Mitsue Kina Obituary (1921

Mitsue (Gibu) Kina, age 89, of Pi'ihonua, Hawai'i, died of natural causes on December 16, 2010 in Silverdale, WA. Mitsue, who was known for her humor and directness and who, in her later years affectionately referred to as "Grandma Kina," was born on January 5, 1921 in Pi'ihonua, a sugar cane plantation community near Hilo Hawai'i, to Sakiji Gibu and Makato (Maehira) Gibu. Her parents emigrated from Okinawa, Japan around 1919 to work in the sugar cane fields. The third child of four sisters (Yoshie, Nobue, and Masako), Mitsue attended elementary school through 9th grade in Hilo and lived with extended family, the Maehiras, in Okinawa during part of her high school years. She returned to Hawai'i when she was 17 and was later married to Kameichi Kina (1920-1987), of Mountain View, HI from 1943-1962. A resident of Poulsbo, WA since 1978, she lived much of the time with her son George. Mitsue is preceded in death by her parents, sisters Yoshie and Masako, and granddaughter Alison Kina. She is survived by: her older sister, Nobue; her four children - George Kina (Diane), Susan Yoshioka (Dennis), Nora Matsumoto (Ken), Pauline Shiraki (Alan), and; eight grandchildren (Laura, Samuel, and Joseph Kina; Miles and Dawn Yoshioka; Melissa Di Carlo and Scott Matsumoto; Kevin Shiraki); four great-grandchildren (Midori Aronson, Jack and Stacy Yoshioka, Aiden Di Carlo); as well as extended family in California, Hawai'i and Washington State. A family graveside service will be held at 1pm on Monday, December 27, at the Kingston Cemetery, followed by an open house at the Kina home. The family would like to especially thank "Mona" Uy and the staff at Caring Adult Family Home for their compassionate caring for Mitsue during the final years of her life. Mitsue will be remembered fondly for her singing, love for food, and how she used to enjoy teasing those around her.