Kimiko Kanno Obituary

KIMIKO KANNO Kimiko Kanno passed away peacefully, surrounded by family on December 12, 2025 at The Queen's Medical Center. She was born in Hilo on July 18, 1935, to parents Teruo and Ayako (Kakugawa) Takahashi. After graduating from Hilo High School, she moved to Honolulu, where she met and married Toshio Kanno, an electrician. His Waipahu High yearbook lists his name as Sidney Kanno; he was affectionately known as Toshi or Sid by family and friends. She and Sid purchased their first home in Waipahu in 1960. She worked as a civilian employee of the U.S. Army at Tripler Army Medical Center, Schofield Barracks and Fort Shafter. In addition to working full time, she ran the household - managing the family finances, cooking and caring for her family. From humble beginnings, they valued hard work and focused on providing for their family. When she set her mind to something, nothing could stand in her way. In 1991, they moved to Mililani Mauka. After retiring, she helped care for her grandchildren and took great pride in reading to each of them, often saying she played a critical role in how smart and successful they became. A proud grandma, she attended more baseball and soccer games than could be counted. She was well known for her special culinary creations, including nishime, sushi, mac salad with crab and spring rolls with gochujang sauce. She and Sid enjoyed traveling to Japan, but her favorite destination was Las Vegas. She loved sharing stories about her children, grandchildren and great-granddaughter with anyone she met. She was preceded in death by her parents; her beloved husband of 49 years; and her sister, Dorothy Uyeno. She is survived by her sons, Newton and Brian (Lorrie), and daughter, Sharon (David Ellis); eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild; her brothers, James, Charles, Richard, and Herbert Takahashi; and her sister, Gertrude Takemoto. She lived to be 90 and dedicated her life to providing for her family. We are deeply grateful for all she did and for the joy she brought to everyone around her. She will be deeply missed. Private services were held.