Alyce Loui Obituary

ALYCE KATASHIMA LOUI Alyce Katashima Loui, widow of Fred Loui, and beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt and friend, died peacefully at home February 25, 2026, surrounded by family. She lived a full 105 years and is remembered for her kindness, unconditional love, and generosity. Born in Manoa to Masaro and Shizuko Fujiwara Katashima on December 14, 1920, Alyce is survived by children Brian (Helen Yi), Pat (Michael Schmicker), Steven (Jill Chen), and Kathy (Michael Yasui); 11 grandchildren (Ken, Sheryl, Sommer, Jay P, Kelly, Stephanie, and the late Tessa Loui, Dr. Nani Morgan, Chris Schmicker, Kiana and Kristyn Yasui), and 8 great grandchildren. Sisters Tsuneko Fukui and Sue Watanabe pre-deceased her. Named Masako at birth, she was baptized Alyce after her 2 Sunday school teachers. She graduated from McKinley High and the Teacher's College at University of Hawai'i, where she pledged for Wakaba Kai Sorority. During World War II, fearing confiscation of Japanese businesses, Alyce's parents sold their Kapahulu grocery, and she caught the eye of the buyer's son, Fred Loui, a story entered in the Congressional Record. When Fred left Pearl Harbor to start Pacific Marine & Supply Co. Ltd. to repair war-damaged Navy ships in 1944, Alyce typed contracts and balanced payroll after her full-time job. Although she humbly never sought recognition, Alyce and Fred are remembered as Pacific Marine's co-founders. They married in 1947 becoming a Japanese-Chinese 'ohana. As Fred built the business, Alyce raised their children and became famous for after-school snacks for neighborhood kids playing in her yard and sewing costumes for school programs. She showed wives of Fred's business associates around O'ahu, danced with Lawrence Welk at the Royal Hawaiian for his national TV show, loved Pucci dresses, and hosted joyful luaus at their Punalu'u beachhouse, where her kids learned to build an imu, make lau lau, catch crabs, and water ski. Alyce and Fred took family to New York World's Fair, innumerable national parks and historic sites, including Grand Canyon, Shenandoah, the Liberty Bell. Above all, Alyce is remembered for welcoming family, friends, and children's friends to feasts she lovingly prepared for New Year's Eve, Shogatsu, Chinese New Year, Moon Festival, Thanksgiving and Christmas. After Fred's passing, Alyce briefly chaired Pacific Marine until her sons joined. She loved opera and local fashion shows, growing orchids and anthuriums, traveling abroad with family, visiting homebound friends. A devoted grandmother, Alyce picked up grandkids after school, treated them to favorite snacks, read aloud for hours, and strung leis with flowers from her garden. In her last years, she still loved her daily crossword puzzles, news and politics, Stephen Colbert's Show, and most of all, family gatherings with grandchildren and great grandchildren. On her 100th birthday, Pacific Marine donated $100,000 to her favorite charities --- Lanakila Meals on Wheels, Kapi'olani and Shriners Hospitals, American Diabetes --- as well as $80,000 for Palama Settlement's new pre-school. Earlier, the family established four annual Fred and Alyce Loui Scholarships at Kaimuki High. Looking back over a century, Alyce remained deeply grateful for life's blessings. Her ohana extends heartfelt mahalo to relatives, friends, and caregivers. Private services are pending. Arrangements Provided By: Nuuanu Memorial Park & Mortuary LLC