ETHEL HANZAWA Obituary

ETHEL EIKO HANZAWA Ethel took her last breath and died peacefully at home, after a swift and debilitating illness, on January 30, 2026. She was just short of her 91st birthday. She came from a very large Motogawa family. Her parents and eight of her 9 siblings have preceded her in death. Father Fukumatsu Motogawa and mother Sueme (Toya). Brothers and sisters: Tamae, Norio (Lawrence), Miyeko (Constance Tasaka), Nobuko (Toya), Kimiko (Doris Yonemura), Wayne, Haruko (Amy Yokoyama), and Godwin. Her lone surviving brother is Minoru (Morris). She was born in Honolulu and lived her childhood in many places on Oahu. She graduated from Waipahu High School. In 1954 she married Shiro Sodetani, and bore two children. Years later they divorced. Then in 1984, she married Fred Gisuke Hanzawa, who she spent the remainder of his life with. She is survived by her son Sterling Sodetani, daughter Valerie Mar, grandson Aaron Mar and stepgranddaughter Tianna Barrett. She worked as a clerk in McInerny's, Woolworths and as a waitress at Liliha Bakery and Kenny's Coffee Shop. She was extremely family oriented. She took care of her father and mother and visited her brothers and sisters often, in the later years of their lives. She also catered to the extended family, almost every year cooking Thanksgiving and New Year's holiday fares. She organized many Motogawa family reunions, the most notable ones being at Kapiolani Park, Reno; Nevada, and Kumamoto; Japan. She loved to travel. She visited over half a dozen countries. She fulfilled part of her bucket list by visiting all 50 states. She also visited Japan over 50 times for religious pilgrimages and to visit family. She was an avid crafter. Making and selling many homemade intricate projects. Her forte was crocheting and sewing. She crocheted doilies of all sizes, blankets, tops to kitchen towels, and kitchen scubbies. She sewed quilts, pillows, aprons, lap blankets, and her two notable rugs. A double-knit rug and a circle rug, which she took great pride in. She was an active vendor at craft fairs, most notably the ones held at Blaisdell Convention Center, Hawaii Okinawa Center, Kaimuki High School, and Noelani Elementary School. She was deeply involved in her church. She joined Shinnyo-En, in 1974, soon after the temple opened in Hawaii. She participated and volunteered for many church sponsored events. She was one of the co-chairmen of one of the earlier Lantern Floating Ceremonies, when it was a small affair held at Keehi Lagoon. She moved up as a lay practitioner to obtain the priest level of Gon-Shosojo and attained the spiritual level of Reinosha. She led a fulfilling and exciting life. She will be greatly missed.