Obituary, Visitation & Funeral Information

Violet Kaleiwahea Obituary
Violet Yuen “Ah Pei” Kaleiwahea died peacefully at her daughter’s home in Kailua in the early morning on June 29 2023 with her 2 daughters at her side. She was 95 years & 6 mos young. She was the beloved mom of Geri Adams (Reid) and Berni Kaleiwahea. She was also loved by 6 grandchildren, Chuck Adams (Mickey), Cris Archer, Traci Kaleiwahea, Leanne Lukela (Kenny), Ken Kaleiwahea (Lisa) and Lisa “Lei” Bortmas (Frank), 16 great and 19 great-great grandchildren. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by husband James Kaleiwahea, parents Soong and Au Shee Yuen and 5 siblings.

Violet loved playing the ukelele and singing at family gatherings often joined by others she was the life of the party. She loved and could sing any type of music. She also loved to cook, and her daughters assigned her culinary matriarch of the family who taught or passed down her recipes to anyone who loved good food. Her family often phoned her for her chinese style ox tail soup, jook, steam fish, stuff bittermelon recipes. What a legacy. How fortunate we were even with the, “My Way,” attitude that we already miss.

And in closing we can’t forget her favorite vacation spot, Las Vegas and San Francisco since the 70’s with Jimmy, the love of her life. She visited her favorite video poker and one arms 1-2 times a year with Jimmy or family and many times won. As she aged into her 80s every trip was, “I’m getting old this will be my last”. Her last was age 90 in 2018. Violet was deeply loved and will always be greatly missed by her ohana.

A celebration of life will be held on Friday September 8, 2023, at Mililani Mortuary Downtown, Honolulu. Visitation 8:30 am and service at 10:00 am. Burial at Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery at 1:00 pm.

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