Obituary Notices: March 4-10, 2018

Big Island Obituaries

Carolyn Derby Gautusa
October 10, 1959 – March 2, 2018

Carolyn Derby Gautusa, 58, of Pāhoa, peacefully passed away on March 2, 2018. She was born on Oct. 10, 1959 in Detroit, Michigan and was a retired cashier.

Celebration of life to be held in Maui at a later date.

Survived by her loving husband, Soli Gautusa; son, Philip Soli Kidder Gautusa; daughter, Emily Nicole Sei Gautusa; sister, Kay Kidder, Beth Nadvornik; one grandchild; and niece Shayna Vi.

Clayton David Rodrigues
July 19, 1955 – February 14, 2018

Clayton David Rodrigues, 62, of Hilo, peacefully passed away on Feb. 14, 2018 at Pohai Malama in Hilo. He was born on July 19, 1955 in Oahu.

Celebration of life to be held at Ala Moana Beach Park (Magic Island) on Saturday, March 17, 2018.

Survived by daughter, Jamie Bergman-Rodrigues; brothers, Ben Rodrigues, Alex Rodrigues; and sister, Debbie Ramos.

Maui Obituaries

Thomas Tsugio Watanabe
March 20, 1946 – March 4, 2018

Thomas Tsugio Watanabe, 71, of Kula, passed away at his residence on March 4, 2018 under the care of Hospice Maui.

Thomas was born on March 20, 1946 in Kula to Kazui and Yoshiko Watanabe. He was a farmer since birth and started the Watanabe Vegetable Processing LLC. He served in the US Military and is a Veteran of the United States Army. He worked for Aloha Airlines for 37 years. His greatest passion was fishing.

Visitation will be held on March 17, 2018 from 4 to 9 p.m. with service at 5:30 p.m. at Ballard Family Mortuary in Kahului. Family request casual attire and in lieu of flower a donation be made to Hospice Maui in Thomas Watanabe’s name.

Thomas is survived by his wife, Shirley Watanabe; son, Thomas K. “Tommy” (Donabelle) Watanabe; and daughter, Heidi Watanabe; grandchildren, Angelica and Tsugio Watanabe; brothers, Richard (Barbara) Watanabe and Patrick (Alice) Watanabe; sister, Joyce (Harold) Fukushima.

He is predeceased in death by his parents, Kazui and Yoshiko Watanabe; brothers, Larry and Glen Watanabe.

Alvin Nacua
February 21, 1946 – February 24, 2018

Alvin Nacua, 72, of Makawao, passed away on Feb. 24, 2018 in Las Vegas. Alvin was born on Feb. 21, 1946 in Lahaina, Maui.

Memorial service will be held on April 7, 2018 at Ballard Family Mortuary in Kahului. Visitation to begin at 9 a.m. Service will be held at 11 a.m.

Alvin is survived by his wife, Geraldine; sons, Kaeo (Patty) Nacua, Walter “Butch” Graham, and Darrell (Courtney) Graham; daughters, Stacey (Lawrence) Paet, and Shannon Nacua; sisters, Beryl (Manohar) Bartakke, and Sylvia “Mealani” Malaqui; brother, Dwight B. (Leila) Nacua.

Alvin was predeceased by his parents, Ben and Pat Nacua; brother, Benjamin Nacua Jr.

Edward (Eddie) Kalaina Akuna

Edward (Eddie) Kalaina Akuna
November 23, 1934 – February 22, 2018

Edward (Eddie) Kalaina Akuna, 83, of Kīhei, passed away on Feb. 22, 2018. He was born on Nov. 23, 1934, in Waiheʻe to Edward and Helen Akuna.

He is survived by his wife of 55 years Bertha and son Derek, wife Paula. Eddie came from a large family: Brothers, Lionel (deceased) wife Anita (deceased), Kenneth (deceased), Merle (deceased) wife Ellen, Danton, wife Marianne (deceased). Sisters: Alaire (deceased), Beverly Brown (deceased) husband Harry (deceased), Wanda (deceased), Laurel and numerous nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 15, 2018, 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. Norman’s Mortuary is assisting with funeral arrangements.

Edward served in the Marines and was a retired Service Engineer at Goodfellow Brothers. Family requests aloha attire.

Kelsey Leigh Cooper

Kelsey Leigh Cooper
October 9, 1993 – February 19, 2018

Kelsey Leigh Cooper, 24, of Wailuku, passed away on Feb. 19, 2018. She was born in Auburn, California on Oct. 9, 1993.

She is survived by her loving mother, LeighAnne; siblings, Nic and Delila, her sister-in-law and brother-in law, Stacy and Joey; her nieces and nephew: Sophia, Angel, Tatiana and Eva; her grandparents, Karen and Keith; uncle Jefrey and his wife Kris and her cousin Zoë, and her large extended family—great grandparents, aunties and cousins, her Maui ohana and many friends on both sides of the Pacific and her precious Nala.

Death comes to all and who is to say that a shorter life on this earth is any less abundant than one who has lived many years. She whom we love and lose is no longer where she was before, she is now wherever we are.

Kristen “Cissy” Reyes

Kristen “Cissy” Reyes
December 18, 1968 – February 9, 2018

Kristen “Cissy” Reyes, 49, of Kīhei, passed away on Feb. 9, 2018 at her residence in Kīhei. She was born on Dec. 18, 1968 in Wailuku, Maui.

Visitation will be held at Ballard Family Mortuary in Kahului from 9 to 11 a.m. with service starting at 11 a.m.

Kristen “Cissy” Reyes, survived by her parents, Eddie and Arleen Reyes; sister, Keone Reyes; nieces, Chentelle (Ben) Rowland and Sierra (Austin) Patao; nephew, Kory Kahalekai, as well as grandnieces, grandnephews, family and friends.