Viktor Merkulov, 62, of Keaau died May 17 at The Queens Medical Center in Honolulu. Born in Russia, he was a driver, stone mason and mechanic. Visitation 9:30-10, a.m. Saturday (May 27) at Ballard Family Mortuary Chapel. Service at 10 a.m. Burial 1 p.m. at Alae Cemetery. Survived by wife, Yelena Merkulov; sons, Vitaliy, Dmitriy, Igor, John, David and Joseph; daughters, Viktoriya, Olesya, Marina and Angelica; brother, Valeriy; sisters, Galina, Alina and Nina; five grandchildren; aunts, uncles and cousins. Arrangements by Ballard Family Mortuary.
Joel Kalani Ravey, 62, of Kunia, Oahu, formerly of Hilo, died Feb. 21 in Ewa Beach, Oahu. Born in Ewa, Oahu, he was a mechanic, worked for the Department of Transportation and was a U.S. Army veteran. Visitation 9-10 a.m. Sunday, May 28, at Dodo Mortuary Chapel, Memorial services/celebration of life at 10 a.m. Graveside service with miltary honors will be held noon Tuesday, May 30, at East Hawaii Veteran Cemetery No. 2 Pavilion. Urn burial to follow Survived by children, Eston Ravey, Joshua Ravey and Pomaika‘i Ravey of Hawaii; sisters, Beverly Gonsalves, Winona (Mike) Hooser, Annette (Giles) Nakamoto and Ipo (Poncho Sampedro) Carvalho; brother, Joe “Felix” Ravey; five grandchildren; cousins, nieces and nephews. Arrangements by Dodo Mortuary.
Norman Mitsuyuki Sakata, 96, of Holualoa died Feb. 14 at Kona Community Hospital. Born in Kealakekua, he was a retired investigator for the state Department of Regulatory Agencies, spokesman for the Kona coffee industry, Kona Coffee Cultural Festival, Lions Eye Bank of Hawaii, Lions Club of Kona, Red Cross and as a Scouts Explorer Advisor for the late astronaut Ellison Onizuka. For his volunteer services he was recognized as a Living Treasure of Hawaii, recipient of the Jefferson Award for Public Service and the Silver Beaver Award. He was a U.S. Army veteran and earned his GED high school equivalency diploma at age 30, and became a Christian later in life. Visitation 1-3 p.m. Saturday (May 27) at Kona Hongwanji Buddhist Temple, 81-6630 Mamalahoa Hwy., Kealakekua. Service at 3 p.m. Fellowship, food and music to follow. Masks equired inside the temple. Survived by, children, Clyde (Jocelyn) Sakata, Michelle Johnson, Janice (B.J. Nash) Sakata and Blaine (Laurie) Sakata; son-in-law, Gilmore Solomon; siblings, Nancy Fujimoto, Itsuo Sakata, Albert Sakata, Doris (Frank) Bauer, Kiyoko Nanni and Hiroki (Setsuko) Morinoue; nine grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren; cousins, nieces and nephews. Arrangements by Cremation Services of West Hawaii.