Carlina Orejudos
Carlina Orejudos passed away on April 8, 2023, in Lihu‘e, at the age of 87. She was born on Dec. 9, 1935, in the Philippines. She was a field worker.
She was preceded in death by husband Baldamero Orejudos and sons Heraldo (Jerry) Orejudos and Danelo (Dado) Orejudos.
She is survived by daughter Merna O. (Michael) Murata of Hanapepe and sister Lita Vasquez of Lawa‘i.
Services will be held at Garden Island Mortuary on Saturday, April 22. Visitation is from 10 to 11 a.m. followed by a celebration of life at 11 a.m.
The family requests casual attire and welcomes flowers.
Garden Island Mortuary is assisting the family with arrangements.
Roland Dean Asuncion Sr.
Roland Dean Asuncion Sr., 59, of Nevada, passed away on April 2, 2023, at Boulder City Hospital. He was born on April 6, 1963, in Lihu‘e.
He was preceded in death by father Sergio Asuncion Sr., mother Mildred M. Asuncion (Ibia) and brothers Harold A. Asuncion and Christopher K. Asuncion.
He is survived by daughter Roslyn J. Asuncion of Kansas City, son Roland D. Asuncion Jr. of Washington, siblings Sergio T. Asuncion Jr. of Kapa‘a, Lee Ann Watanabe of Kapa‘a, Bernard D. Asuncion of Honolulu, Carolyn J. Asuncion of Kapa‘a and Priscilla J. Asuncion of Colorado Springs, and numerous uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was born and raised in Kealia, and attended Kapa‘a Elementary & High School up to the 11th grade. He worked for Amfac’s Lihu‘e Plantation Company as a haul cane truck driver for 12 years, and also worked part-time as a low boy operator.
He moved to Arizona in 2001 with his children Roland Jr. and Roslyn, along with their mother Dione Bandmann of Washington. Later, he moved to Boulder City, Nevada, and worked as a woodworker and cabinet builder. He lived with his girlfriend Nicole Kelman, her son Mark Kelman and his son Devon Kelman, all from Boulder City, Nevada.
He was a kind, humble, outgoing and happy guy. He enjoyed surfing, fishing, riding motor bike, off roading, anything a guy on Kaua‘i would do, rain or shine. He will be greatly missed. Aloha. We love you. May you rest in peace.
Arrangements are being handled by Simple Cremation in Henderson, Nevada.
Josephine Douglass
Josephine Douglass, 99, of Kalaheo, passed away on March 16, 2023 at Garden Isle Rehab and Nursing. She was born on July 17, 1923, in Kalaheo.
She was preceded in death by husband of 61 years Elmo Douglass and parents Manuel and Mary (Corregador) Octavio.
She is survived by son James Douglass of Koloa, daughter Mary Jo Douglass of Normal, Illinois, sister Sylvia Yonalunas, and numerous nieces and nephews.
She graduated from Kaua‘i High School in 1941. While a student, she began her nursing journey as a nurses aide at Wilcox Hospital in Lihu‘e. She caught the last bus from her home in Kalaheo to Wilcox Hospital on Dec. 7, 1941. Even though there was no significant surge in admissions that day, she was there and stood ready to help her community.
In December 1941 she began nurses training at St. Frances Hospital in Honolulu. After graduation as a registered nurse, she obtained a post-graduate nursing degree in Cook County, Illinois, and soon after became the supervisor of surgery at Brokaw Hospital in Normal, Illinois.
She held this position for 35 years, from 1946 to 1981. While working at Brokaw she met the love of her life, Elmo Douglass, and they were married on Oct. 5, 1949. She used her nursing background to help her friends and neighbors and also began volunteering as a hospice nurse. When she retired to Kaua‘i in 1981 she continued volunteering for hospice. She also volunteered for the American Red Cross during Hurricane ‘Iniki in 1992.
She was an active member of the First Baptist Church of Bloomington, Illinois for over 30 years. She was also a member of the United Church of Christ in Waimea for 40 years, where she taught Sunday school for adults and children until 2012. She and Elmo worked tirelessly after Hurricane ‘Iniki nearly destroyed the Waimea Foreign Church.
She served as church moderator, and Elmo served as financial secretary, during the church rebuilding. As moderator, she also oversaw the reorganization of the Christian Church, Hawaiian Church and Foreign Church into the Waimea United Church of Christ in 1993. She always worked diligently to support her church family through phone calls and letters. Her personal Bible study was one of her favorite endeavors.
Family was immensely important to her. She enjoyed cooking for her family, and always made sure they felt loved. She took great pleasure in hearing from her children and many nieces and nephews and always wanted to be an important part of their lives.
She relished visits from her family and friends. Those fortunate to know her could always count on enjoying her homemade cookies and mango bread, and Haas avocados from her famous tree when they visited. She was always quick to give encouragement, advice and commentary (sometimes called lectures) on numerous topics.
She believed in writing notes and letters, and she sent birthday cards and Christmas letters until only weeks before she passed away. She made a huge impact on countless lives, and she will be greatly missed by her family, church family, friends and neighbors.
A private graveside service for family members will take place at East Lawn Memorial Gardens in Bloomington, Illinois, in fall 2023. Memorial contributions can be made to Kaua‘i Hospice.
Michael Henry Stephenson
Michael Henry Stephenson passed away on March 14, 2023, at the age of 74. He was born on May 25, 1948 in San Diego. He was a distribution manager for Sears Co. and a retired Navy veteran.
He was preceded in death by father Henry Stephenson and mother Laura Evelyn Stephenson.
He is survived by wife Cilla Duclayan Akana Stephenson of Waimea, sons Norman “Kini” Akana of Waimea and Jeff (Selina) Hancock of Gilbert, Arizona, daughters Desiree Duclayan of Lihu‘e and Wendy Hancock of San Jose, California, grandchildren Ikaika Dasalia, Duke Dasalia, Kassundra Dasalia, Xanniele Dasalia (Alill Kaneholani), Jade Anne Parsonson, Kawehi (Robert Head) Akana, Keani Kawamura, Makana Akana, Kierstyn (Elijah Laconte) Hancock, Carly Hancock, Avery Hancock and Sam Bryant, and numerous great-grandchildren, uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews and cousins.
Services are Saturday, April 22, at the Salt Pond Beach Park main pavilion, with visitation from 9 to 10 a.m. Military honors start at 10 a.m., with services to follow.
The family requests aloha attire, and loose flowers or lei to be sent off to sea.
Garden Island Mortuary is assisting the family with arrangements.
