Editor’s note: Obituaries are published free of charge as a public service. Content is subject to editing for parity treatment and style continuity. Date of publication cannot be guaranteed. Memorial advertisements may be purchased through the newspaper advertising department.
Theresa Correa
Theresa Kuulei (Moses) Correa, 85, of Kailua, died on Feb. 22, 2019, at Kaiser Hospital Moanalua. She was born on May 22, 1933, in Hilo. She was retired from Bellows Air Force Station in Waimanalo where she was a housekeeper, she was a member of Kailua Church of the Nazarene. She was the wife of Elgin Joseph Correa.
Services will be held at Dodo Mortuary Chapel in Hilo, 199 Wainaku Street on March 9. Family viewing 8-9 a.m., public viewing 9-10 a.m., service 10-11 a.m., Final viewing 11 a.m. to noon. Burial to follow at Alae Cemetery. Casual attire; flowers are welcome. For those back in Honolulu, family and friends are encouraged and welcome to attend Lunch at Kailua Church of the Nazarene at 536 Oneawa Street in Kailua from noon to 5 p.m. March 16.
She is survived by sons, Curtis (Deann), Nolan, Glen and Robert; daughters: Doreen (Theodore) Chapman, and Elginette; brothers, Joe, John (Alice) and Paul (Jane); 28 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren and four great-great grandchildren; three sisters-in-law; nieces, nephews and cousins.
She is preceded in death by parents Henry Kuamoo Sr. and Mary (Santos).
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary, Inc. – Hilo Branch.
Amy Galano
Amy (Koga) Galano , 81, of Wichita, Kan., died Feb. 17, 2019. Born in Hilo, she left Hilo to live with her daughter in LA, and later lived with her son in Wichita, Kan. She retired as a medical secretary for a doctor’s firm in Hilo.
Service at Ballard Family Mortuary, 570 Kinoole Street, on March 12. Visitation 9 a.m. Service at 10 a.m. Burial to follow at Alae Cemetery.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Cezar Galano; son, Elden (Karen) Galano; daughter, Jolie (Jim Spieldel) Yamashita; brother, David (Pat) Koga; three grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; five great-great grandchildren; nieces, nephews and extended family.
Arrangements by Ballard Family Mortuary.
Sonia Ching
Sonia “Son” (Kauwe) Ching, 45, of Keaau, died on Feb. 22, 2019, at Hilo Medical Center. Born in Hauula, Oahu she moved to the Big Island in 1996. She was a student at Hawaii Community College; former photographer at Sears Portrait Studio in Hilo and Ala Moana on Oahu.
Visitation will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. March 8 at Dodo Chapel, Hilo. A celebration of life is at 7 p.m.; cremation to follow. Casual attire.
She is survived by husband/companion of 20 years, Ivan Kauwe of Puna; son, Anson Kauwe of Puna; daughters, Bianca (AJ) Agustin of Puna, Kellie (Kepa) Ching of Hauula, Oahu and Ashily (Kevin) Ching of Hauula, Oahu; mothers, Gail (Preston) Greene of Laie, Oahu and Victoria “Ma-Chee” Yadao of Hauula, Oahu; fathers, Rodney Caplin of Maui and Earl Greene, Sr. of Laie, Oahu; brother, Earl Greene, Jr. of Laie, Oahu; sisters, Carol (Jerome) Andrade of Laie, Oahu and Vickie (Kimo) Preston-Greene of Laie, Oahu; mother-in-law; three brothers-in-law; seven grandchildren; many hanai kids; numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary, Inc. – Hilo.
Leona Toler
Leona Ann Toler, 69, of Hilo, died Feb. 20, 2019, at Hilo Medical Center. She was born on Sept. 4, 1949, in Hilo and was a retired billing clerk for Yamada &Sons, a former waitress and hula dancer for Uncle Billy’s Hilo Bay Hotel, and a former switchboard operator for Hawaiian Tel.
A celebration of life will be held from 11:30 a.m. March 16 at the family residence, 195 Todd Avenue, Hilo.
She is survived by sons, Samuel (Diana) Toler, Jr. of Keaau, Stephen (Ashley) Toler of Keaau and Shamus (Breanna) Toler of Hilo; daughters, Inglish (Vernon Tabiolo) Toler of Kohala, Tiffany (Phillip Blas) Toler of Keaau and Jordana (Kristy Kobayashi) Toler of Keaau; brothers, Robert (Lisa) Kauka of Santa Barbara, Calif., and Dennis (Enola) Kauka of Hilo; sisters, Gabrielle Fromme of Germany, Thalia Kauka of Hilo and Carolyne “Lei” Nobriga of Hilo; 14 grandchildren; numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary, Inc. – Hilo.
Richard Starr
Richard Bert Benton Starr, 72, of Pahoa died Feb. 19, 2019, at the Hawaii Care Choices Pohai Malama Care Center. He was born in Williamsport, Penn., and was a journeyman diesel mechanic with Pacific Motor Trucking and later became the owner of Road Kill Mobile Repair. He was also a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War.
Private services held.
He is survived by his wife, Kathleen Starr of Pahoa; daughters, Jennifer (Edward James) Starr-Youngling and Marjorie Starr of Maryland; son, Jeffery Starr of Colorado; stepsons, Mark Womack of California and Paul (Maria) Womack of Pohnpei, Micronesia; four grandchildren.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary, Inc. – Hilo.
Emiko Fujie
Emiko Fujie, 92, of Hilo, died Feb. 9, 2019, at the Hilo Medical Center. She was born in Hilo and was a retired bookkeeper with Garden Exchange and a member of the Hilo Meishoin Mission.
Private services held.
She is survived by her sons, Jerry Fujie and Allen (Nela) Fujie of Hilo; daughter, Joyce (Carl) Arakaki of Hilo; sister, Irene (Robert) Yoshino of Oahu; four grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary, Inc. – Hilo.
Leovegildo Mercado
Leovegildo aka “Leo” “Hildo” B. Mercado, 91, of Honolulu formerly of Pahala, died Feb. 21, 2019, at Queen’s Medical Center (West Oahu). He was born on Sept. 1, 1927, in the Philippines. He was a retired laborer for an Agriculture Company in Hawaii and he also was a member of the Pahala Holy Rosary Catholic Church.
Friends may call from 8-9:30 a.m. March 9 at Pahala Holy Rosary Catholic Church for a 10 a.m. celebration of Mass. Casual attire and flowers are welcomed. Burial at the church cemetery.
He is survived by sons, Peter (Terri) Cabreros and David (Stephanie) Cabreros of Keaau; daughters, Caridad (Kenneth) Bargamento of Germany and Marvine Mercado of Honolulu; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary, Inc.