• Willie M. Rapozo
• James Mitchell “Pops” Ayau
• Zeta Chloe Ellenburg
• Joaquin “Sonny” Ventura, Jr.
• Robert “Tada” Tadachi Yamauchi
• Peter C. Statler
Willie M. Rapozo
Willie M. Rapozo of Kapa‘a died at Wilcox Memorial Hospital on March 25, 2004, at the age of 90. Born in Kealia on Oct. 8, 1913, he was with the Kaua‘i Fire Department for 27 years, retiring in 1976 as captain at the Kapa‘a fire station. During his service he was part of a search-and-rescue team whose members rescued many people, including actor Frank Sinatra. Rapozo was known for his daring rescues and tenacious diving.
He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Clara Rapozo, and four children: Kathleen (the late John) Barretto of Kaua‘i; Linda (Bill) Pacheco of Oregon; Richard (Evelyn) Rapozo of California; and Laure (Richard) Thacker of Georgia. He is preceded in death by daughter Veronica Rapozo. He is also survived by five grandchildren: Daniel Barretto, Brandon and Michele Pacheco, Joshua Rapozo and Ashley Thacker.
Funeral services are Saturday, April 3, at St. Catherine Church in Kapa‘a, with visitation from 9 to 9:45 a.m., followed by an eulogy from 9:45 to 10 a.m. Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m., followed by burial at St. Catherine Cemetery in Kealia.
Arrangements are being handled by Kauai Memorial Gardens & Funeral Home.
James Mitchell “Pops” Ayau
James Mitchell “Pops” Ayau, formerly of ‘Aiea, O‘ahu and Waimea, Kaua‘i, died March 11, 2004 at The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu. He was 77. A retired foreman for Hawaiian Reinforcing Steel Company, he was born Oct. 21, 1926. An avid golfer, he was a member of clubs at the Kunia and Moanalua golf courses.
He is survived by his wife, Mildred Chaves Ayau; sons Earl (Trudi) Kilar of Seattle, Wash. and Glenn (Pua) Ayau of Waimea; daughters Joann Kilar (Michael Shimono) of Mililani, O‘ahu; Barbara Jean Ayau-Aguiar and Renee Ayau-Tyler of Kalaheo; and M. Jamie Ayau of Wahiawa, O‘ahu. He is also survived by 23 grandchildren, 32 great grandchildren; Aunty Annie Ayau of St. Louis Heights, O‘ahu; sisters Viola and Hazeline Wilson of Colorado, and numerous nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held Friday, April 2, at Waimea Foreign Church at 10 a.m. Friends may call 1-808-265-5924, or 332-5146, for more information.
Zeta Chloe Ellenburg
Zeta Chloe Ellenburg, a resident of Kaua‘i since 1981, died at Wilcox Memorial Hospital on March 14, 2004, at the age of 87. Born Dec. 2, 1916 in Corvallis, Ore. to Maj. Gen. Herschel and Nettie Ellenburg, Chloe Ellenburg retired in 1976 following a 33-year career with the U.S. civil service. She was among the first civilians to become military aircraft repair technicians at Pearl Harbor after the Dec. 7, 1941 attack. She also worked at Lualualei Naval Station, O‘ahu; Long Beach, Calif. Naval Base; and Ft. Huachuca, Ariz.; as one of the military’s first computer operators.
She is survived by one son, William (Peggy) Ellenburg, of Wailua Homesteads, and two grandchildren, Nicholas Ellenburg of Wailua Homesteads, and Jennifer Rivera of Fargo, N.D. There are also four grandchildren, all of Fargo.
A lifelong member of the American Legion Auxiliary, Chloe Ellenburg also led Kaua‘i’s 4-H rabbit and cavy clubs. She enjoyed people, gardening, animals, Hawai‘i and Hawaiian music.
Arrangements are being handled by Borthwick/Kauai Mortuary. Services are to be held at a later date in Oregon.
Joaquin “Sonny” Ventura, Jr.
Joaquin “Sonny” Ventura, Jr., of Kapa‘a, died March 28, 2004 at Wilcox Memorial Hospital, at the age of 75. Born Sept. 6, 1928, he was a Korean War veteran and was awarded the Purple Heart.
He was preceded in death by his father, Joaquin Ventura, Sr., mother, Theresa “Daisy” Ventura, and sister, Patricia Kaui. He is survived by two brothers, James (Barbara) Ventura of Kapa‘a and Damon (Sheila) Ventura of Kilauea; two sisters, Lillian Rapozo of Kapa‘a and Lorraine (Gilbert) Amaral of Hanama‘ulu; numerous nieces and nephews.
Services will be held Friday, April 2 at St. Catherine Church in Kapa‘a at 9 a.m. Mass will be held at 10 a.m. with inurnment to follow at St. Catherine Cemetery. Casual attire is suggested.
Arrangements are being handled by Borthwick/Kauai Mortuary.
Robert “Tada” Tadachi Yamauchi
Robert “Tada” Tadachi Yamauchi of Lihu‘e, died at Wilcox Memorial Hospital on March 28, 2004, at the age of 70. Born in Kaua‘i on Jan. 11, 1934, he was a retired salesman with Diamond Bakery and he also served in the U.S. Army.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Eddie Satoru Yamauchi. He is survived by his wife, Tomie Yamauchi; one daughter, Kris Yamauchi-Taniguchi; son-in-law Eddie Taniguchi III; one sister, Betty Fusae Sora; brother, James Yamauchi; numerous nieces, nephews and his fishing and gambling buddies and good friends.
Friends and family may call on Saturday, April 3, at Lihue Christian Church, 2943 Kress St., from 10 a.m. Services will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Private burial services will be held at a later date. Casual attire is suggested.
Arrangements are being handled by Kauai Memorial Gardens & Funeral Home.
Peter C. Statler
Peter Curtenius Statler was born in Kalamazoo, Mich. on April 29, 1930. He died at his home in Po‘ipu Beach on March 27, 2004.
The second son of Frederick C. and Winifred F. Statler, he was drafted in 1952, entered the United States Marine Corps, trained in South Carolina and was later stationed in Hawai‘i. After the service he joined his father and older brother Albert F. Statler at Statler Ready-Mixed Concrete Company in Kalamazoo.
Throughout his tenure at the company he was involved in many business and civic organizations at the local and state level. He was active in the Boys Club, he served as president of the Michigan Ready-Mix Association, was a member of the board of directors of Borgess Hospital for many years and served on the board of S.M.A.H.E.C. He was elected to the Kalamazoo City Commission on three separate occasions, serving from 1977 to 1979 and again from 1981 to 1985.
In 1990 he retired to the island of Kaua‘i where he married Brenda Cubine Tisch.
Pete was preceded in death by his wife Brenda in 2002 and his daughter Laura in 2003. He is survived by his daughter Julia Ryan Statler (Jay Norris) of Kalamazoo, Mich.; son Timothy Hawthorne Statler (Cindy), granddaughters Carley Elizabeth Statler and Olivia Hawthorne Statler of Petoskey, Mich.; niece Holly Statler along with daughters Liz and Dana of Richland, Mich.; nephew Fred Statler and his family Celeste, Fritz and Maude of Oshtemo, Mich., step-son, Harry Anderson (Anson) Ellis III of Las Vegas, Nev. as well as his beloved companion Janet Kay Feldmann.
Arrangements are being made by the Statler family to honor his final wish to be cremated and buried at sea off Makahuena Point, Po‘ipu Beach where he made his home.
A celebration of his life was held at Joe’s on the Green in Po‘ipu on Monday, March 29.
The family suggests that contributions can be made to Kauai Hospice, P.O. Box 3286, Lihu‘e, HI 96766. There will also be a memorial service in Kalamazoo, Mich. at a time and place to be determined.
