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Mililani Memorial Park & Mortuary
MINORU
Born August 24, 1923, in Hanamaulu, Kauai, Mr. Morimoto had a long and distinguished career in business. He graduated from Kauai High School (c/o 1941) and the University of Hawaii and served in the U.S. Army from 1944-1946. Minoru married his high school sweetheart, Kimiko (Miura) Morimoto, on December 22, 1946, at All Saints Church in Kapaa, Kauai. They were blessed with four children and nine grandchildren. After earning his Bachelors of Business Administration in 1949, Minoru worked as an accountant at American Savings Bank and later at Chun Chong Company. In 1957, Minoru joined Big-Way Super Markets, where he would spend the next 27 years. Minoru served as controller and treasurer for the partnership of Takeshi Yokono and Fred Shintaku and saw the company expand its super market operations as far as the mainland. In 1982, Minoru became president of Big-Way and served in that capacity until his retirement in 1984. After retirement he worked as a real estate agent and eventually became a broker. Minoru also served in leadership capacities within the wider business community, as the eighth president of the Hawaii Food Industry Association and as an active member of the Waipahu Businessmen's Association. Minoru Morimoto had a wide range of talents and pursued various interests during his life. He loved music and was always ready to sing, from lullabies for his grandchildren to impromptu songfests around the family piano. He was a student of the traditional Japanese flute, the shakuhachi, and also practiced the arts of calligraphy and kyudo, Japanese archery. He loved the visual arts as well and spent time with photography and water color painting. Minoru led a strong and varied spiritual life, serving as a lay reader of St. Timothy's Episcopal Church and later becoming ordained as a Zen Buddhist priest with Daihonzan Chozen-ji in Kalihi Valley. As a priest, Minoru was able to officiate at the wedding of his son, Riki Morimoto, making the 1998 ceremony extra special for the couple and the rest of the family. Minoru is survived by wife, Kimiko "Kay" Morimoto; son, Riki (Karen S.) Morimoto; daughters, Lynne (Jed) Sueoka, Donna (Calvin) Maeda, and Robyn (Kunio) Kuwabe; nine grandchildren, Travis Morimoto, Dawn and Darren Sueoka, Marc, Jesse, Mari, and Jordyn Maeda, and Dylan and Quinn Kuwabe; sisters, Dorothy (Kenneth) Yamane and Alice (Genichi) Matsumoto; and sister-in-law, Jane Morimoto. Visitation 5:00 p.m., Sunday (August 15) at Mililani Mortuary Mauka Chapel. Zen Buddhist/ Episcopal Memorial Service at 6:00 p.m. Casual attire. No flowers. |
Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased
