CLEO MILLIMAN KOBAYASHI of Honolulu passed away peacefully at age 81 on May 4, 2017, in the presence of her eldest son, Peter; husband, Victor; and colleague, Dr. Eric Crawley. Born in Saskatchewan Canada, as a U.S. citizen, Cleo spent her childhood in Livonia, New York (near Rochester), and taught in Watkins Glen. She joined the early cohort of teachers selected for the ground-breaking Teacher Interchange Program (TIP) at the East-West Center and the University of Hawaii. The TIP study tour in Japan was led by Victor in summer, 1963. They married in Tokyo, and both settled in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where Peter was born on an icy day, in November, 1964, at the University of Michigan Hospital. In 1966, Cleo and Peter moved to warmer weather, when husband Victor joined the faculty of the University of Hawaii's College of Education, with a half-time appointment in TIP, the East-West Center. TIP was so successful in helping teachers in both the U.S. and Asia versed in intercultural studies, with emphasis on Asian and American Studies, and teaching English as a second language, that it ended. Throughout TIP's existence, to new East-West Center programs, Cleo played a significant role in providing support to students, both Asian and American by inviting them to her home, located then within walking distance to the University. Thai women students prepared a memorable meal for Cleo, on the evening that her only daughter Sarah was born in 1968. Some of the students maintained contact with Cleo as adults who each in their own ways continued significantly to East-West cultural interchange, as leaders in various fields, both in the U.S. and across Asia, from India to Japan. Jay, who was of Chinese-Hawaiian-German-Italian background, joined the family about a year earlier, adding to the joys of loving care from Cleo as a mother. Jay also brought his own friends and others into Cleo's world, especially when Jay joined the extended family of his wife, Frances, daughter of the late Mary Remos of Arizona, who was born in Mexico, and cared not only for her family, but also brought others into her life, joining the universal family of strong women, who enjoyed children, and who help make our world a more hospitable place. Cleo attended to her three children in a holistic way such that their education included both school, but more importantly life outside of the school campus, including museums, libraries, and parks and gardens and the beaches, Chinatown and other joys of a multicultural world. She tutored the children when the family traveled through East Asia accompanied by practicing teachers on their sabbatical leaves through a semester long study-travel program led by her husband for the National Education Association; her family also became among the first to visit the People's Republic of China, just before it was possible for other Americans to visit China in travel groups. She also taught her young children when they accompanied their father on a sabbatical leave from the University of Hawaii to visit Ivan Illich's Intercultural Documentation Center at Cuernavaca, Mexico. As the children became young adults, Cleo volunteered for both the East West Center and the University of Hawaii, contributing to education of others, including her own development as a person. All of her activities privileged her with more friends and students, who felt her love and compassion. She also was close to the Canadian side of her family, when she visited several times to various provinces from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Toronto, Ontario, to Montreal, Quebec, always taking in museums and historic places to extend her own self education. In addition to her husband and eldest son, Cleo's love survives in Hawaii-born son Jay Craig Kobayashi (Frances Remos) of San Tan Valley in greater Phoenix area, Arizona; her Hawaii born daughter, Sarah Michiyo (Stacey Quinealty) of Burbank, California; and especially in recent years, grandchildren Brian Kapono, Nicole Masako, Gabrielle Kiana, Mason Nobuo, Jason Kaipo, and Trace Nobu Quinealty. Her deep aloha also extended to families of her husband Victor that includes that of his only sister, the late Constance (Benjamin) Yamamoto and four (late) brothers, Dr. Clifford Kotaro Kobayashi (Catherine), Harry Nobuto Kobayashi (Mabel) of Maui; Buddy Mitsuo (Ruth), Lawrence Hisato of Kauai. Her ohana also includes the family of Roy and Mary Cocker Akina, of Pocatello, Idaho, and the family of Roy Uyehara of Honolulu. A private "Remembering Cleo" afternoon celebration has been scheduled for June 10. (eMail inquiries may be made to: sarugirl@sbcglobal.net Family requests no flowers or monetary gifts; donations, "In memory of Cleo Kobayashi," may be made to the nonprofit Straub Foundation; St. Francis Hospice; the East West Center Foundation; Ronald S. Anderson Fund in the College of Education, University of Hawaii Foundation. Other close friends and relatives are planning their own "Remembering Cleo" services in Hawaii, as well as abroad.
CLEO MILLIMAN KOBAYASHI of Honolulu passed away peacefully at age 81 on May 4, 2017, in the presence of her eldest son, Peter; husband, Victor; and colleague, Dr. Eric Crawley. Born in Saskatchewan Canada, as a U.S. citizen, Cleo spent her childhood in Livonia, New York (near Rochester), and taught in Watkins Glen. She joined the early cohort of teachers selected for the ground-breaking Teacher Interchange Program (TIP) at the East-West Center and the University of Hawaii. The TIP study tour in Japan was led by Victor in summer, 1963. They married in Tokyo, and both settled in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where Peter was born on an icy day, in November, 1964, at the University of Michigan Hospital. In 1966, Cleo and Peter moved to warmer weather, when husband Victor joined the faculty of the University of Hawaii's College of Education, with a half-time appointment in TIP, the East-West Center. TIP was so successful in helping teachers in both the U.S. and Asia versed in intercultural studies, with emphasis on Asian and American Studies, and teaching English as a second language, that it ended. Throughout TIP's existence, to new East-West Center programs, Cleo played a significant role in providing support to students, both Asian and American by inviting them to her home, located then within walking distance to the University. Thai women students prepared a memorable meal for Cleo, on the evening that her only daughter Sarah was born in 1968. Some of the students maintained contact with Cleo as adults who each in their own ways continued significantly to East-West cultural interchange, as leaders in various fields, both in the U.S. and across Asia, from India to Japan. Jay, who was of Chinese-Hawaiian-German-Italian background, joined the family about a year earlier, adding to the joys of loving care from Cleo as a mother. Jay also brought his own friends and others into Cleo's world, especially when Jay joined the extended family of his wife, Frances, daughter of the late Mary Remos of Arizona, who was born in Mexico, and cared not only for her family, but also brought others into her life, joining the universal family of strong women, who enjoyed children, and who help make our world a more hospitable place. Cleo attended to her three children in a holistic way such that their education included both school, but more importantly life outside of the school campus, including museums, libraries, and parks and gardens and the beaches, Chinatown and other joys of a multicultural world. She tutored the children when the family traveled through East Asia accompanied by practicing teachers on their sabbatical leaves through a semester long study-travel program led by her husband for the National Education Association; her family also became among the first to visit the People's Republic of China, just before it was possible for other Americans to visit China in travel groups. She also taught her young children when they accompanied their father on a sabbatical leave from the University of Hawaii to visit Ivan Illich's Intercultural Documentation Center at Cuernavaca, Mexico. As the children became young adults, Cleo volunteered for both the East West Center and the University of Hawaii, contributing to education of others, including her own development as a person. All of her activities privileged her with more friends and students, who felt her love and compassion. She also was close to the Canadian side of her family, when she visited several times to various provinces from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Toronto, Ontario, to Montreal, Quebec, always taking in museums and historic places to extend her own self education. In addition to her husband and eldest son, Cleo's love survives in Hawaii-born son Jay Craig Kobayashi (Frances Remos) of San Tan Valley in greater Phoenix area, Arizona; her Hawaii born daughter, Sarah Michiyo (Stacey Quinealty) of Burbank, California; and especially in recent years, grandchildren Brian Kapono, Nicole Masako, Gabrielle Kiana, Mason Nobuo, Jason Kaipo, and Trace Nobu Quinealty. Her deep aloha also extended to families of her husband Victor that includes that of his only sister, the late Constance (Benjamin) Yamamoto and four (late) brothers, Dr. Clifford Kotaro Kobayashi (Catherine), Harry Nobuto Kobayashi (Mabel) of Maui; Buddy Mitsuo (Ruth), Lawrence Hisato of Kauai. Her ohana also includes the family of Roy and Mary Cocker Akina, of Pocatello, Idaho, and the family of Roy Uyehara of Honolulu. A private "Remembering Cleo" afternoon celebration has been scheduled for June 10. (eMail inquiries may be made to: sarugirl@sbcglobal.net Family requests no flowers or monetary gifts; donations, "In memory of Cleo Kobayashi," may be made to the nonprofit Straub Foundation; St. Francis Hospice; the East West Center Foundation; Ronald S. Anderson Fund in the College of Education, University of Hawaii Foundation. Other close friends and relatives are planning their own "Remembering Cleo" services in Hawaii, as well as abroad.
Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased
