CLARENCE E. TAKEUCHI May 5, 1925 - April 5, 2016 Clarence E. Takeuchi, who devoted most of his long U.S. federal government career to the people of the Micronesia region, died in Honolulu following a period of declining health. He was a resident at the Hale Ho Aloha skilled nursing facility. He passed on April 5, 2016, at 90. Born and raised in Kalihi, Clarence first dreamed of traveling to the Pacific Islands as a youngster when he read magazine articles about the "South Seas." The dream stayed with him, following graduation from Farrington High School, service in the U.S. Army's Counter Intelligence Corps at the end of World War II, and post-war work for Hawaiian Electric Company. The dream became a reality in the early 1950s, when shortly after he married Sachiko Oyama of Honolulu, he was hired by the U.S. Interior Department to work on Majuro Atoll in the Marshall Islands, then part of the U.S. Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. Clarence and his bride left for Majuro in 1953. Clarence and Sachi quickly made Majuro their home, and started a family. Their two sons, Floyd and Gary, were born in the Majuro Hospital, a fancy name for a World War II Quonset huts left by the U.S. Navy. Marshallese doctors, islanders who were trained by U.S. Navy medics after the war, delivered the boys. Having Marshallese deliver their sons was a point of great pride for the young parents. Clarence was in charge of running Majuro's power plant. He also set up a ham radio station, a life-long avocation, and was also known by his call sign KG6SC. Sachi, a 1949 graduate of the University of Hawaii, worked as secretary to the District Administrator. A few years later, Clarence moved to the Marshalls District Education Department, where he developed a close and lifelong friendship with Dwight Heine, a prominent Marshallese leader. Working in education reinforced a belief that Clarence had had for some time - that he should get a college education. In 1960, at age 35, he packed up his young family and moved them to Baltimore, Maryland to attend Johns Hopkins University. He earned a BA and MA in education. However, the call of the islands remained strong. In 1964, Clarence and Sachi returned to the Trust Territory, this time to Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands. He was appointed the Community Development Officer for the Marianas District. Sachi was hired as secretary to the director of the Trust Territory Education Department. Within a couple of years, Clarence was named Special Assistant to the High Commissioner, where he joined his close friend from Majuro days, Dwight Heine, then one of the highest ranking Micronesians in the U.S. administration. Sachi was appointed Deputy Director of the Trust Territory Personnel Department. Clarence and Sachi served on Saipan from 1964 to 1982, when they retired from U.S. federal service, shortly before the end of the Trust Territory. They retired to Hawaii. Clarence is survived by his wife of 63 years, Sachiko Oyama Takeuchi, sons Floyd (Kris Tanahara) and Gary (JoAnn), and their son Kai. He is also survived by brother George (Carol) and sister Agnes (Ronald) Ushijima. Clarence's parents, Shirota and Tono Takeuchi, and four sisters, Jane Tomasu, Patsy Takeuchi, Barbara Takeuchi, and Lillian Tamura, predeceased him. A funeral service will be held on May 4, 2016, at 6 p.m. at Hosoi Garden Mortuary in Honolulu. Visitation begins at 5 p.m. The family requests casual attire and no flowers. A private inurnment service will follow at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
CLARENCE E. TAKEUCHI May 5, 1925 - April 5, 2016 Clarence E. Takeuchi, who devoted most of his long U.S. federal government career to the people of the Micronesia region, died in Honolulu following a period of declining health. He was a resident at the Hale Ho Aloha skilled nursing facility. He passed on April 5, 2016, at 90. Born and raised in Kalihi, Clarence first dreamed of traveling to the Pacific Islands as a youngster when he read magazine articles about the "South Seas." The dream stayed with him, following graduation from Farrington High School, service in the U.S. Army's Counter Intelligence Corps at the end of World War II, and post-war work for Hawaiian Electric Company. The dream became a reality in the early 1950s, when shortly after he married Sachiko Oyama of Honolulu, he was hired by the U.S. Interior Department to work on Majuro Atoll in the Marshall Islands, then part of the U.S. Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. Clarence and his bride left for Majuro in 1953. Clarence and Sachi quickly made Majuro their home, and started a family. Their two sons, Floyd and Gary, were born in the Majuro Hospital, a fancy name for a World War II Quonset huts left by the U.S. Navy. Marshallese doctors, islanders who were trained by U.S. Navy medics after the war, delivered the boys. Having Marshallese deliver their sons was a point of great pride for the young parents. Clarence was in charge of running Majuro's power plant. He also set up a ham radio station, a life-long avocation, and was also known by his call sign KG6SC. Sachi, a 1949 graduate of the University of Hawaii, worked as secretary to the District Administrator. A few years later, Clarence moved to the Marshalls District Education Department, where he developed a close and lifelong friendship with Dwight Heine, a prominent Marshallese leader. Working in education reinforced a belief that Clarence had had for some time - that he should get a college education. In 1960, at age 35, he packed up his young family and moved them to Baltimore, Maryland to attend Johns Hopkins University. He earned a BA and MA in education. However, the call of the islands remained strong. In 1964, Clarence and Sachi returned to the Trust Territory, this time to Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands. He was appointed the Community Development Officer for the Marianas District. Sachi was hired as secretary to the director of the Trust Territory Education Department. Within a couple of years, Clarence was named Special Assistant to the High Commissioner, where he joined his close friend from Majuro days, Dwight Heine, then one of the highest ranking Micronesians in the U.S. administration. Sachi was appointed Deputy Director of the Trust Territory Personnel Department. Clarence and Sachi served on Saipan from 1964 to 1982, when they retired from U.S. federal service, shortly before the end of the Trust Territory. They retired to Hawaii. Clarence is survived by his wife of 63 years, Sachiko Oyama Takeuchi, sons Floyd (Kris Tanahara) and Gary (JoAnn), and their son Kai. He is also survived by brother George (Carol) and sister Agnes (Ronald) Ushijima. Clarence's parents, Shirota and Tono Takeuchi, and four sisters, Jane Tomasu, Patsy Takeuchi, Barbara Takeuchi, and Lillian Tamura, predeceased him. A funeral service will be held on May 4, 2016, at 6 p.m. at Hosoi Garden Mortuary in Honolulu. Visitation begins at 5 p.m. The family requests casual attire and no flowers. A private inurnment service will follow at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased
