Herta Emma Irie's Obituary
Herta Irie Obituary
Herta Emma Irie
January 2, 1932 – February 3, 2025
Born in 1932, in Frankfurt, Germany, Herta entered the world in challenging times, raised by her devoted mother, Anna Marie Crossmann, and her beloved grandmother, Emma Josephine. When Herta was still very young, Anna Marie married Otto Henry Schafer, and for a time, life grew sweeter as the Schafer family expanded with the births of Herta’s two half-sisters, Elsie and Connie.
World War II disrupted the lives of many, including the Schafer family, which was left rudderless when Henry Schafer was called to war. As the eldest daughter, Herta carried an unwavering strength and resilience, helping to hold the family together through difficult times. When her adopted father tragically lost his life on the Russian front, she faced yet another profound loss but continued forward with courage.
In 1946, after the war had ended, Herta befriended a young soldier serving in the American Army, Kanichi Larry Irie, a Maui native from the then-territory of Hawaii. Theirs was truly a story of East meeting West, a lifelong love that transcended borders, duty-bound separations, and the hardships of the post-war era. In 1954, after the births of their first two sons, they were finally granted permission by the U.S. Army to marry.
On July 13, 1956, in Colorado Springs, CO, Herta was awarded citizenship of the United States.
Together, Herta and Larry built a beautiful yet simple life, raising four sons—Roger (deceased), married to Bobbi; Michael, married to Sicily; Eric, married to Pamela; and Raymond, married to Suzanna. They instilled in their children the values of love, perseverance, and family.
Herta was a devoted wife and mother who found joy in baking and had a deep love for word puzzles, trivia games, and strategy-based challenges. Several of her grandchildren will tell you today that playing a game with Grandma was no easy feat—she was a tough opponent who didn’t believe in letting anyone win. Instead, she taught them something even more valuable: the importance of knowing how to lose gracefully.
The Our Savior Lutheran Church family in Aiea and the church community, led by Pastor Mitchell Gowen, reinforced Herta's faith. Especially in her later years, Sundays and Church events became a source of real comfort.
Their Union of Marriage officially lasted 54 years until Larry's passing on Feb 3, 2008 in Tripler Army Medical Center. On this same date and in the same hospital, 17 years later, Herta passed away to be reunited with Larry and her first born son, Roger Wolfram Irie.
Herta will be deeply missed by all who knew her, but her spirit will live on in the hearts of her family and those whose lives she touched. Over time, the family grew to include four grandchildren—Jade Kleider (Gary), Roger Irie (Melinda), Riki Irie (Kevin Sealy), and Melody Gardner (Jeremy)—as well as five great-grandchildren. She is also survived by a half-sister, Elsie Werner and a half-brother, Hagop Eknayan, both of Germany.
A service to honor Herta’s life will be held on Tuesday, April 08, 2025 at Mililani Memorial Park Mortuary in the Mauka Chapel. Visitation will begin at 5:30 pm followed by the service at 6:30 pm.
A private burial will be held April 10 at Schofield Barracks Post Cemetery.
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to the family, please visit our floral store.
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