Obituaries for Saturday, February 17, 2024

Sheilah Sanae Thomas

Sheilah Sanae Thomas, of Wailua, passed away on Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023, at the age of 72 years old. She was born on Aug. 11, 1951, in Lihu‘e.

She was preceded in death by husband Stephen Thomas, father Hideo Sasaki, brother Sherwin Sasaki and stepdaughter Nicole Thomas.

She is survived by son Brandon (Leo) Thomas of Wailua Homesteads, daughter Dawn (Kenneth) Cummings of Wailua Homesteads, grandchildren Keoni (Kailee) Peahu, Kawana Peahu, Kahinu Peahu, Kamuela Peahu, Kyary Cummings, Kaliyah Cummings, Teagan Waialeale, Tierny (Chris) Fu, Brooklyn Thomas, Bronx, great-grandchildren Kaniela, Kamaha‘o, Tavis, Tariq, Tazin, mother Michie Sasaki of Wailua, brother Stafford Sasaki of Oma‘o, numerous uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews and cousins.

A service is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, at the Kaua‘i Veterans Center in Lihu‘e. Visitation is from 2 to 3 p.m. followed by a celebration of life at 3 p.m. The family requests casual attire and welcomes flowers.

Garden Island Mortuary assisted the family with arrangements.

William Carrillo, Jr.

William “Willie” Carrillo, Jr., 86, of Anahola, passed away on Jan. 26, 2024. He was born on July 11, 1937 and lived a happy life with his family and friends. He worked at the famous Coco Palms Hotel from 1953 til it’s closing in 1992. While there, the Coco Palms Torchlighters (John Kaleiohi, John Kauo and Willie Carrillo) cut their first album in 1960. After working his daytime job as a Bellman, Willie smoothly moved into the evening hustle at the Lagoon Dining Room where he jammed out with his musical talents for the legendary Larry Rivera Show. Later on, he would moonlight at the bar to keep the vibe alive for the Night Cap with Larry Rivera. He was also a musician with the Smiths Motorboat Family from 1994 until he retired in July of 2018. Playing music for people and seeing the smiles on their faces is what he enjoyed most.

He was preceded in death by parents Virginia Ewaliko Carrillo and William Carrillo, Sr., son William “Timmy” Carrillo, sisters Wilma Meyer and Luana (Clayton) Young, brother Frederick “Raffy” Carrillo, and grandson Kona-Kaden Huddy-Young.

Willie is survived by his significant other Kemamo, Elsie Carrillo, daughters Dino (Dennis-deceased) Oshiro of Wailua, Kau‘ilani (Todd) of O‘ahu, hanai daughter Uilani Huddy of Wailua, daughter-in-law Rose of Arizona, sons Duane “Doozy” Carrillo of Wailua, Ryan Huddy of Anahola, hanai son Kaipo of Lihu‘e, grandchildren Chrissy Gorospe, Kala and Laakea Oshiro of Wailua, Poai Oshiro of Seattle, Kiana (Tyler) Palea of Hilo, Brandee Carrillo of Hilo, Kaisen (Eurielle) Carrillo of Kilauea, Kailee Carrillo of Wailua, Kealiiola of O‘ahu, Anuhea, Raimana and Mahealani Huddy of Anahola, Alohi and Waikalea Corbett-Huddy of Florida, Makena-Shay Huddy-Pila of Wailua, Kaipo II of Maui, and Kaimana (Genie) of Maui, great-grandchildren Tyran Palea of Seattle, Noah and Kira Palea of Hilo, Micah and Zayn Timbresa of Hilo, Thea and Ryze Carrillo of Kilauea, as well as numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at Anahola Clubhouse where services will begin promptly at 10 a.m. Casual attire is suggested.

Kaua‘i Memorial Gardens is assisting the family with arrangements.

William ‘Billy’ Kalaukahiki Lemn

October 2, 1938 — September 22, 2023

William “Billy” Kalaukahiki Lemn passed away on September 22nd after a commonplace procedure changing the batteries on his defibrillator at Straub Medical Center. He was just ten days shy of his 85th birthday.

He was born at Kealia Dispensary, Kauai, as the oldest of the three sons of Annie Kalopi Valpoon Lemn of Anahola Village and her husband, William Kulia Lemn, formerly of Moanalua, Oahu. Billy’s grade schooling began at Anahola School and continued at St. Catherine’s. At Kapa’a High School, Billy was the only freshman to earn a varsity track letter, which led to recruitment for track and football by his agricultural dream school, Lahainaluna. Already targeting a career as a farmer, he eagerly learned the Lahainaluna song after being flown to tour the agricultural boarding school. When his mother chose Kamehameha for him instead, Billy set his Lahainaluna dreams aside and dutifully matriculated to Honolulu as a boarder. Billy helped his team establish a 4 x 100m relay record at Kamehameha. He also earned a spot at the Olympic tryouts for wrestling, which he regrettably missed because his cattle got out and fences needed fixing. In 1957, he graduated with his classmate and love, Luella Hasegawa of Molokai. Agriculture and a football scholarship led him to Hartnell A & M College in Salinas, California. Luella headed off to Wisconsin State Teacher’s College in faraway Platteville. A secret San Francisco elopement predictably followed in 1958, and the two returned to Billy’s Anahola to raise four children and persevere through 65 years of joys and struggles.

On Kaua‘i, Billy followed in his father’s footsteps to provide for his growing family. He served his community as a KPD officer for over 16 years and as a National Guard service member. His police service earned him recognition and a Distinguished Service Award for outstanding performance of duty in 1972. A seasoned narcotics and vice investigator, Billy’s undercover assignments put him in dangerous situations throughout Hawaii and Los Angeles. He prided himself on his work with disguises that even fooled his frightened children when he appeared at home as a 1970s hippy. He left KPD as a Sergeant Detective to return to his first love, farming, where he set records in banana, cucumber, bell pepper, tomato, and eggplant yields and was active with the Kauai Farm Bureau for many years. Later, his farming turned to cultivating tropical flowers, specializing in orchid production. He relished looking out over his fields of multi-colored blossoms and regretted harvest days. Luella handled sales, floral arrangements, and lei-making.

Billy was also a Hawaiian food and imu master who made a legendary kinilau dish from aku and limu lipoa that was unmatched. With Luella, he successfully continued his parents’ business, Lemn’s Luau & Hawaiian Food, for over 35 years after his parents’ passing, catering many weddings, baby luaus, graduations, retirement parties, and other celebrations all over Kauai. In doing so, his family’s culinary tradition lived on as the oldest permitted Department of Health food establishment on Kaua’i.

Proud of being a good provider, he took on other jobs, such as a federal wildlife agent when Hurricane ‘Iniki destroyed his crops and as an airport armed guard until just a few years ago. At the airport, he enjoyed the camaraderie of his co-workers and the hustle and bustle of those coming and going. His airport employment required marksman recertifications annually, and he relished the friendly competitions that cropped up around these annual recertifications due to his expert skills.

Ranching was also in his blood, with his Spanish ancestor, Miguel Castro, being the first paniolo on Kauai. Like Miguel, Billy enjoyed cowboying and was an active rodeo competitor astride his beloved Appaloosas and Morgans, which he raised along with cattle for many years.

Billy was a man of action and adventure in other ways as well. He was a boat captain and built four boats, including his prized “Haunani K,” from scratch in his garage. Nothing made him happier than being out on the ocean with his sons and grandsons, long lines in the water, reels screaming, with his strong arms pulling in fresh fish for the table. He was an ultralight pilot on an aircraft he also built in his garage. He was an aikido expert, a scuba instructor, a deep-sea diver pulling black coral from the dark ocean depths, a motocross competitor, and a humorous cartoonist. He loved traveling with Luella, saw many sights across the United States and Europe, and enjoyed cruises to Alaska, Canada, Nova Scotia, and the Mediterranean.

Billy’s twilight years did not slow him down. With Chucky Boy Chock, Executive Director of the Kauai Museum, Billy embarked on an ambitious project to focus attention on the history of our own noteworthy Kauai ali‘i, King Kaumuali‘i, and his favorite wife, Queen Deborah Kapule. With the support of Chucky Boy and the Kauai Museum, the community, and Luella and Billy’s extended family and friends, the enterprise spearheaded the installation of statues in honor of these ali‘i at the museum’s entrance. Billy felt overwhelming aloha and gratitude for those who helped make the installation possible, and his family extends their mahalo to all of you. In place of condolences, the family asks that donations be made to Kauai Museum to help perpetuate the history of our islands.

An additional blessing of the project came in the form of a deep friendship that blossomed between Chucky Boy and Billy. Together, the two collaborated and completed a song Billy had written honoring Anahola, its people, and Ke Akua above, which Billy entitled “Anahola Song.” To Billy’s delight, Chucky Boy debuted this song in March 2023 at the Garden Island Arts Council’s “E Kanikapila Kakou 2023” event at Kaua’i Beach Resort. Even more heartwarming to Billy, Chucky Boy honored Billy as his “hanai father” in this performance.

Billy had a fine, resounding baritone, enjoyed by the parishioners on many Sundays at his family church, Ko‘olauhui‘ia Protestant Church, in Anahola. There, he served in many roles throughout the years, including as building maintenance manager, moderator, and deacon.

With his commitment to his church and his lifelong involvement in catering celebrations through the decades, it may seem strange to many that his final wish was to be remembered by his immediate family at their family gatherings on Sundays rather than being honored at a formal service. At heart, Billy was a solitary man who was always uncomfortable being the center of attention. As a family, we ask for everyone’s understanding of this unusual request and hope we have still honored him with this memorial of his life. His ashes and spirit will remain with his love, Luella, in his beloved Anahola until the two are reunited someday.

Billy is survived by his wife, Luella, youngest brother, Harry, and sister-in-law, Leona (widow of brother, Bobby). He is also survived by eldest son Kendall and daughter-in-law Ronnie Lynn (Yasui) along with their oldest daughter Shonnielyn, her partner Noah Akutagawa, and their children, Kena and Kahiau; second daughter Kamalei, her partner Keona Peahu, and their children Kaniela and Kamaha‘o; third child Dylan and his partner Kaila Naholoholo along with their daughter, Kalea; and Dylan’s twin brother Devin. Billy is also survived by second son Kevin and by daughter Haunani, her husband, “favorite son-in-law”, Scott (Nunokawa), their son Nahulu, and their boy-girl twins, Hulukoa and Kahulu. Finally, he is survived by his youngest son Nathan and his daughter Zaiana, her partner Luke Hacker, and Zaiana’s son Kaizaic. Others he considered part of his ‘ohana included Richard and Lydia Osakoda and Chucky Boy and Pamela Chock. All told, he is survived by 4 children, 8 grandchildren, 6 great-grandchildren, and many other family and friends. Sadly, those who preceded him included his younger brother Bobby and his beloved infant twin daughters Dena and Dina and grandchildren Kunane Lemn and Kayla Huddy-Lemn. In closing, I’m sure Billy would be pleased to share a Bible verse he repeated often at the end of his life, 1 Corinthians 13:13, in which Paul writes, “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” Aloha ‘oe to our beloved Billy until we meet again.