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Eleanor Ho Lum was born on June 25, 1933, and passed away peacefully at home on November 5, 2022. She was the only daughter of Chow and Elizabeth Ho and had four brothers. A proud graduate of Sacred Hearts Academy in Honolulu, and Boston University, she was a music major of considerable talent. She played the piano, violin, viola and cello and was chosen as a guest pianist with the Boston Symphony while a senior in college. She returned to Hawaii after graduation and taught in the music school at Palama Settlement and also played the violin with the Honolulu Symphony. Her stature in the musical world as a performer, organizer, accompanist, or resource was highly recognized and respected. She was generous with her musical talents, being a founding member of the Oahu Civic Orchestra, a long-time accompanist for the Hawaii Ecumenical Chorale, and a regular musician for masses at St. John Vianney Parish in Kailua, where she chose to worship. Also dear to her heart was a piano 8-hands group, and a local string quartet that met weekly. For all her musical accomplishments, she is not one you would find in the limelight. She was humble and unassuming; she would prefer to discuss the accomplishments of others over her own, but those who were close to her knew how talented, passionate and informed she was. She was that person that would be the first to volunteer for any community effort. We all learned to be careful to let on if we needed help with anything; she would just jump right in and take care of it. She contributed thousands of hours as a volunteer at Castle Medical Center and was an active board member for the community association where she lived.Her profile lists her occupation as a modest 'homemaker' however she touched so many lives in different ways: neighbor, volunteer, teacher, friend, mentor, mother, grandmother, great grandmother. Her family was the most important and she dedicated her life to the care of her children and our home. She made sure we were well educated, well mannered, obedient and responsible citizens. She continued to correct our grammar well beyond our school age years. She encouraged the musical education of her 6 children and many grandchildren and continued to coach her 3 youngest grandchildren on the piano until her final days. The loving guidance and stability she gave to each of us is something we hope to perpetuate in our own lives and families.
She is survived by her children: Kristen Bradley (Todd), Karl (Dawn), Karin Plastina (Dan), Jonathan (Diana), Julie Klein (Harlan) and Jeremy (Jenny); grandchildren: Christian, Brendan, Emmaline, Elliott, Jillian, Jacob, Gabrielle, Christopher, Andrew, Jordan, Grace, Luke, Eden, Ella, Lucy and Eli; and great-grandchildren: Parker, Walden and Hunter. Her husband, Ben, preceded her in death last year. They had spent 63 happy years together, and it comforts us to know that they have been reunited once again. Services will be on Saturday, December 17, at St John Vianney Church, 920 Keolu Drive, Kailua; Visitation 10:15 a.m., Mass 11:00 a.m.
