James K. Sawa's Obituary
James K. Sawa, 80, of Mililani, Hawai‘i, passed away on March 22, 2026.
James, known as Jimmy to many, was born in Waipahu (O‘ahu), to ‘Ewa farmers Morito and Kimie (Mikami) Sawa. He was the second to the youngest of eight children, including seven boys and one girl. After working on the family farm through childhood, he graduated from Waipahu High School in 1963, then earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa.
Family was always a priority for Jimmy. He served in the Air National Guard Reserves for 20 years; doing drill weekends while also working at GTE Hawaiian Tel (now Hawaiian Telcom) and the Board of Water Supply. He eventually settled in at the Hawai‘i State Department of Transportation (HDOT), where he worked in Highway Design at both the Punchbowl Street and the Kapolei HDOT offices until retiring in 2007 to be a full-time grandfather.
In his retirement, Jimmy continued to actively support his family and especially his grandsons. In addition to doing school and sports drop-offs and pickups and being one of the “Best Grandparents Ever” with Vivian, he also found enjoyment in learning tai chi and playing pickleball; as well as traveling to support his grandsons for soccer or band. But his pride and joy were always in the care and support of his family. He was a deeply devoted husband, father, and grandfather, forever loved and cherished, always in our hearts. He was the foundation of our family, and we will be forever grateful for his loyalty, strength, and love.
Preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Charles Sawa, Jimmy is survived by his wife of nearly 54 years, Vivian (Nakasone) Sawa; daughter, Shari-Lynn (Sawa) Murphy; son, Stacey Sawa; grandsons, Kellen and Evan Murphy. He is also survived by five brothers: Thomas (Carole) Sawa, Edward Sawa, Francis Sawa, Howard Sawa, and George Sawa; one sister, Jean Sawa; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Celebration of life on Sunday, June 28, 2026, at Mililani Mortuary, Mauka Chapel, at 10:00 am. Visitation at 9:30 am.
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