Obituaries: 9-21-16

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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.

Date of publication cannot be guaranteed. Memorial advertisements may be purchased through the newspaper advertising department.

Albert Branco

Albert Raymond Branco, 84, of Honokaa died Sept. 14, 2016. Born Sept. 10, 1932, in Kalopa, he was a veteran of the Army National Guard Branch, a retired truck driver and laborer for the State of Hawaii Highway Division.

Friends may call at 8 a.m. Sept. 24 at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Honokaa for a 10 a.m. service. Condolences may be posted at ballardfamilymortuaries.com.

He is survived by wife, Beverly Branco of Honokaa; son, Darrel (Stephanie) Branco of Keaau; daughters, Lisa Branco, Sara (Ruben) Avelino, both of Honokaa; brother, Clarence (Charlotte) Branco of Papaikou; sisters, Virginia Dooley of Oregon, Stella Regidor of Kailua-Kona, Gladys (Russell) Heu of Honolulu; eight grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

Arrangements by Ballard Family Mortuary-Hilo.

Donald Laa Jr.

Donald Glen Laa Jr., 44, of Keaau died Sept. 3, 2016, at Hilo Medical Center. Born in Honolulu, he was a fuel truck driver with Aloha Petroleum and a member of the Waikahe Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was a Pop Warner Football coach for the Puna Panthers.

Friends may call at 9 a.m. Sept. 24 at Orchidland Chapel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for an 11 a.m. service, followed by burial at the Alae Cemetery-Mormon Section. The family requests that casual attire be worn and that flowers are welcomed.

He is survived by wife, Claudine Laa of Hawaiian Paradise Park; sons, Elson Laa, Iokepa Laa, both of Hawaiian Paradise Park; daughters, Charity Laa, Kelsi Laa, both of Hawaiian Paradise Park; parents, Donald Sr. and Carole Laa of Mountain View; brothers, Richard Camacho of Vacaville, Calif., Randall (Heather) Oreta of Mountain View; sisters, Sheldyn Camacho of Milolii, Renee (Mark Sr.) Olivera of Mountain View, Roxanne (Bernie Sr.) Llanes of Holualoa; numerous uncles, aunts, cousins, nephews, nieces and friends.

Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary, Hilo.

Ira Kekaualua Sr.

Ira Cho Kekaualua Sr., 80, of Hilo died Sept. 2, 2016, at the Hilo Medical Center. Born in Hilo, he was a retired truck driver with the former HT &T Co. and for E.C. Trucking. He was also a member of Glad Tidings Church, the founder, president and head coach of Hui Waa o Waiakea Canoe Club, the former president of the Prince David Kawananakoa Civic and Canoe Club, and a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War.

Friends may call at 9 a.m. Sept. 25 at Dodo Mortuary chapel for an 11 a.m. service. Friends may also call at noon Sept. 26 at Hawaii Veterans Cemetery No. 2 for a committal service. The family requests that casual attire be worn.

He is survived by wife, Barbara Kekaualua of Hilo; sons, Rupert Kekaualua of Kona, Douglas Kekaualua, Ira (Erica) Kekaualua Jr., Dudley (Marlo) Kekaualua, all of Hilo, Heath (Cheyenne) Kekaualua of Maui; daughters, Rowena (Peter) Roan, Lisa Kekaualua (David) Medeiros, Rose (Leighton) Leopoldino, Nami (Robert) Kekaualua, Barbara (Ryan) Kekaualua, all of Hilo, Frances Haunani (Bruce) Hashimoto of Kona,; brother, Genesis (Sheila) Kekaualua of Hilo; sisters, Beverly (Everett) Crumb, Robyne (Nixon) Pacheco, all of Hilo; 53 grandchildren, 79 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandson; numerous nieces and nephews.

Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary, Hilo.

Ted Osako

Ted Shigemi Osako, 65, of Hilo died Sept. 12, 2016, at Hilo Medical Center. Born Aug. 11, 1951, in Honokaa, he was retired from Hawaiian Telcom.

Friends may call at 2 p.m. Sept. 26 at Dodo Mortuary chapel in Hilo for a 3 p.m. service. Family requests casual attire be worn and no monetary gifts and no flowers.

He is survived by daughters, Robbi-Anne Liu of Honolulu, Kristilyn (Eric) Carney of Mililani, Oahu; son, Corbert Osako of Alabang, the Philippines; mother, Jane Osako of Honokaa; sister, Gail (Craig) Yamasaka of Pearl City, Oahu; brothers, Gene (Lynne) Osako of Ewa Beach, Oahu, Tim Osako of Honokaa; four grandchildren, numerous nieces, nephews, aunts, and uncles.

Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.

Henrietta Gonsalves

Henrietta Pearl Gonsalves, 85, of Hilo died Sept. 14, 2016, at home. Born Nov. 4, 1930, in Honolulu, she was a homemaker and a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Hilo.

Visitation will be held from 8:30-9:30 a.m. Sept. 27 at St. Joseph Catholic Church. Eulogy at 9:30 a.m., funeral Mass at 10:30 a.m. Burial will follow at Hawaii Veterans Cemetery No. 2. Casual attire.

She is survived by, daughters, Antoinette Amii of Hilo, Olinda Diana (Jeffrey) De Rego of Honokaa, Verlann (Claude Carvalho) Gonsalves of Pahoa; sons, Don (Francine) Gonsalves Jr. of Paradise Park, Valentine (Betty Tanonaka) Gonsalves of Hilo, Tony (Peggie) Gonsalves of Mountain View; 18 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary, Hilo.