DOROTHY LEILANI ELLIS ZEFFIRO Dorothy Leilani Ellis Zeffiro, former Miss Kaua'i and Miss Hawai'i 1953, and the youngest of six children of former Kauai County Chairman William Ellis and Maria (Maraea) Pihaleo Ellis of Kupolo, Kaua'i, passed away at Wilcox Memorial Hospital -- Lihue, Kaua'i on Saturday, morning July 23, 2016. She was blessed with flaming auburn haired beauty, vibrant witty personality, infectious sense of humor, compassion for the needy, love of family and a radiant glowing personality that exemplified the titles she earned as Miss Kaua'i and Miss Hawai'i 1953. She truly represented Hawaii's cosmopolitan population since she was of Hawaiian, Chinese, Japanese, English, Irish, Scotch, German descent. Educated at The Kamehameha Schools and Kauai High School and following the Miss America Pageant competition in Atlantic City, New Jersey, she enrolled at Bryant College in Connecticut and later married college schoolmate Frank Zeffiro, Jr. of Torrington, Connecticut. After his military service Dorothy and Frank chose to raise their young children in Hawai'i, making their home on Kaua'i in 1977. Her husband Frank, a Purchasing Agent for Lihue Plantation on Kaua'i, preceded her in death in 1997. Survived by sisters Edith Ellis and Winona Ellis Rubin of Honolulu; sons: Frank (Laurie) Zeffiro III of Connecticut and William Ellis Zeffiro and his family (Keola and Jordyn) of Kauai; daughter Winona (Mrs. Shane) Nelson and family (Seth and Mia) of Idaho and numerous 'ohana. Private family inurnment pending.
DOROTHY LEILANI ELLIS ZEFFIRO Dorothy Leilani Ellis Zeffiro, former Miss Kaua'i and Miss Hawai'i 1953, and the youngest of six children of former Kauai County Chairman William Ellis and Maria (Maraea) Pihaleo Ellis of Kupolo, Kaua'i, passed away at Wilcox Memorial Hospital -- Lihue, Kaua'i on Saturday, morning July 23, 2016. She was blessed with flaming auburn haired beauty, vibrant witty personality, infectious sense of humor, compassion for the needy, love of family and a radiant glowing personality that exemplified the titles she earned as Miss Kaua'i and Miss Hawai'i 1953. She truly represented Hawaii's cosmopolitan population since she was of Hawaiian, Chinese, Japanese, English, Irish, Scotch, German descent. Educated at The Kamehameha Schools and Kauai High School and following the Miss America Pageant competition in Atlantic City, New Jersey, she enrolled at Bryant College in Connecticut and later married college schoolmate Frank Zeffiro, Jr. of Torrington, Connecticut. After his military service Dorothy and Frank chose to raise their young children in Hawai'i, making their home on Kaua'i in 1977. Her husband Frank, a Purchasing Agent for Lihue Plantation on Kaua'i, preceded her in death in 1997. Survived by sisters Edith Ellis and Winona Ellis Rubin of Honolulu; sons: Frank (Laurie) Zeffiro III of Connecticut and William Ellis Zeffiro and his family (Keola and Jordyn) of Kauai; daughter Winona (Mrs. Shane) Nelson and family (Seth and Mia) of Idaho and numerous 'ohana. Private family inurnment pending.
Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased
