Gwen Lehua Hintze

1942 - 2016

NEWPORT NEWS - Gwen Lehua (McGill) Hintze, 73, a 28-year resident of Newport News, VA departed this life on Feb. 13, 2016 due to an oncology related illness. She died peacefully, at home, surrounded by her loving family. Lehua was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, June 9, 1942 to Mew Lan (Ho) McGill, and Otis Raymond McGill. She was the eldest of seven children. She is survived by her husband, Ronald M. Hintze of Newport News; sisters Charleen Stevens and Jacqueline Chittenden; and brother Howard Wond, all of Honolulu. Lehua was predeceased by her parents, "Pop", Milnor C. Wond, brothers Raymond K. McGill, William K. McGill, Gerald K. Wond, step-daughter Heidi Noel Hintze and grand-daughter/namesake Lauren Lehua Saludares. Surviving children include Kalei O'Sullivan and spouse Rick, of Waldorf MD; Kapua Smith and spouse Steve of Ft Worth, TX; Kealii Hintze, of Newport News, VA; Heather L. Hintze and spouse Leslie Jiron of Albuquerque, N.M. She leaves behind grandchildren, Selina Noelani Delgado, Ryan Ikaika Saludares both of Las Vegas, NV; Nicole Kalehua O'Sullivan of Waldorf, MD; Tristan, Benjamin and Emma Jiron of Albuquerque, N.M.; and Ethan K. Smith of Ft. Worth, TX. Also, three great-grandchildren; Kalia, Kekoa and Kamakana of Las Vegas, NV. Lehua married USAF Capt. Ronald M. Hintze in Goldsboro, N.C, January 1973. They then embarked on a two-decade long adventure of military assignments that took them to Phoenix, AZ; Alberta, Canada; Honolulu, HI; and Las Vegas, NV., with side trips to the Philippines, Hong Kong, and Seoul, Korea. A contributor to every community she became a part of, she was at times a radio disk jockey; a reader to the blind; a soccer-team coach, and a friend to all. Lehua was fiercely proud of her Hawaiian heritage, and made it her avocation to research and record the family's genealogy. Over the years, through extensive research, she reconstructed her Hawaiian-Chinese-Irish ancestry through thirty-three generations, commencing in 926 A.D., in China's Fukien province. She was accomplished in the traditional art of hula; a premier chef of oriental cuisine, and a versatile seamstress - legacies which she passed down to her daughters. Following cremation, there will be a memorial service to celebrate Lehua's life at the Peninsula Funeral Home, 11144 Warwick Blvd., Feb 20, 2016 at 4:00 P.M. The service will be live-web broadcast at http://peninsulafuneralhome.com/video/. Interment will take place at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, at a later date.