Jaime Catacutan de Jesus' Obituary
Diamond Head Mortuary is saddened to announce the passing of Jaime C. de Jesus. We are honored to be serving the de Jesus family at this time.
Jaime Catacutan de Jesús, age 76 of Honolulu, Hawaii, passed away peacefully on March 26, 2022 with Mary Boland, his wife, Jenny de Jesús and Julie de Jesús, his daughters, at his bedside after a brief illness. The family thanks the Straub Medical Center health care team for their compassion and caring during his hospitalization.
Jaime, or Bong, as he was known to his many family and friends, was a professional illustrator, avid golfer, and lover of rock and roll music. Born in Manila, Philippines, he was the son of the late Jacinto and Marta de Jesús. He immigrated to the US in 1968 and earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the Philadelphia College of Art and did graduate study in Illustration at Syracuse University.
Jaime was a freelance artist for 40 years and created countless book jacket covers and illustrations. Following his retirement seven years ago, he created art for his own enjoyment and that of his Instagram followers including paintings that memorialized beloved family members and their dogs. Most recently, he contributed his talent to recognize the many nurses who put their lives on the line to provide bedside care to acutely ill COVID patients in the Emergency Room and Intensive Care Units. He completed and donated gouache paintings to thirty-seven nurses at The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu that serve as a lasting tribute to his kindness and generosity of spirit.
A person had to meet him only once to recognize that he was a special person. While he left us too soon Mary, Jenny, and Julie knew he loved us with all his heart – because he told us every day. He was sentimental and showered his affection on everyone who knew him. Many remember the joy and loyalty he bestowed on his friends along with his laugh and ability to find humor in the darkest of times. His life embodied the plea for peace and tolerance found in the lyrics of one of his favorite songs Turn! Turn! Turn! “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.”
In addition to his wife and daughters, he is survived by his sisters Melinda Van Sant and Maria Morsi, nieces and nephews, family and friends around the world.
A Celebration of Life was held in Honolulu, HI with family and close friends. Additional Celebrations will take place in late spring in Healdsburg, CA and Philadelphia, PA. In lieu of flowers, Jaime’s family request donations be made to the University of Hawaii Mānoa Nursing Alumni Association Scholarship Endowment, UH Foundation, to support students to achieve their dream of a nursing career.
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