The family of Heather Malia Ho, a victim in the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, announced yesterday they will hold a memorial service for her next Sunday in Honolulu. Chef was ‘nothing short
of extraordinary’HEATHER HO / EXECUTIVE PASTRY CHEF
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By Leila Fujimori
lfujimori@starbulletin.comHo was working as executive pastry chef at the renowned Windows on the World restaurant on the 107th floor of the World Trade Center's north tower when it was struck by American Airlines Flight 11.
Ho, 32, had just taken the position in May and had previously worked at the Boulevard, a popular San Francisco restaurant.
"Heather was nothing short of extraordinary and we're all going to miss her just so much," said close friend and Punahou School classmate Malia Mattoch.
"To me, the most memorable qualities she had were an incredible love of life and a work ethic that superseded just about everyone I know.
"She loved her family and friends passionately, and those feelings were returned by everyone. I think we all wanted to keep her spirit alive," Mattoch said.
Ho was named one of six "rising star" chefs by the San Francisco Chronicle's food editors in 1999, and the city's pastry chef of the year by San Francisco magazine for 2000.
"That's really quite a remarkable feat for someone who hasn't been here that long," said Tim Quaintance, a chef at Boulevard, referring to Ho's magazine honor.
Ho had a flair for preparing pastries in the "new American" style of the Boulevard, as well as for taking classic desserts and putting her own touch to them, Quaintance said.
Ho graduated with honors from Boston University and from the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, N.Y. She attended Punahou and Hanahauoli schools in Honolulu.
Her brother Peter S. Ho of San Francisco and sister Cecily L. Sargent of Sydney, Australia, visited New York City last week.
Ho is also survived by parents Stuart T.K. Ho of Honolulu, Mary L. Ho of San Francisco and grandmother Betty C. Ho of Honolulu.
She is also the granddaughter of the late Honolulu financier and real estate developer Chinn Ho.
Services will be held at Hanahauoli School, 1922 Makiki St., 4:30 p.m., Sept. 30.
Donations may be made to the Heather Ho memorial fund and the Hawaii Community Foundation. The funds will be used to support organizations that touched Ho in some way, including the New York City Fire Department, the family said.
