EMMELINE BURNS Obituary

EMMELINE EMME TOMIMBANG BURNS Emmeline Tomimbang Burns, affectionately known as "Emme," age 73, died at The Queen's Medical Center in Honolulu on February 19, 2024. She was born on October 27, 1950, in Honolulu and is the widow of the late Intermediate Court of Appeals Chief Judge James S. Burns. A prominent figure in Hawaii's media landscape, dedicated community leader and champion in the Filipino community, Emme made significant contributions to broadcasting, entertainment, and the social fabric of the islands for almost 50 years. From hosting her own mid-1970s radio show on KISA radio as a teenager to reporting and anchoring for KITV and KHON as an adult, Emme left an indelible mark on local media, covering international events for NBC such as the Marcos Trial in New York and Hawaii's 9/11 survivors, firefighters, and heroes. Emme continued her journalistic and story-telling expertise by creating her own production company, Emme Tomimbang Multi-Media Enterprises (EMME Inc.), which produced "Emme's Island Moments" for 25+ years, featuring celebrity interviews and heartfelt experiences of international personalities and home- grown leaders. She was a powerhouse in establishing endowments and scholarships to support education at the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine, her alma mater Wallace R. Farrington High School, and through the Hawaii Community Foundation. In her final years of life, her beloved German shepherd Montana was frequently at her side as her service animal and companion. Emme is survived by brother Eutiquio "Tom" Tomimbang, Jr. (Theresa), half-sisters Carolyn Comeau (Gary) and Jocelyn Nelson (Tim), stepson Brendan Burns (Pat), and many nieces and nephews. Catholic mass will be held at noon Friday, April 26, at Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, 1184 Bishop St., Honolulu, with Visitation at 10:30 am. To view live stream of Service: https://honolulucathedral.org/live-stream/ https://www.facebook.com/HonoluluCathedralBasilica/ Inurnment follows at 2:00pm at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Punchbowl Crater, 2177 Puowaina Drive, Honolulu. A "Celebration of Life" will take place Saturday, April 27, at the Filipino Community Center, 94-428 Mokuola St., Waipahu, from 4:30-9:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers or tributes, Emme's family requests that donations be made to the scholarship programs she and her husband established. Checks can be made out to the Hawaii Community Foundation with memo "Emme Tomimbang Education Fund" or "Burns-Tomimbang Charitable Fund" and mailed to: 827 Fort Street Mall Honolulu, HI 96813-4317 Attn: Kevin Rapp Cards and condolences may also be sent to: John A. Burns School of Medicine Attn: Communications Department 651 Ilalo Street 223E Honolulu, HI, 96813