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Hisao Kaya of Papaikou passed away at age 97 on October 15, 2020 at Life Care Center of Hilo. His wife, Hagie Minamoto Kaya, was at his side as she had been for the past 72 years. He leaves behind son Maurice (Shelley) Kaya; daughters Meryl (Leighton) Iwasaki and Jocelyn (Gary) Yamagata; grandchildren Katherine, Jennifer, Kimberly, Dave, Brian, and Alan; and 12 great-grandchildren.Hisao will always be remembered for his strong sense of duty toward his family. After the sudden death of his father and grandfather when he was only 17, he assumed the role of sole provider to his mother and 5 younger siblings, and then, his wife and 3 kids. To help provide for his large family, he fished, raised chickens, and grew and foraged for vegetables and fruits. He worked hard at the former Onomea Sugar Company, starting off as a laborer and retiring as Crop Control Superintendent with the Hilo Coast Processing Company after 44 years.
Hisao pursued many interests with strong focus. He was the family historian and kept detailed family trees and records. He learned thousands of kanji and wrote down some 75 famous Japanese songs in his Japanese language "songbook." He loved Japanese samurai novels and movies and song contests, and made elaborate banzai toasts. He and his wife learned intricate ballroom dancing steps, dressed up for all kinds of events, and traveled extensively throughout the world. They loved to play with and visit their 6 grandchildren.
A live virtual memorial service will be held on November 5, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. at Dodo Mortuary. For access to the virtual service and to convey sentiments, please email kaya.hisao1@gmail.com.
Arrangements Provided By: Dodo Mortuary, Inc. *
