kula Hospital. She was born in Kula. She is survived by son Raymond; daughters Peggy Kawano, Dorothy Nakata, Jean Watanabe and Patsy Onaka; brother Susumu Nishiyama; sisters Fudeko Maeda and Sueme Hashimoto; 14 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Services: 4 p.m. Sunday at Nakamura Mortuary. Reception to follow.
Ethel Sadako Tokuyama, 69, of Waipahu died Monday in Kaiser Moanalua Hospital. She was born in Honolulu. She is survived by husband George T., sons Trent and Terry, brothers Dr. Edwin and Charles Kajihiro, and two grandchildren. Memorial services: 6 p.m. Monday at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. Casual attire. No flowers.
Tamaye Usui, 86, of Honolulu, a retired factory worker, died Monday in Hale Nani. She was born in Florin, Calif. She is survived by daughter Lucy and sisters Alice Kakita, Betty Shimazu and Yaeko Furuya. Private services.
John F. "Jack" Wiltgen, 82, of Honolulu, a retired special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigations, died Monday in One Kalakaua retirement residence. He was born in Chicago. He is survived by wife Edith V., daughter Tracey, son Randy and two grandchildren. Mass of Christian burial: 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at Star of the Sea Catholic Church, 4470 Aliikoa St. Call after 11 a.m. Committal services with military honors: Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery. No flowers. Donations suggested to Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association, 1050 Ala Moana, Building D, Honolulu 96814.
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.