Senator’s wife was
devoted and generous

CORRECTION Wednesday, September 29, 2004 » Helene Matsunaga, widow of the late Spark Matsunaga, died Saturday at Hale Ola Kino, a nursing home on the second floor of One Kalakaua Senior Living. An article on Page A3 Monday said she died at One Kalakaua Senior Living. The Honolulu Star-Bulletin strives to make its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, call Editor Frank Bridgewater at 529-4791 or email him at corrections@starbulletin.com.

Former state Sen. Matt Matsunaga said his mother, Helene, was the pillar of strength for his father, the late U.S. Sen. Spark Matsunaga.

"She really devoted her entire life to supporting my father through all his years of public service and raising five children," said Matsunaga. "She was the kind of mother that anyone would be really blessed to have."

Helene Hatsumi Matsunaga died of complications from Parkinson's disease Saturday at One Kalakaua Senior Living while surrounded by family members. She was 79.

Matsunaga was born on Feb. 10, 1925, and raised in downtown Honolulu. She attended McKinley High School and married Spark Matsunaga in 1948.

Family members described her as a selfless and generous woman.

"She taught me the importance of family, education and treating people with respect, dignity and compassion," said Matt Matsunaga.

Matt's older brother, Keene, said, "She embraced all different ethnic groups," noting that she mirrored his father's outlook on equality.

"My dad had come from a poor background, and he had seen a lot of discrimination. He dedicated his career to try to correct that and try to make it fair," he added. "Any kind of person that was afflicted or oppressed, my mom would go out of her way to make them feel at home," Keene Matsunaga said.

The Matsunagas offered isle residents who visited Congress a home-cooked meal. "She cooked so many meals for so many visitors from Hawaii," said Keene Matsunaga.

She and her husband also invited visitors to stay at their home in Kensington, Md. Keene Matsunaga recalled finding guests in his bedroom when he returned from his studies at New York University.

"She really embodied the Hawaiian hospitality," he said.

Matsunaga was also a volunteer for the American Red Cross. "She would visit patients and cheer people up," said Keene Matsunaga.

While Spark Matsunaga worked tireless hours, his wife took their children to music lessons, football and basketball practices and sightseeing to places like Maine, Boston and New York.

"She would sacrifice her time to give us a well-rounded education," said Keene Matsunaga. "We all miss her. We could all learn from her example to help this society become a better place."

Matsunaga is survived by daughters Karen Hardman, Diane Segars and Merle Matsunaga; sons Keene and Matt; sister Mabel Kobayashi; brother John Tokunaga; and eight grandchildren.

A private service will be held. The family requests no flowers. Contributions can be made to the Matsunaga Charitable Foundation at P.O. Box 656, Honolulu, HI 96809.