Yesterday (Saturday, August 30, 2014), Marshall and I brought Mom home from the Mortuary.  She is now back home with us here, where she will stay until her final journey back home to Hawaii.

I have been working with close family members on the details of the Memorial Service.  Time and date are set (click on image above to see larger version), and we are just working on more specific details to help it all go smoothly.

We all have been very appreciative of support from friends and family during this time.

Please continue to pass the word along, as we know there are still some that we may have missed.

Kawika

Marshall and I traveled to Reno on Friday (August 22, 2014) to drop off Mom’s temporary urn. The urn pictured above came from Uncle Matt Grollmus, which he had for his mother when she passed away. Uncle Matt and his wife, Aunty Kaohu are having a koa urn custom made for Mom, which will be used for her final journey home to Hawaii. I will post a photo of that once it comes in to share with our extensive family.

We now have a date for Mom’s Memorial Service. It will be held at Coconut Island in Hilo (Big Island), on September 27th, 2014. We are finalizing details of the service, but will start at 10am (to allow for travel time), with most of the immediate family spending a good part of the day there.

We will be doing this potluck style, so bring what you can. Please do bring beverages for your family. We will have an alcohol permit for the day, so BYOB.

We are looking to spread Mom’s ashes in the early afternoon, around 2:00-3:00pm. We are finalizing those details and will post more specifics as we get the times confirmed. There are opportunities for people to share throughout the day, whether it be a meaningful event in your life with Mom, dedicating a Hula or playing a song for her. Please let me know via the contact form (link is just below the header image), so that I can make sure to get you in my notes.

Many of you have asked for our address, which I have listed for you on the right hand side of the page. We do need your kokua in getting Mom back home to Hawaii. In lieu of sending flowers, we ask that if you are able, to please donate and help us cover travel to bring Mom home. Keoki and his family need to fly from Los Angeles, and we (myself, Terri and the 2 kids, and Marshall) need to fly from Reno, Nevada. I have set up a Paypal link, for those on the computer, or by mail, send it to Marshall Kary, PO Box 1559, Silver Springs, NV 89429. Any amount is appreciated and will help us complete Mom’s journey through this life.

Aloha to my wonderful family and friends that shared a part of Mom’s life over the years.

Kawika

Today Marshall and I went in to Reno to continue the preparations for Mom to return home. Mom’s wishes were to be cremated and her ashes spread with her mom, Betty Jane (Inouye) Irvine on the Big Island.

I came across the following video from Father’s Day this year (2014). I want to share this with everyone, as it embodies a lot about Mom in a very short video. The way she talks, the way she laughs, the way she smiles.

Kawika

It is with extremely sad hearts that we announce Mom’s passing.  On Thursday, August 7th, 2014, Mom was diagnosed with cancer that had metastasized to her Liver.  She was not ingesting enough liquids and food, prompting her to be transported on Saturday, August 9th, to Renown in Reno to get her hydrated and for further testing.  They found that her kidneys were not functioning properly, and after complications while attempting to clear that issue, the doctors were forced to abort the procedure.  We made sure Mom was comfortable, where she passed away around 5:20pm on Sunday, August 10th.

Mom wishes to be cremated and returned to the Big Island (Hawaii).  Today (August 13), Mom will be transported from the hospital to a local mortuary for her cremation.  She will return to us when that process is complete and spend time with us here until we are able to return her home to the Big Island.

We are tentatively thinking that her service will be towards the end of September and we would like for everyone to have sufficient time to make arrangement to join us for the celebration of her life.

Thank you everyone for the kind words to our family during this difficult time.  We know that we don’t shed tears alone.

With the many tears shed, I bid Aloha ‘Oe to the one that gave me life, the Matriarch of our Ohana, and a wonderful tutu (grandmother) to my children.

I love you Mom!

Kawika