Obituary for Robert N. Kinoshita

OBITUARY NOTICE FOR ROBERT NORIHIDE KINOSHITA –
January 7, 1931 – January 17, 2016
[Reprinted from the Lanai Times, February 2016 issue.]

“And in the setting sun shall vanish, All the glory is thy love.  Love and loyalty forever is my pledge to thee.”

The words to Lanai High and Elementary School’s alma mater were not just words to Robert Norihide Kinoshita, they were words he lived as the school’s staunchest supporter throughout his lifetime.

It was with sadness I read the letter I received from Philip Obado informing me of Robert Kinoshita’s passing on January 17 at his home in Kailua, Oahu.

“We were talking about the old days on Lanai recently and he was telling me about starting Lanai Alumni and Community Association (LACA) so I thought you might like the enclosed information for Lanai Today,” Philip wrote.  His obituary read:

Robert Norihide Kinoshita age 85 of Kailua, Hawaii, died on January 17, 2016.  Born in Lanai City on January 7, 1931, he was a member of Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin,  He was predeceased by his first wife, Mildred Hanako Isobe.  He is survived by his wife, Constance Fusako Yoshioka-Kinoshita, son Dean (Aileen), grandsons Matthew and Ryan, daughter Sandra (George) Nakamoto, grandson Ty, daughter Carol (Alan) Lau, and granddaughter Julia and grandson Davis.  He is also predeceased by father Jisaburo, mother Hatsuno, brothers Toshio Kenji Wayne, and sister Sachiko.

His schooling includes Lanai High School and Chaminade University.  His life’s career includes employment with the Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine, US Department of Agriculture, US Army Reserve as Supervisor Staff Administrator for the US Army Hawaii Training Center, Infantry 100th Battalion, 442 Infantry, 411th Engineer Battalion (Construction), US Army Personnel Administration Records Center, Army Reserve Personnel Center.  He retired from the US Army as Chief Warrant Officer, CW4.

Upon retirement, he entered private business as President/Owner of Pine Enterprises, Inc. dba Honolulu Transfer & Storage, Honolulu Specialty Sea Foods, Honolulu Tire Service and Honolulu Container Sales & Rental, and Hawaiian Nursery Products.

For his military service, he was awarded the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and Army Achievement Medal.  He was also a founding member of Go For Broke Association, and Sand Island Business Association.

A visitation at 3 p.m. followed by a service at 4 p.m. for Robert Kinoshita will be held at Honpa Hongwanji  Hawaii Betsuin located at 1717 Pali Highway, Honolulu on February 21, 2016.

Editor Alberta de Jetley’s Note:  Robert Kinoshita was a great supporter of our school’s athletic programs.  Many of the storage containers on campus were donated to the school to store its sports equipment.  When Lanai Animal Rescue Center was being built, he donated a 40-ft. retrofitted container with doors and windows to it to be used as an animal clinic.  Throughout his busy life, he remembered his classmates and Lanai friends and stayed in touch with them throughout his life.  He will always be remembered with much aloha by all who knew him.

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