Services to be held Thursday, May 9, 2019 at Ballard Mortuary Hilo, Kinoole St. Visitation 9 to 10:30 a.m., service at 10:30 a.m. Burial to follow at Veteran’s Cemetary II at 12 p.m. Family asks donations to be made to Alzheimer’s Association, Aloha Chapter.
Irene Vierra Cambra, 90, of Kahului, passed away on April 11, 2019 at Islands Hospice in Kahului. She was born on July 15, 1928 in Lahaina, Maui.
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Visitation will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 1, 2019, at Christ the King Church, memorial mass at 11 a.m., and urn burial at 1 p.m. at the Maui Veteran’s Cemetery in Makawao.
Irene retired as the secretary at Christ the King Church and had also been the church organist for 64 years.
When she was 12, she learned to play the organ as a student at Sacred Hearts School in Lahaina and played at Catholic churches and mission churches until her marriage in 1952. After she married and moved to Kahului she was asked to play during masses at Christ the King as early as 1955. There she directed her choir for many years, was the organist for morning masses, played for hundreds of weddings, funerals, graduations, and until her passing played with the Tongan choir during the Sunday evening mass.
She served as a church secretary, parish council member, served on many church committees, was the music director, and taught music to the Christ the King pre-school children for 16 years.
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Irene was instrumental in starting the Christ the King Sweet Bread project where she co-chaired the bake sale monthly for many years.
She was honored in 2006 and 2018 as the Christ the King Living Island Treasure and in 2014 Sacred Hearts School in Lahaina honored her as their Living Legend. Irene was the true example of holiness and faith.
She was pre-deceased by her husband, Herman Cambra; survived by sons, Glenn Edward Cambra, Dwight Stephen Cambra, and Robert Wayne (Moon Hee) Cambra; daughter, Karen (Clarence Halona) Laborte; grandchildren, Ailina (James) Tagupa-Laborte, and Jacey Laborte; and 1 great-grandchild, Thaddeus-James Tagupa.
Visitation will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. on Friday, May 3, 2019, at Ballard Family Mortuary; service will begin at 11 a.m.; burial will follow, 1 p.m., at the Maui Veteran’s Cemetery in Makawao. Philly was predeceased by her beloved husband, Henry Polohau Kahula Jr.; and daughters, Florence K. Kahula and Elsie W. Kahula.
She is survived by her son, Henry Polohau Kahula III (Rose Snyder); daughters, Roxann (Wes) Arakaki, Henrietta Kahula, Darnielle Kahula (Jacob Villiarimo); siblings, Patrick K. (Paulette) Akuna Sr., Rita (Tony) Sommer, Betty Kaya, Daisy (Dave) Goodall, Peter L. Akuna Sr.; 7 grandchildren, Jamie (Kyle) Stites, Jennifer Wagenbrenner, Eha Kahula, Haunani Kahula, Janel Kahula, Dominick Kahula, John-Michael Kahula-Fal; and 10 great grandchildren.
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