Phyllis Anglee Wilhoite-Nakasone's Obituary
Phyllis Anglee Wilhoite-Nakasone, 72, passed away 9 November 2019 at Kaiser hospital from heart failure. Born 17 June 1947, Phyllis grew up in the mostly African-American Long Island, NY hamlet of Uniondale. An eclectic child, she listened to Japanese folk music and dreamed of one day visiting Hawai’i. She converted to Buddhism as a teenager and continued practicing until her death.
Phyllis moved to Hawai’i in 1973, joining Ethnic Studies at UH Manoa where she met husband, Alan Nakasone. Phyllis had a deep passion for arts and culture: she held a masters in Arts Administration and docented for Honolulu Museum of Art for over 30 years, specializing in Asian and African art and heading such annual events as African Cultural Safari and Kwanzaa. She worked at Hamilton Library for over 30 years and has been an active member of Mo’ili’ili Hongwangi Mission. From her travels to Mali, Cotes d’Ivoire, and Ghana, she amassed a small private collection of African Art, textiles, and books. She is survived by her husband and two children.
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