Carol ‘C.J’ Groves
Carol “C.J.” Groves, of Kapa‘a, passed away at home on Sept. 22, 2021, at the age of 78.
He was born in Calhoun, Kentucky on Dec. 14, 1942. He was a retired business manager and served in the U.S. Navy.
He was preceded in death by parents Carroll and Opal Groves and son Trent Ferguson.
He is survived by wife Helen Groves, sons Donny (Kellie) Groves and David Groves and two grandchildren.
A celebration of life will be private.
Borthwick Kaua‘i Mortuary is assisting the family with arrangements.
Richard Kenji Maeda
Richard Kenji Maeda, 87, passed away on Sept. 4, 2021, in San Diego. He was a retired contractor and president of Kaua‘i Builders, Ltd.
Born in Lihu‘e on Oct. 29, 1933, he grew up on Kaua‘i with his older brother, Tetsuro “Rosy,” and his younger sister, Jane, alongside many cousins. He attended Washington State University and pursued a career in civil engineering. After his father’s death, he returned to Kaua‘i to help run the family business, Kaua‘i Builders, Ltd.
He eventually took the lead as president of the company when his brother, Rosy, passed away. He was an active community member, serving in organizations such as the Lions Club and on various boards and commissions throughout the years.
An avid golfer, he could be found almost every weekend at Wailua Golf Course. After losing his older daughter Cathy to leukemia in 2009, he and his wife, Yukie, vowed to support medical and cancer research organizations such as St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and Be The Match.
In his semi-retirement, they moved to San Diego to live closer to family. His wife of 50 years, Yukie, passed away in 2019. The highlights of his final years centered around his time with his grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by parents Tsugie and Itsuzo Maeda, brother Rosy Maeda, wife Yukie Maeda and daughter Catherine Stibbard.
He is survived by daughter Sandra (Guy) Oshiro of San Diego, son-in-law John Stibbard, grandchildren Jaime Stibbard, Colin Stibbard, Sarina Oshiro and Julia Oshiro, sister Jane Morioka, sister-in-law Bessie Maeda, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Services will be held on Kaua‘i at a later date when it is safe to travel again. The family requests no koden (monetary gifts). Condolences can be sent to 12177 Salix Way, San Diego, CA 92129.
Sioux Ramseyer Mackenzie
To her family and friends and anyone fortunate enough to know her, Sioux Ramseyer Mackenzie was a bright and shining light, a beautiful, generous and courageous soul who embraced life to the fullest and was loved by many.
That light flickered out on Dec. 29, 2020, when Sioux passed away at her home in Kapa‘a, on her beloved island of Kaua‘i. She was 66.
Born Susan Louise Ramseyer on Jan. 26, 1954, in Santa Monica, Calif., Sioux was the middle of three children of Leo and Edith Ramseyer.
She grew up in the San Fernando Valley at a home her parents built in a historic grapefruit grove in Woodland Hills. Drawn to music at a young age, she took piano and guitar lessons, and was an avid book-lover. She also enjoyed many camping trips and other excursions with her family.
Sioux attended Serrania Elementary School, Parkman Junior High and William Howard Taft High School, from which she graduated in 1972.
Sioux was active and involved throughout her school years, participating in youth groups including Brownies, Girl Scouts and YWCA. A natural athlete, she learned to play tennis as a young girl at Reseda Park, setting her on a path she would embrace later in life.
She performed with the high school drill team for two years, then became a spring-sports cheerleader in her junior year, and was named fall-sports head cheerleader and homecoming queen in her senior year.
It was at that time, at the age of 18, that Sioux faced what undoubtedly was her life’s greatest challenge: a diagnosis of acute myelogenous leukemia. The next 12 months were spent at the Los Angeles Children’s Hospital, enduring countless rounds of chemotherapy and never-ending tests and procedures.
She was buoyed by the presence of her parents, Leo and Edie, who each day made the hour-long trek to the hospital, and other family members who provided their love and support. But the disease and her treatments were ravaging her body, leading to a bleak outlook.
Fortunately, Sioux had caught the attention of the head nurse, who had been amazed by her courage and will to live. The nurse shared Sioux’s story with her husband, renowned surgeon Dr. Jordan Weisman, who agreed to visit her in the hospital.
After meeting Sioux and pondering her situation, the doctor proposed a novel surgery to replace her esophagus, which had been destroyed by the chemotherapy treatments, with a section of her colon. He warned that her chances of surviving the operation were only 50-50.
But survive she did, and she went on to make a full recovery, with a mission to live life to the fullest.
Sioux headed north to attend the University of California at Santa Barbara, where she majored in history and minored in coaching, graduating in 1978. Always looking for ways to be different, it was at this time that she changed her name to “Sioux.”
While in college, she took up tennis in a big way, earning a walk-on spot on the university’s junior-varsity team. Despite never having any formal training, Sioux went on to accomplish many things in the tennis world as both a player and a coach, winning many tournaments and earning numerous accolades. As a friend described Sioux, she had “a love of the game and the tenacity of a champion.”
In April 1978, she married Gus Mee, a coach at UCSB, and the couple moved to Kaua‘i. They went their separate ways some 10 years later.
While living on the Garden Island, Sioux survived two hurricanes — ‘Iwa in 1982 and ‘Iniki in 1992. She pursued many athletic endeavors, including twice participating in the Honolulu Marathon, and running several half-marathons.
She was a council member of the Lihu‘e Lutheran Church, where she spearheaded fundraising activities for the youth group and organized the annual whale-watching trips for parishioners and friends.
Professionally, she managed and served as club professional at several tennis clubs on Kaua‘i, starting with the Kiahuna Tennis Club.
One of her shining moments on the tennis court was an invitation to play in a marquee doubles exhibition match on the packed stadium court at the Marriott Hotel, Kaua‘i. On the other side of the net was none other than Billie Jean King — someone Sioux idolized not just as one of the greatest woman tennis players of all time but as a champion of women’s rights.
Very few knew about this. Her humility was such that she did not broadcast such honors.
It was in 1991 that Sioux met her soulmate, although she didn’t know it at the time. She had traveled to New Zealand to visit friends who owned a property at the Auckland polo club.
Also in attendance was Stuart Mackenzie, a professional polo player who had been invited to play in the New Zealand Open.
Accompanying Stuart was his teenage daughter, Lexi, and she and Sioux became fast friends.
Years later, in 1997, Stuart was asked to attend a formal event in Honolulu, but having been divorced for several years, he did not have a date. With Lexi’s help, he nervously invited Sioux to accompany him to the ball, and to his relief, she accepted.
Their relationship grew and blossomed, and on Valentine’s Day 2004, Sioux and Stuart were married.
Stuart describes Sioux as his “Warrior Princess,” and quite simply the love of his life.
In recalling their 17 years of marriage, Stuart said, “As beautiful as she was physically, and she was stunning, that beauty could never match the beauty of her inner soul. She gave her all to others, and I was a beneficiary of that generosity. It was a two-way street. We gave each other everything, period.”
Sioux is survived by husband Stuart, mother Edith Ramseyer, siblings Janet (Bill) Thoma and Steve (Kim) Ramseyer, sister-in-law Kirsty (Murray) Higgs, stepchildren Benji Mackenzie and Lexi (Darin) Mackenzie-Torres, and grandchildren Lanz, Ace and Adora.
She was preceded in death by father Leo Ramseyer, in 2016.
A celebration of life is at 6154 Holio Rd., Kapa‘a on Nov. 6, 2021. Due to COVID-19, all restrictions at that time will be followed.
Source: The Garden Island
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