HAZEL OGAWA-LERMAN Obituary

DR. HAZEL K. OGAWA-LERMAN Dr. Hazel Keiko Ogawa-Lerman, 85, naturopathic physician, passed away December 6, 2023, at Hale Pulama Mau (House of Enduring Care) at Kuakini Medical Center, Honolulu, after a prolonged illness following a Covid vaccine. She also received care from Island Hospice. She had a private practice at 1150 S. King St., Honolulu, for 30 years, retiring in 2019. She was born at Port Allen, Kauai, in 1937, to William Juzo Ogawa and Florence Umeko Ogawa, the third of four children, including sister Frances and brothers Earl and Glenn, all baptized at St. John Episcopal Church, Ele'ele. Hazel attended Ele'ele Elementary, Holy Cross in Kalaheo, and St. Andrew's Priory in Honolulu. She earned a BSN (nursing) at Idaho State and was head operating room nurse at St. Luke's Hospital, San Francisco. She married Paul Lerman in 1973 and moved to Portland, Ore., where she joined the operating room staff at Emanuel Hospital. She began a second careerin natural foods managing two stores in Portland. She sought a masters in nutrition counseling, for which she enrolled at Bastyr University in Seattle. She soon entered its naturopathic medicine program, graduating with honors as a doctor in 1989 at age 51 and launched her third career, as a physician, in Honolulu. Dr. Ogawa-Lerman was a member of Koboji Shingon Buddhist Temple and attended services at Cathedral of St. Andrew. She was a longtime season ticket holder of UH Wahine and Warrior volleyball teams. She also held season tickets at Diamond Head Theater and was a sustaining member of Hawaii Public Radio and PBS Hawaii. She championed the daily press as a longtime subscriber to the Star-Bulletin and Star-Advertiser. Equally long-term: she and Paul lived in a cottage on Alewa Drive for 30 years and drove the same Honda Civic for 30 years. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in October. Upon retirement at 80, she and Paul joined the Willed Body Program of UH Medical School to support the its instruction and research. Her life will be celebrated at the annual commemoration of donors to Willed Body, and her ashes will eventually be interred at the columbarium of the Cathedral of St. Andrew with a plaque honoring her. She is survived by brother Glenn Ogawa of Kalaheo and husband Paul Lerman of Honolulu.