Bonifacio “Ben” Lagapa, 90, of Hilo died Jan. 11 at Life Care Center of Hilo. Born in Wailuku, Maui, he was a welder. Celebration of life noon Saturday (April 5) at Onekahakaha Beach Park Cabana No. 3. Casual attire. Survived by son, Gary (Carol) Lagapa of Honolulu; daughter, Lynette Kanani Baniaga of Oahu; brother, Fred (Dorothy) Lagapa of California; sister-in-law, Mary Lagapa of Aiea, Oahu; 10 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews. Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Bonifacio “Ben” Lagapa, 90, of Hilo died Jan. 11 at Life Care Center of Hilo. Born in Wailuku, Maui, he was a welder. Celebration of life noon Saturday (April 5) at Onekahakaha Beach Park Cabana No. 3. Casual attire. Survived by son, Gary (Carol) Lagapa of Honolulu; daughter, Lynette Kanani Baniaga of Oahu; brother, Fred (Dorothy) Lagapa of California; sister-in-law, Mary Lagapa of Aiea, Oahu; 10 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews. Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Hin Young Lee, 77, of Waimea died March 20 at home. He owned Great Wall Chop Sui restaurant. Private services. Survived by wife, Irene; children, Edmund, Evelyn, Brian, Tony and Andrew; siblings, Elaine, Elisa, Allison and Raymond; two grandchildren. Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
George Mettao, 63, of Kealakekua died March 16 at Kona Community Hospital. Born in Agrihan, Northern Mariana Islands, he was a retired park ranger at American Memorial Park on Saipan and former landscaper for the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Celebration of life 10 a.m. Saturday, April 26, at St. Michael the Archangel Church in Kailua-Kona. Survived by wife, Eufrosina Mettao of Kealakekua; children, Geraldine Mettao (Bryan) Fratus, Sheena Mettao (Angelito) Salavaria and Jeoffrey (Lehuapuakea Torres) Mettao of Kealakekua; three grandchildren. Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Norma T. Nakamoto, 90, of Kainaliu died Jan. 19 at home. Born in Kealakekua, she was a retired teacher at Konawaena Elementary School and member of Kainaliu Kumiai. Private services. Survived by sons, Cy (Melanie) Nakamoto and Kurt Nakamoto of Kona; daughter, Lisa (Sam) Rivera of Kona; brothers, Gilbert (Sun Sop) Tabata of Honolulu and Wilfred Tabata of Kona; sisters, Nora Koyanagi of Kona, Ethel Loui, Thelma (Bertram) Narita and Lorraine Sakamoto of Honolulu; two grandchildren; nieces, nephews and cousins. Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Bruce Allen Stern, 78, of Waikoloa died Feb. 7 at home. Born in Los Angeles, he was a lead scientist in the aerospace industry with numerous patents, graduated Top 5 in his class at Caltech, mentored mentored robotics programs at Kealakehe and Waikoloa Elementary/Middle schools, volunteered with the Waikoloa Film Festival and Ironman World Championship, and publsihed a novel, “The Fuel Saver Conspiracy: A Peter Jones Mystery.” Public memorial service 6:30 p.m. Sunday, April 27, at Waikoloa Community Church, 68-3621 Paniolo Ave. Survived by wife, Debby Stern of Waikoloa; daughters Kimberly (Brittni) Wolf of Bel Air, Md., and and Tammy Freeman of Fredericksburg, Md.; sisters, Susan (Frank) Stern-Kalmar of LaMesa, Calif., and Sharon (Paulo) Rosi of Chatsworth, Calif.; four grandchildren.
