Editor’s note: Obituaries are published free of charge as a public service. The content is subject to editing to ensure parity treatment and style continuity.
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Pearl Wong
Pearl Katherine Spalding Wong, 72, of Hilo died October 17, 2014 at Pohai Malama. Born in Hilo on Jan. 1, 1942, she was a Family Support Services Specialist at the Hilo YWCA and a member of Malia Puka O Kalani Catholic Church, Hale O Na Alii, Keola Pono No Na Kupuna (Alu Like, Inc) and the Hilo Ohana Horseshoe Pitchers Club.
A visitation will be held on Oct. 24 from 8-9 a.m. at Malia Puka O Kalani Catholic Church; Celebration of Life will follow at 9 a.m. Scattering of ashes will follow at Puhi Bay. Family requests casual attire.
She is survived by two sons, Scotty (Robin) Wong of Hilo and Guy (Lenora) Wong of Lanai City; daughter, Karen Wong of Barstow, Calif.; sister-in-law Daisy Spalding of Hilo; 9 grandchildren; 10 great grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Online condolences can be submitted at homelanimemorialpark.com.
Rudolph Sumera
Rudolph “Rudy” Sumera, 72, of Hilo, died Oct. 7, 2014 at Hilo Medical Center. Born Nov. 9, 1941, in Pepeekeo, he was retired from Hawaiian Reinforcing Steel Co. Ltd., a member of the Iron Workers Union Local 625, and an avid bowler and fisherman.
Friends may call at 10 a.m. Oct. 24 at Dodo Mortuary chapel in Hilo for an 11 a.m. service. Burial follows at 1:30 p.m. at Homelani Memorial Park Ilima Section. Family requests casual attire be worn.
He is survived by wife, Judy Sumera of Hilo; son, Tim (Jodi) Sumera of Hilo; daughter, Jenn (Mike Cardines) Sumera of Hilo; brother, Herman (Irma) Sumera of Hilo; sisters, Leona Omega of Hilo, Frances (Harvey) Johnson of Las Vegas; five grandchildren, numerous nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Florence Jacobson
Florence Anna Tokue Kunitomo Jacobson, 83, of Volcano died Oct. 15, 2014 at the Queen’s Medical Center on Oahu. Born in Honolulu, she was a music teacher. Private services were held. She is survived by husband, Glenn Jacobson of Volcano; son, Thorvald (Elizabeth Leonard) Jacobson of Los Angeles; hanai daughter, Victoria (Michael Nye) Gardner of Volcano; brother, Kenji Kunitomo of Honolulu.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Hatsuo Yamasaki
Hatsuo Yamasaki, 92, of Mountain View, passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2014 in Oceanside, Calif. Born in Mt. View, he was a retired mechanic for Puna Sugar Company. Private services will be held at a later date. Family requests no monetary donations. Survived by, daughters, Kathleen (Brian) Nakagawa of Oceanside, Calif. and Avis (Bill) Fuchsberger of Kaneohe, Oahu; brother, Stanley (Beatrice) Yamasaki of Hilo; sisters, Kiyomi Takeuchi of Hilo, Patsy (Hitoshi) Aoyagi of Kailua, Oahu and Hanae (Tadao) Yamasaki of Hilo; sister-in-law, Itsue Yamasaki of Hilo; 4 grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Mary Knox
Mary Canning Knox, 82, of Holualoa died Oct. 10, 2014 at her residence. Born Feb. 11, 1932 in Providence, R.I. to Charles Sr. and Alice Canning, she was a registered nurse and nurse practitioner, Executive Director of Hospice of Martin &St. Lucie, Inc. and retired from the Hospice Foundation.
Mary is survived by her 6 children, Kathleen (Robert) Brooks of Holualoa; David (Patricia) Johnson of Flowery Branch, Ga.; Terry Guffrey of Ft Myers, Fla.; Colleen Levin of Bellevue, Wash.; Patricia Reid of Myrtle Beach, S.C.; and Tom (Malinda) Johnson of Duluth, Ga.; siblings, Charles Canning of Portland, Me.; John (Sonny) Canning of Vero Beach, Fla.; and Patricia Alberding of Chicago; 23 grandchildren; 20 great grandchildren and 14 nieces and nephews.
A private service was held following her passing. Memorial donations in Mary’s name may be sent to the Hospice of Kona, P.O. Box 4130, Kailua-Kona, HI. 96745.
Morgan Livingston
Morgan Lewis Livingston, Jr., 82, of Hawaii National Park passed away on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2014. Born in Newark, N.J. Jan. 3, 1932, he was a home builder and cabinet maker, and an Electronics Technician Class A for the Navy Underwater Demolition Team 21 in Little Creek, Va. A Celebration of Life will take place Oct. 24 at 11 a.m. at the Life Care Center of Hilo. Private service will be held for family and friends at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Hospice of Hilo.
He is survived by spouse, Grace Livingston of Hawaii National Park; 2 daughters, Mele (Craig) Thomas of Redmond, Wash. and Lisa Livingston of Iowa; son, David (Barbara) Livingston of Buchanan, Va.; 7 grandchildren; 2 great grandchildren. Online condolences homelanimemorialpark.com.
Herman Sanchez
Herman H. Sanchez, 68, of Calif. died Sept. 30, 2014. Born Sept. 28, 1946, in Honokaa, he was a retired general contractor, fisherman and baseball fan.
Friends may call at 9 a.m., Oct. 25 at Honokaa United Methodist Church for a 10 a.m. service. Lunch and Celebration of Life to follow at Honokaa Hongwanji. Family requests casual attire be worn.
He is survived by wife, Patricia Sanchez of Calif.; son, Strider (Keri) Sanchez Shurtliff of Los Angeles; daughter, Tanya (Sean) Sanchez Trapani of San Francisco; granddaughters, Kayla and Karli Rose Trapani of San Francisco; brothers, Jaime Sanchez of Kaneohe, Benjamin Sanchez of Honokaa, Wally Sanchez of Waikoloa, Richard (Bonnie) Sanchez of Waimea; numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Camilla Mahuna
Camilla “Loke” Pualokelani Hui Mahuna, 51, of Waimea, Hawaii, died Oct. 12, 2014 at her residence. Born Oct. 29, 1962 in Kawaihae she was a professional lei maker and a retired hostess for Parker Ranch Broiler in Waimea.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Nov. 22 at Spencer Beach Park pavilion from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Condolences may be sent to the family at P.O. Box 761 Kamuela, Hawaii 96743. For information call 885-5568.
She is survived by daughter, Moani Mahuna; sons, Chad Mahuna, Cody Mahuna; sisters, Bernie (John) Collo all of Waimea, Dorothy (Gary) Souza of Kawaihae; brother, Campbell Hui of Waimea; hanai daughter, Rebecca Kakalia of Kailua-Kona; numerous nieces and nephews.
Arrangements by Cremation Services of West Hawaii.
James Kepoo
James Enos Kepoo, 51, of Kawaihae, died Oct. 14, 2014 at North Hawaii Community Hospital. Born Jan. 16, 1963 in Honolulu, he was a handyman, carpenter, stage lighting assistant, cook, member of Becks Sapphire Kawaihae Hui and a US Army veteran.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 2 p.m. Nov. 1 at Kawaihae Canoe Club located at Kawaihae Small Boat Harbor. Service at 3 p.m. followed by scattering of ashes. Loose flowers welcome. Dinner to follow. For information call 989-5723.
He is survived by daughter, Kayla (Micah Beaudet) Kepoo of Kailua Kona; brothers, Billy (Denise) Kepoo all of Kailua- Kona, George Kepoo of Honolulu, Stanford (Lisa) Kepoo of Hilo, Samuel Kepoo, Wendell Hershmann both of Honolulu; sister, Corina (J.R. Leancio) Kepoo; hanai sisters, Rhonda (Leighton) Bell, Valerie (Roddy Samio) Saffery-Samio all of Kawaihae; three grandchildren, numerous uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces and nephews.
Arrangements by Cremation Services of West Hawaii.
Grace Kaulunahele
Grace Ellen Kaulunahele, 71, of Kailua-Kona, died Oct. 4, 2014 at Life Care Center of Kona. Born in Honokaa on Oct. 17, 1942, she was a housekeeper. Friends may call at 8 a.m. Oct. 25 at the Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Honokaa for a 10 a.m. Mass. The family requests casual attire and flowers be omitted. She is survived by her brother, Kenneth (Dawn) Rillanos of Laupahoehoe; sisters, Linda Kaulunahele of Paauhau and Dianne (Phillip) Akao of Kailua-Kona; sister-in-law, Mary Rillanos of Honokaa; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Georgieana Pascua
Georgieana Pascua, 59, of Keaau, died Oct. 8, 2014 at home. Born May 3, 1955 in Hilo, she was a homemaker and a Pastor’s wife for the Life Seekers Fellowship Church in Keaau.
Friends may call from 8-10 a.m. Oct. 25 at the Church of Sure Foundation in Keaau (Puna). Visitation from 8-10 a.m., funeral services and Celebration of Her Life at 10 a.m. Cremation to follow at Dodo Mortuary Crematory in Hilo. Casual attire requested.
Preceded in death by parents, Margaret and George Espaniola, Sr. and brother, George Espaniola. She is survived by husband, Darren K. Pascua of Keaau; son, William “Billy Boy” (Shannon) Benevides of Keaau; daughters, Tanya (Shane) Benevides and Christina (Daniel) Perreira of Keaau; brother, Dave (Claire) Espaniola of Hilo; sisters, Louise Espaniola and Juliana Espaniola (Danny) Collins of Hilo; ten grandchildren, one great-granddaughter; numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Justin Kamahele
Justin Keoni Makio Kamahele Hirae, 21, of Hilo, died Sept. 19, 2014 in Iowa. Born on Aug. 31, 1993 he was a 2nd class midshipman at Iowa State University ROTC Navy. Visitation will be held from 9-10 a.m. Oct. 25 at Dodo Mortuary Chapel, Hilo. A Celebration of His Life will be held at 10 a.m.
He is survived by mother, Christy Hirae of Hilo; step-father, Troy Amaral of Hilo; brother, Jordan Hirae of Tacoma, Wash.; step-brothers, Garrett Amaral of Hilo and Blake Amaral of Honolulu; maternal grandmother, Puanani Mukai of Pahoa; paternal grandmother, Corliss Hirae of Hilo; many aunts, uncles and cousins. Preceded in death by his father, Jason Hirae; maternal grandfather, Minoru Mukai; and paternal grandfather, Richard Hirae.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Hisako Nakasone
Hisako Laura Nakasone, 93, of Hilo died at the Life Care Center of Hilo on Sept. 26, 2014. Born in Pepeekeo, she was a retired payroll clerk with the former Hilo Iron Works and a member of the Church of the Holy Cross, Nohea Kumiai and Hui Okinawa.
Friends may call at the Church of the Holy Cross from 10-11 a.m. Oct. 25. A Memorial Service will be held at 11 a.m. The family requests aloha attire and that flowers be omitted. She is survived by her sons, Michael (Brenda) Nakasone and Clayton (Sheryl) Nakasone both of Honolulu; daughter, Patricia (Rick) Tanimoto of Hilo; brother, Lyndon Satoru (June) Oshiro of Calif.; sisters, Merle Tokeshi of Honolulu and Kazuko Nohara of Kapolei; sisters-in-law, Amy Shiroma and Millie Uchima both of Hilo; five grandchildren, two great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.