Teruko Nakatani

March 24, 1914 - June 23, 2015

Teruko Nakatani passed away peacefully at home on June 23, 2015. She was born in Hakalau, Hawaii and had two older sisters who predeceased her - Shizuko (Gloria) Buyama and Kimie (Kay) Endo. Teruko lived in boarding schools in Hilo while attending school, and graduated from Hilo High School in 1932. Over the years, her friendships with Hilo classmates would strengthen and grow throughout her life and wherever she went. While attending business school in Honolulu, Teruko renewed her friendship with Minoru Nakatani, a Hilo High classmate, married him in 1940, and moved into a modest home in McCully where she lived for the next 75 years. They raised three children, Henry, Hannah (Skip) Kawakami, and Robert. Education was most important to both of them, so Teruko and Minoru saw that their children were given all the opportunity to advance themselves. As a result, their children achieved four graduate degrees among them. Family was also very special and dear to them both. After Minoru passed away, Teruko carried on the family spirit and embraced life in every way for her remaining years. She is survived by three children, three grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, one hanai grandson, and four hanai great-grandchildren. Memorial services will be held on July 23, 2015 at Diamond Head Mortuary Chapel in Honolulu. Visitation is at 9:30 a.m. and services begin at 10:30 a.m.