LIHU‘E — Linda Jean Saloka-Pasadava of Kilauea is being remembered for her constant humanitarian efforts and her love for animals, friends and family members said. Saloka-Pasadava, known widely as Linda Pasadava without her hyphenated maiden and married names, was the
LIHU‘E — Linda Jean Saloka-Pasadava of Kilauea is being remembered for her constant humanitarian efforts and her love for animals, friends and family members said.
Saloka-Pasadava, known widely as Linda Pasadava without her hyphenated maiden and married names, was the wife of Chadwyn “Chad” Pasadava, and died Jan. 24 in India.
She was 58, and suffered an apparent heart attack in her hotel room, said Vi Herbert of Kilauea.
Saloka-Pasadava was making a return trip to India, where she was a donor to a free school for very poor children and a board member of the Kolam Foundation that founded the school, said Herbert.
“She was into charitable work. That was the key to her life; very humanitarian,” said Herbert, who helped do some accounting work on Pasadava’s 2008 run for Kaua‘i County Council.
“She was just a darling to me,” said Chad Pasadava, preferring further comment come from her sister, Sioux Saloka, of New York, and her best friend in Kilauea, Eva Joy Miner-Peru.
“All she ever wanted to do was to make a difference,” said Saloka.
“Her deep and abiding love for Kaua‘i” is what drove her, she said, joking that her family said that out of the womb she had a suitcase in one hand and a puppy in the other.
Saloka said she and Chad Pasadava are both “utterly and completely devastated.”
“It just does not seem real,” she said, that the “huge spirit” that was Saloka-Pasadava is no longer here.
“Those two were so close and so in love,” said Saloka. “He backed Linda in everything she did.”
“She was so encouraging for young people,” even her daughters, said Miner-Peru. “She was just so inspiring,” telling Miner-Peru’s children and other youngsters to go with their dreams and goals and they’ll get there.
“She meant a lot in their lives. She never asked for much,” wishing most for people to work together to accomplish things for her beloved Kaua‘i, said Miner-Peru.
“She was such an inspiring, loving person, always laughing, caring, sharing. I would do anything for her. Awesome lady. Awesome lady.”
Not many people knew Saloka-Pasadava held a law degree from Southwestern University in California.
“Linda was always an advocate,” and donated many hours in Honolulu helping marshal the various lawsuits involving Ka Loko Reservoir breach that killed seven people in Kilauea in March 2006, said Saloka.
“She was always on the side of the little guy. Linda had this unbelievable ability to get people together,” said Saloka. “A leader, a Leo, courageous, Linda would go to the ends of the earth for a cause she believed in.”
Among those causes was animals. “I can’t tell you how many times people knocked on the door” at all hours of the day and night to tell the Pasadavas they had more stray animals they had found, said Saloka.
“She never refused. It’s just a huge loss.”
“A very giving person,” Saloka-Pasadava bought many gifts in India to bring to her nieces, nephews and others on Kaua‘i, said Herbert.
An active volunteer with the Kilauea Neighborhood Association (where she served 10 years in capacities including president, vice president and board member) and Kaua‘i Museum, Saloka-Pasadava was a wedding planner by trade.
She also ran for a seat on the Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative Board of Directors in 2006.
“She fell in love with the culture, people, food, fabrics” of India, said Herbert.
“She made friends with everybody,” and while in India she was like a “queen.”
“We were in shock. The group was devastated,” she said. Saloka-Pasadava’s death came at the beginning of the group’s third and final week in India.
“We were all stunned,” said Herbert, adding that the others from Kaua‘i in the party in India pitched in to bring Saloka-Pasadava’s possessions back to the island.
“We’re all still devastated.”
The Rev. Christine Kube, of Lawa‘i, said Saloka-Pasadava used to send small weddings and South Shore work Kube’s way, and Kube would send larger wedding parties and North Shore events to Saloka-Pasadava. Saloka-Pasadava’s company is A Vow Exchange.
“She’s just been always so kind to me,” said Kube, the first community member to alert the newspaper of Saloka-Pasadava’s passing in India.
“We just worked back and forth,” giving wedding work to each other, said Kube.
When someone dies abroad, “you don’t get to say ‘goodbye.’ It hit me. She was just a dear friend to me, and helped me get started in a job I love,” Kube said.
Saloka-Pasadava was born in St. Paul, Minn. In addition to her husband and sister, she is survived by her dog, Pixie Li; parents Len and Shirley Saloka of St. Paul, Minn.; hanai sisters, friends, numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation is at 9 a.m., Mass at 11 a.m., Saturday, at St. Sylvester’s Church in Kilauea. Casual attire is suggested.
