Wilmer Koshi
Wilmer Hiromu Koshi, 83, of Kealakekua died Sept. 22, 2014, at his residence. Born May 7, 1931, in Kealakekua, he was a retired maintenance worker at the former Kona Hilton Hotel and a member of Akitsu Kumiai, Kona Hongwanji and AFL-CIO.
Friends may call at 3 p.m. Oct. 12 at Kona Hongwanji in Kealakekua for a 4 p.m. service.
He is survived by wife, Lillian Koshi of Kealakekua; sons, Leslie (Joy Hatakeyama) Koshi of Waipahu, Oahu, Newton (Diane) Koshi of Kapolei, Oahu, Raymond (Kyoung Won) Koshi of Seoul, Korea; brothers, Donald (Kathy) Koshi of St. Louis, Robert (Carol) Koshi of Anaheim, Calif., Gene (Carol Ann) Koshi of Kaimuki, Oahu, Ray (Sylvia) Koshi of Kalaheo, Kauai; two grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Kamekichi Tanoue
Kamekichi “Steve” Tanoue, 91, of Laupahoehoe died Oct. 3, 2014, at Hilo Medical Center. Born in Papaaloa, he was a retired harvesting shift supervisor for the former Hamakua Sugar Co., member of the Papaaloa Hongwanji Mission and Laupahoehoe Senior Citizens.
Friends may call at 9:30 a.m. Oct. 13 at Dodo Mortuary chapel for a 10:30 a.m. service. Family requests casual attire be worn.
He is survived by wife, Matsuyo Tanoue of Laupahoehoe; son, Ralph Tanoue of Arvada, Colo.; brother, Hisashi (Lois) Hirata of Oahu; sisters, Tokiko Yamada of Temecula, Calif., Teruko Kansaku of Waimea, Yukiko (Norman) Masaki of Hilo, Alice Ishii of Paauilo, Katherine (Pete) Ottoboni of Portland, Ore.; three grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Reginald Awaa
Reginald Pono Awaa, 53, of Mountain View died Sept. 21, 2014, at Ka‘u Hospital. Born in North Kohala, he was a heavy equipment operator and a cowboy.
Friends may call at 9 a.m. Oct. 11 at the Kahua Ranch church in North Kohala for a 10 a.m. service. Call 670-4851 or 937-6481 for information and directions.
He is survived by sons, Kalani Kawaihae, Keola (Kalehua) Kawaihae; granddaughter, Aaliyah Kawaihae, all of Waimea; brother, Randall Awaa of Mountain View; sisters, Roaxanne (Clayton) Mauga of Mountain View, Rhoda Awaa of North Kohala; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Stephanie Irvine
Stephanie Irvine, 27, of Hawaiian Paradise Park died Sept. 26, 2014, at Hospice of Hilo Pohai Malama facility. Born Sept. 8, 1987, in Hilo, she was the proprietor of Jill of All Trades, a cleaning business, and was a chef.
Friends may call at 11:30 a.m. Oct. 18 at New Christian Fellowship at 15-3084 Government Main Road in Pahoa for a service. Family requests casual attire be worn.
She is survived by parents, Stephen and Andrea Irvine of Hawaiian Paradise Park; paternal grandmother, Suzanne Ball of Fallbrook, Calif.; maternal grandmother: Glenora Barlow of Wrangell, Alaska; numerous uncles, aunts, and cousins.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Christopher Gates
Christopher David Gates, 26, of Waikoloa died Sept. 21, 2014, at North Hawaii Community Hospital. Born June 10, 1988, in Merced, Calif., he worked as a lather for a construction company.
Friends may call at 10 a.m. Oct. 11 at New Hope Church in Waimea for a 10:30 a.m. service. Family requests casual attire be worn.
He is survived by grandparents, Danny and Christine Gates of Waikoloa; father, Robert Gates of the mainland; mother, Dawn Windsor of Toledo, Ohio; brother, Corey Gates of Waikoloa; great-grandmother, Betty Brown of Modesto, Calif.; aunts, a great-aunt, and several cousins.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary
Benjamin DeFreitas Sr.
Benjamin Kalulehua DeFreitas Sr., 90, of Hilo died Sept. 4, 2014, at Hilo Medical Center. Born July 29, 1924, in Honolulu, he was a retired heavy equipment operator for Honolulu Iron Works and a member of the Hilo Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Friends may call at 9:30 a.m. Oct. 11 at Mililani Mortuary for a 10:30 a.m. service. Burial will follow at 1 p.m. at Mililani Memorial Park. Family requests casual attire be worn. Condolences may be posted at homelanimemorialpark.com.
He is survived by sons, Benjamin DeFreitas Jr., Timothy (Patti) DeFreitas, both of Hilo; daughters, Kawai (Wesley) Masuda of Hilo, Rosemarie Cabagason of Honolulu; nine grandchildren; nine great grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews.
Barbara Mariano
Barbara Ann Mariano, 64, of Pahoa, died Aug. 30, 2014, at Life Care Center of Hilo. Born May 20, 1950, in Honolulu, she was a retired ward clerk at Hilo Medical Center.
Friends may call at 9 a.m. Oct. 11 at Dodo Mortuary chapel for an 11 a.m. service. Family requests casual attire be worn.
She is survived by husband, Sydney Mariano of Pahoa; hanai son, Edward Asuncion of Pahoa; sister, Caroline Cabral of South Carolina; brothers, Raymond Cabral, Bobby Cabral and Lance Cabral, all of Honolulu; numerous nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Lucile Pikini
Lucile Pikini, 80, of Honolulu died Sept. 27, 2014, at Hospice of Hilo Pohai Malama Facility. She was born July 4, 1934, in Honolulu.
Private services were held.
She is survived by husband, Henry Pikini of Honolulu; sons, William Pikini of Keaau and Paul Pikini of Denver; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren; numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Emmy Sorn
Emmy Jean Sorn, 94, of Keaau died Sept. 26, 2014, at her residence. Born Oct. 20, 1919, in Granville, N.D.; she taught classes at a secretarial business college and later started The Fashionnata Modeling Guild.
Services will be held at a later date.
She is survived by son, Colin (Bird) McIver of Keaau; stepdaughters, Cynthia Sorn and Pat Sorn of the East Coast; stepsons, Bill Sorn and Jerry Sorn of the East Coast.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Delta Feliciano
Delta Mae Feliciano, 81, of Mountain View died Oct. 2, 2014, at her residence. Born in Naalehu, she was a homemaker. Private services were held.
She is survived by husband, Joseph Feliciano Sr. of Mountain View; sons, Joseph (Barbara) Feliciano of Hilo, John (Linda) Feliciano of Kailua, Oahu; daughters, Tina Romero of Anchorage, Alaska, Delta (James) Baxter of Charles City, La., Roseanna (John Martin) Soares of Mountain View, Sarafina (Terry) Jennings of Colorado Springs, Colo., Brenda (Jon) Sampson of Portland, Ore.; sister, Elsie Stoud of Tennessee; 26 grandchildren, 67 great-grandchildren, two great-great-grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Ralph Nishioka
Ralph Nishioka, 90, of Hilo, died Sept. 26, 2014, at Hale Anuenue Restorative Care Center. Born in Hilo, he was a retired safety coordinator with Jas. W. Glover Ltd. He was also a member of the Honpa Hongwanji Hilo Betsuin, former first aid instructor for the American Red Cross, former Cub Scout leader, and a World War II veteran of the U.S. Army, serving as an interpreter in the Military Intelligence Service.
Private services were held. Family requests monetary donations be omitted.
He is survived by wife, Kikue Nishioka of Hilo; daughter, Joan (Edward) Tamori of Wailuku, Maui; son, Eric (Lynn) Nishioka of Hilo; brother, Richard (Hanae) Nishioka of California; sisters, Shizuko Nishioka of Hilo, Takeko Ide of Honolulu, Eiko Okui, Teruko (Toshiro) Matsunaga, both of Hilo; three grandchildren, one great-grandson, numerous nieces and nephews.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Robert Rainie
Robert Edward Rainie, 92, of Keaau died Sept. 28, 2014, at his residence. Born in Fresno, Calif., he worked for Lockheed Martin and the National Security Agency, was a tae kwon do master, a member of the Board of Directors of the Han Moo Kwan Association and a veteran of the U.S. Navy during World War II.
Private services were held. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the U.S. Navy Beach Jumpers Association or the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
He is survived by wife, Anna Rainie of Keaau; daughters, Jo (George) Rodgers of Saratoga, Calif., Christine (Thomas) Balch of Petaluma, Calif.; son, Brian (Kelly) Rainie of Sunnyvale, Calif.; five grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, two great-great-grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Billy Walker
Billy Keith Walker, 86, of Pahoa died Sept. 30, 2014, at Hilo Medical Center. Born Aug. 17, 1928, in Grants, N.M., he was a retired communications officer for the State Department. He was a member of the Hawaii Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society, Hawaii Public Radio, and a veteran of the U.S. Navy during the Korean War.
Services will be held at a later date. Condolences may be posted at homelanimemorialpark.com.
He is survived by sons, Stephen (Marthann) Walker of Phoenix, Brett Walker of Pahoa; daughter, Rachel Leyva of Kurtistown; three grandchildren; one great-grandchild; numerous nieces and nephews.