Family Sadness

This is a sad day in our family...

My older sister, Marie, passed away in her sleep...sometime during the night or this morning.  I don't know the particulars...two of her daughters lived with her so I imagine the discovery was made this morning.

Marie was 91 years of age.  She lived on Hawai'i island or the Big Island as it is commonly known.  She is survived by her 8 living children: George of Texas, Marvid (Mahealani) of Washington, Dayna of Hawai'i, Mary Beth (Mapuana) of Hawai'i, Steven of Texas, Michael Alan of O'ahu, Amy of California and Loralee of Louisiana.  Her daughter, Lois, was killed in an auto accident in 1976...also numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren survive her.

Marie was the oldest of the girls in my family.  Brother Ernest and sisters Harriet, Ethelwynne and Viola preceded her in death.  Also surviving are brothers: Edmund-Paul (Paul) of Hawai'i, Edwin (Eddie) of O'ahu and Samuel (Sam) of Florida; sisters: Puanani (Nani) of O'ahu, Violet-Elizabeth (Betty) of California, Ernestine (Ernie) of O'ahu and Agnes Naomi of Utah...also numerous nephews and nieces...

Marie survived bouts with cancer, however her health had been declining in recent years and had two hospital stays in the last couple of weeks.  She was sent home a few days ago and was under hospice care.  Most of her children had been with her for the last few days including a granddaughter from New York.  Maile was the daughter of Lois who died in the auto accident.  So I would think they will be returning for Marie's services.

I will not be able to go, however my sister Ernie told me she and her husband would probably go to the service...so she will be there for me.

Marie and I were not close, in fact it has been many years since I saw her last, yet it still hurts when a family member passes, especially a sibling.  I have some fond memories of times spent with her and her family during my growing up years.  I also remember a trip that my former husband, John, and I made back to Arkansas to visit his family.  Marie and her family lived in El Paso, TX at the time.  Her former husband, David was in the Army stationed at Ft Bliss.  I believe he was deployed at the time, he could have been in Viet Nam yet I am not certain about that...I just remember he was gone.  My dad was living with Marie at the time.  Marie worked as the librarian at the Post library.  We stopped to visit and stayed for a couple of nights.  I wanted to go to Juarez, Mexico so the kids and my dad went with us.  It was a fun time being there with all of them.  One of the things I remember about her too is that she always dressed very well.

She is no longer hurting and that is a comfort.  My heart goes out to her children and immediate family.

Along with the passing of my sister, our family has another situation going on...

A grand nephew is missing on the Big Island.  He is the son of my niece Puanani Mahoe...Pua's mother was my sister Harriet who passed away in 2005 (?).  He went opihi picking one day last week and has not returned.  The Coast Guard did a search in the area he had gone, however did not find anything.  His family has been searching on their own.  They found his ATV that he used to get out to the area and there was someone that came forward and said that they had seen him start to climb down the cliff.  To go opihi picking, one must go to an area of the coastline where there are steep cliffs.  The opihi are washed in by the high waves and cling to the side of the rocks.  It is very dangerous work to go to pick opihi...they are tiny black limpets or sea snails.  They are delicacy in the Hawaiian culture and served at traditional luaus. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T985HiQsw04

Here is a you tube that I found...one must be constantly watching the waves...it is easy to be swept away by a wave.

The family will continuously search, I am sure, until they find something.  My heart goes out to them.  He is a young man with a wife and family.

My heart is heavy for my extended family...yet the assurance that God cares is a blessing.