KILAUEA — A member of the Kauai County Council was there, as was a state representative. An actor with movie and TV roles to his credit was there too, along with a pastor, nonprofit leaders and another 75 or so
KILAUEA — A member of the Kauai County Council was there, as was a state representative. An actor with movie and TV roles to his credit was there too, along with a pastor, nonprofit leaders and another 75 or so people.
So, what was this happening that brought this group together Tuesday night at North Shore Christian Church? Zoning issues? Roads? New development? Nope. None of those. It was something much more important.
A birthday. For Donna Schulze. The North Shore icon celebrated her 90th birthday with the usual music, dancing, cake and candles. What stood out were the glowing tributes, including a certificate from the state Legislature recognizing the occasion.
“I feel so good,” said Schulze as she made the rounds, visiting, laughing and chatting with friends and family. “I’m so glad everyone could be here.”
The Kilauea woman, known for her talkative ways, boundless enthusiasm, generosity and insistence on being healthy, was humble and quiet when it came time to stand by her cake and listen to a rousing version of “Happy Birthday.”
Asked to describe the woman known as “The Lavender Lady,” a few folks had this to say:
• “I can give you words. Amazing. Positive. Joyful, and love.” — Patricia Hughes
• “Donna is all about the way to live. There isn’t anything that she needs. Whatever she has, she gives it freely.” — Rosalie Gordon
• “Very fantastic person, a lot of energy, go, go, go, go. She’s into everything. She brings things together, she does things she says she’s going to do.” — John Simpson
• “Very lovely woman, very community oriented. She loves family, she loves her friends, she loves life.” — Jason Shimauchi
• “She’s a runner, she’s an athlete, she’s a walker now, she’s gotten a little older in life. She just cares about everybody, she loves everybody. She’s one of the nicest people I have ever known.” — Tom Tannery
Rep. Derek Kawakami said aunty Donna taught his daughter Hailee to swim during lessons at the YMCA, and helped her overcome fear of the water.
“She turned my little daughter into a little fishy,” he said.
Kawakami presented Schulze with a framed proclamation from the Legislature in honor of her birthday and her contributions to her community. He said she embodied the spirit of aloha.
“We thank you, we love you, you are near and dear to our hearts,” he said.
The mother of five who settled in Kilauea with husband George more than 40 years ago, has been honored much throughout her life. She was Kauai’s outstanding senior woman for 1997, Volunteer of the Year, Kauai YMCA, 1984 and received the Presidential sports award from President Jimmy Carter in 1978. The dedicated runner has finished more than 200 road races and led running programs on Kauai.
More than her commitment to being physically strong, Schulze was praised for her spiritual strength. Pastor Steve Thompson of North Shore Christian Church, where Schulze is a longtime member, said “her faith is a faith of action.”
“She was always encouragement for us to put our faith into action,” he said.
Actor Craig T. Nelson said he admired Schulze for her kind, compassionate ways. He also joked about her love of having guests over for large meals.
“You have fed me so many rich breakfasts which were supposedly nutritious, I came away with a very high cholesterol count, and having put on five or six pounds,” he said, laughing.
“Happy birthday, kid,” he added.
