deaths

Felixberto C. Flores At Moffett Hospital at the Uni versity of California-San Fran cisco Medical Center on Octo ber 26, aged 64.

Archbishop Felixberto C.

Flores of Agana, Guam, died after preparatory heart surgery for a kidney transplant opera tion. He had checked into the hospital on his way home after a pilgrimage to Rome during which he succeeded in securing the beatification of the martyred Diego Luis de San Vitores, leader of a group of Jesuits who landed on Guam in 1688.

Janice F. DeVille reported in The Sunday News, Guam, of October 27, 1985: Archbishop Felixberto C.

Flores was aglow with pride and satisfaction after the October 6 beatification of Blessed Diego of the Marianas.

He was ever so gracious in accepting congratulations from his flock fellow Chamorros who had journeyed to the Eter nal City of Rome to witness the great event in the long history of Catholicism in the Mariana Islands. With the ceremony, the church recognised as blessed the deeds and life of the mar tyred Jesuit, Diego Luis de San Vitores.

Despite the physical infirmi ties that would eventually claim his life, the archbishop main tained that glow for days throughout the ceremony in St.

Peter’s Basilia, at the luncheon that followed in a nearby hotel, at dinner that evening. He was a shining picture of health, not a hint of kidney or heart prob lems, nor any sign of having injured his arm a few days earlier.

The following day, that aura remained. The beatification of Padre Diego Luis de San Vi tores, one step from sainthood, was to have been Flores’ great est dream-come-true.

“We really got more than we expected,” Bishop Anthony Apuron said several days after the ceremony. “We didn’t ex pect the special honors, the special recognition we re ceived,” he said. Special sea ting arrangements had been

made for the 300 pilgrims from the Marianas at the ceremony and the papal audience. Flores was, Apuron said then, “very satisfied, very honored.”

Even Flores’ private nurse, Rose Dizon, had to agree that Flores was indeed an amazing man. “He is suffering so much, yet he continues to go through with it,” she said. The archbi ship and the Chamorro pilgrims had to wait almost two hours for the pope to appear at the special audience the day after the beatification ceremony.

Wherever he was, however tired he might have been, Flores maintained that distinct posture of his. Poised and reso lute, he held out his hand to well-wishers who either kissed his ring or shook his hand.

Despite his pain, the archbishop never faltered in denying his own suffering. His, God’s, spirit had vanquished it in this time of triumph for the church of the Marianas.

In a telephone interview yesterday, Northern Marianas Bishop Tomas Camacho, head of the Chalan Kanoa diocese, said yesterday that Flores had died happy, having realised his vision of the beautification of San Vitores. “That was his dream, his lifetime dream and God gave him that.”

Moetiare Unuia In the Cook Islands on Novem ber 28, aged 91.

Mrs Moetiare Unuia (nee Tongia) was the great-grand daughter of the late (also the last) King Tongia of Niue, and the daughter of Arerangi Taruia of Ngati Anautoa of the Makea Karika tribe.

She was married to Unuia of Atiu in 1917 and had four children by that marriage.

She is survived by three of her children, 36 grandchildren, 46 great-grand-children and two great great-grand-children.

Yngve Stoor In Sweden in October, aged 73 Yngve Stoor, the “Mr Hawaiian Music” of Sweden, was Scandinavia’s most famous steel guitarist and composed more than 300 songs about Hawaii and the Pacific islands.

Yngve Stoor was born in Dalarna, Sweden, on April 5 1912, the last of 13 children in his family. As a young student he learned to play mandolin and violin. He was also a very talented violinist, but gave up that career after having heard the sound of the Hawaiian steel guitar while watching a movie about the South Seas. He started to play the steel guitar and formed his first Hawaiian orchestra in 1928.

He began recording in 1934.

Fifty years later, in 1984, he produced his last record. Dur ing his musical career he re corded 35 albums and hun dreds of 78s. His most famous record, “The Sailor’s Christmas in Hawaii”, sold more than 150,000 copies.

Since 1951 he had visited his beloved islands 18 times. He had many friends there and appeared on TV and radio programs all over the Pacific.

He wrote two books about his life and travels. Together with his wife, Viola, he spread good will wherever he went.

Yngve Stoor was very vital and gregarious. At the age of 73 he was still an active entertainer and was planning his 19th trip to the Pacific.

It is no exaggeration to say that Yngve Stoor was one of the most important Swedish “ambassadors” for the Pacific islands. Thanks to him, many Swedes became interested in Polynesia. In Hawaiian Music and Musicians (edited by George S. Kanahele, 1979) it is said that “when Yngve Stoor played the steel guitar every Swede could feel the sunshine

beaming through his music.”

Yngve Stoor is mourned by his wife, children, grandchildren and many friends. It is sad to know that we shall never see him on the stage again. But we can listen to his records and be grateful for everything he has given his audience. Among Scandinavian music lovers, Yngve Stoor’s “aloha spirit” will live as long as the moon and the sun are mirrored in the blue lagoons of the South Seas Thomas Malm in Vax jo, Sweden.

Lynette Townsend At Buderim, Queensland, on November 29, aged 83 Mrs Lynette Townsend was the widow of George (Cassa) Townsend, who served as dis trict officer at Wewak-Aitape in the pre-war Territory of Papua and New Guinea. Margaret Parer.

Sebastian Frank At Truk, Federated States of Micronesia, in September, aged 47 All flags were ordered flown at half-mast for four days by Acting Governor Iskia E. Sony.

Judge Frank served in 1973- 84 as a Truk District Court associate judge, before being sworn in on April 30, 1984, as an associate justice when the Truk State Court began functioning. He was nominated to the state court in 1983 by Gov. Erhart Aten and con firmed in January, 1984, by the Truk State Legislature.

Judge Frank was born on May 25, 1938, on Kuttu in the Mortlock Islands. He attended Xavier High School, in Moen, Truk, 1954-57, and the College of Guam, 1960-61, after ser ving 1957-60 as Truk District Court assistant clerk and clerk.

He returned to serve 1961- 64 as Truk District Court assis tant clerk and 1964-72 as its clerk, before attending a 1972- 73 juvenile court justices train ing program in Reno, Nevada.

Judge Frank is survived by his widow, Somie; one brother, Satauo Frank; one sister, Selina Frank, and 11 children. The National Union, Kolonia, Pohnpei.

Archbishop Felixberto C.

Flores.