JOSHUA AGSALUD Obituary

JOSHUA C. AGSALUD AND FAYE L. AGSALUD

Two of this world's bright lights were extinguished when Faye and Josh Agsalud passed away within months of each other. Faye Kyung Soon Lee Agsalud passed away unexpectedly on July 22, 2022. She was born April 23, 1935, in Wahiawa, Hawaii, the youngest of six children of Whan Yil Lee and Frances Sup Sup Choi Lee. Faye was a graduate of Leilehua High School and the University of Hawaii, where she received her B.A. and teaching certificate. She was an elementary school teacher for 30 years, mostly in Hawaii, and for one year in Clausen, Michigan. Upon retirement, she traveled the world with Josh, visiting exotic locales in Europe, Asia and Africa. She also had a short stint as an "actress" in local commercials with Josh. Her most satisfying and successful endeavors, however, centered around raising her boys, Lee and John, and helping to raise her beloved grandson, Matthew. Right up until the day she went into the hospital, doing for her family was her highest priority, and she did it well. "Big Aunty," as she liked to be called, also saw herself as the matriarch of the extended Lee family, and was extremely fond of all her nephews and nieces, and their families.



Joshua Castro Agsalud died on March 20, 2023, a little over a week after his 90th birthday. Born March 12, 1933, in the Oahu Sugar Company hospital, to Basilio Fernandez Agsalud and Luciana Castro Agsalud, Josh was also the youngest child in a family with three girls, all of whom were raised in a plantation house in Waipahu. After graduating from Waipahu High School and receiving his B.A. from the University of Hawaii as a member of the ROTC, Josh, or "Joe" as he was known by family and friends in his younger days, enlisted in the United States Army and was sent to Germany during the Cold War. A true patriot, he was destined to become a soldier, as one of his earliest and influential experiences was having a front row seat for the bombing of Pearl Harbor when he was 8 years old. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant and later became a Captain in the U.S. Army Reserves. Military history was one of his big hobbies, and he imparted the same interest to his boys. Josh also dabbled in journalism, having been the editor of the UH newspaper, Ka Leo, and was a sportswriter for a time for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Education became his passion and career, however, starting as a teacher (where he met Faye) and transitioning into administration after earning an M.A. in Education from UH, becoming Vice Principal, and later Principal, of Farrington High School in the 1960s. He then served as Principal of Kaimuki High school until 1970, when he accepted a prestigious education fellowship and moved his family to Flint, Michigan. The family later moved to Detroit, where Josh received his D.Ed. from Wayne State University, becoming a huge Lions and Tigers fan along the way. Upon his return to Hawaii, Doctor Agsalud became principal of Kalani High School, and later, was a district superintendent for the Hawaii State DOE. It was at this point when Josh's career and life took a dramatic turn when he was asked to join the cabinet of newly-elected Governor George Ariyoshi as Director of the State Department of Labor, a position he held for all three terms of Governor Ariyoshi's reign as governor. He then served a short stint as Vice President of the University of Hawaii, until he was asked to join the cabinet of Governor John Waihe'e as Chief of Staff, where he stayed for both of Governor Waihe'e's terms. Josh finally retired in 1994, coincidentally, a few weeks before his grandson Matt was born. More than just doting and devoted grandparents, Matt became the center of Josh and Faye's world for many years.



Josh and Faye are survived by oldest son Lee, his wife Gladys and their son Matthew, and by son John and his wife Yiwen.

Private services for Faye were held last year. A memorial service for Josh will be held on

Sunday, June 4, 2023, starting at 10:00am at Borthwick Mortuary, followed by inurnment on Monday, June 5, at 9:30am at Punchbowl National Cemetery of the Pacific, where he will join Faye in perpetuity.