RICHARD DONALD RAPOZA Our Beloved son, brother, uncle, and friend, passed away unexpectedly on August 15, 2019 at the age of 60 years. Richard was born on November 12, 1958 in Lihue, Kauai. He attended Pearl City High School, graduating in 1976. While at Pearl City High, Richard played the drums. His love of music nurtured during those early days would continue throughout his life. Richard received his Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Hawaii In 1981. He then enrolled in the University of Hawaii Richardson School of Law, but left law school to pursue his true passion - writing and communications. Richard had a long and storied career in the field of communications. He worked as a writer and videographer at Kamehameha Schools and Olelo Community Television. After Olelo, Richard worked for former State Senator and Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa, first as the Communications Director for the State Senate, and then as newly elected Congresswoman Hanabusa's Communications Director. Richard also served as Director of Communications for Hawaii Pacific University, and more recently was the Public Information Officer at the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, where his efforts during the false missile alert crisis garnered praise from communications professionals throughout Hawaii. Most recently, Richard re-joined the Hawaii State Senate at its Communications Director, a job he truly loved. Richard had many talents. He was a gifted writer, an excellent cook, an accomplished musician (he loved playing music and had recently taken up congas, an instrument his neighbors were not necessarily thrilled about), and a skilled woodworker. He also loved helping others, be it writing and designing invitations for friends and family, to producing videos, to advising on the best way to make Portuguese Sausage stuffing, or to making his family's amazing malasadas (the recipe is secret!) on Malasada Day. Of course, no description of Richard would be complete without paying homage to his fierce intellect and dry wit, his unending intellectual curiosity about big and small things, and his great and generous heart. Richard is survived by his mother, Mary Ellen Rapoza, brother Bill Rapoza, sister Donnie (Richard) Torres; nieces, Alicia (Fernando) Banda and Annalynn (Moku) Duval; grandnieces, Zaira Banda and Morgan Duval; Aunts and Uncles, many cousins, dear friends, and respected colleagues. Please join us as we Celebrate Richard's Life Friday, October 11, 2019 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., at Next Door, 43 North Hotel Street (Chinatown), Honolulu, Hawaii. Ample parking available nearby.
RICHARD DONALD RAPOZA Our Beloved son, brother, uncle, and friend, passed away unexpectedly on August 15, 2019 at the age of 60 years. Richard was born on November 12, 1958 in Lihue, Kauai. He attended Pearl City High School, graduating in 1976. While at Pearl City High, Richard played the drums. His love of music nurtured during those early days would continue throughout his life. Richard received his Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Hawaii In 1981. He then enrolled in the University of Hawaii Richardson School of Law, but left law school to pursue his true passion - writing and communications. Richard had a long and storied career in the field of communications. He worked as a writer and videographer at Kamehameha Schools and Olelo Community Television. After Olelo, Richard worked for former State Senator and Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa, first as the Communications Director for the State Senate, and then as newly elected Congresswoman Hanabusa's Communications Director. Richard also served as Director of Communications for Hawaii Pacific University, and more recently was the Public Information Officer at the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, where his efforts during the false missile alert crisis garnered praise from communications professionals throughout Hawaii. Most recently, Richard re-joined the Hawaii State Senate at its Communications Director, a job he truly loved. Richard had many talents. He was a gifted writer, an excellent cook, an accomplished musician (he loved playing music and had recently taken up congas, an instrument his neighbors were not necessarily thrilled about), and a skilled woodworker. He also loved helping others, be it writing and designing invitations for friends and family, to producing videos, to advising on the best way to make Portuguese Sausage stuffing, or to making his family's amazing malasadas (the recipe is secret!) on Malasada Day. Of course, no description of Richard would be complete without paying homage to his fierce intellect and dry wit, his unending intellectual curiosity about big and small things, and his great and generous heart. Richard is survived by his mother, Mary Ellen Rapoza, brother Bill Rapoza, sister Donnie (Richard) Torres; nieces, Alicia (Fernando) Banda and Annalynn (Moku) Duval; grandnieces, Zaira Banda and Morgan Duval; Aunts and Uncles, many cousins, dear friends, and respected colleagues. Please join us as we Celebrate Richard's Life Friday, October 11, 2019 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., at Next Door, 43 North Hotel Street (Chinatown), Honolulu, Hawaii. Ample parking available nearby.
Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased
