Alexander Kahalelauniu "Sanka" Lopes' Obituary
Alexander Kahalelauniu “Sanka” Lopes
Alexander Kahalelauniu Lopes, known to many as “Sanka.” passed away on November 7, 2025, leaving behind a large, lively, and loving family.
Born in 1932, Sanka grew up in a full house on Auld Lane in Kalihi that included his parents Annette and Thomas, older sister Annette, older brothers Bobby and Tommy, and younger brother Lenny. The family later moved to Kamohoaliʻi Street and he attended Kalihi Uka Elementary School and Kalākaua Intermediate School, and Farrington High School, graduating in 1951. While in school, Sanka earned his own spending money shining shoes in downtown Honolulu learning early the value of hard work.
Sanka wasted no time after graduation and joined the United States Marine Corps. On July 9, 1951, he boarded the Hawaiian Packer and made his way to basic training. His military service didn’t quite take him to the halls of Montezuma or the shores of Tripoli, but he did serve in North Carolina, Virginia, Arizona, California, Panama, and Japan. As an aviation ordnanceman he also deployed with his squadrons and spent time in the Western Pacific aboard aircraft carriers. He finished his career as the “Sergeant Major,” senior enlisted man of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 235 (VMFA-235) retiring in 1971 as a First Sergeant, having seen plenty of the world and having plenty of sea stories to share with his family and others.
While the Corps had Sanka’s loyalty and strong sense of duty, his heart had long belonged to Irma Crowell, who grew up just two streets away on Nobrega Street. The two became sweethearts and schoolmates, and later both joined the Marines. They married in 1954. In August 1955, Sanka proudly became a “senior” with the birth of their son, Alexander Kahalelauniu Lopes Jr., followed by daughter RoseLee Pualokelani in 1956. After most of the adventures in the Marines, the Lopes family settled down in Pearl City.
After retiring from the Marines, Sanka put his hands-on talents to work with American Sterilizer Company, Bresco, and St. Francis West. He was widely known as the person who could fix things that weren’t supposed to be fixable and build things that didn’t come with instructions.
In 1981, Sanka took on what may have been his most cherished role: grandfather. To his seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, he was “Jeda,” a name borrowed from the Russian word for grandfather, in honor of his own Russian grandfather. Jeda embraced the title fully and enthusiastically sharing stories of his hana buttah days, jokes, and Hanafuda lessons.
His hobbies were as varied as his travels: fishing, making pineapple swipe, playing the autoharp, reconnecting with Farrington classmates, taking trips to Las Vegas with fellow retired Marines, and faithfully watching Western movies and NCIS reruns.
Irma preceded Sanka’s journey to heaven in April 1997 but she remained his one and only love. One of Sanka's hidden talents was the gift of song and whether in the shower, around the house or driving in the car you knew she was always on his mind when you heard him singing “In This Life” with the echoing words that “I will know deep in my heart, The only dream that mattered had come true, In this life I had been loved by you.
"Alexander Kahalelauniu Lopes, Sr. Is survived by his children Alex “Sanka Boy” Lopes and RoseLee Kalili; daughter-in-law Maureen; grandchildren DreanaLee, Sarah (husband Keeley), Emily, Alex III (wife Rebecca), Garrett, Kingsley, and Sullivan; great-grandchildren Mae, Judy, Charlie, John, Susannah, August, and Faye; and his brother Lenny (wife Teri). He was preceded in death by son-in-law Daniel Kalili.
Sanka lived a full life—rooted in Kalihi, shaped by service, built with his own two hands, and sustained by family, and just enough mischief to keep things interesting. He will be deeply missed and fondly remembered with aloha.
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