CLARA SAKAE FINN

CLARA SAKAE FINN Clara Sakae Fujioka came into this world on a Saturday. It was January 1, 1927. Clara passed from this world on a Thursday. It was October 9, 2025. She was 98 years old. Although born in Wahiawa, she grew up in Wailuku, Maui, having moved there in 1930 with her parents Minokichi and Kameno Fujioka. The eldest of 7 children (Robert Kazumi, Harry Wakatsu, James Tsuyoshi, Randolph Akira, Myrna Sanoe and Irving Tetsuro) necessitated her learning and mastering the domestic arts. She also worked at Ah Fook's Supermarket. After graduating from H.P. Baldwin High School in 1945, she worked at Maui Lani Hospital for a year. It provided the assurance to continue her path in Nursing and in 1946 she was able to enter Queen's Hospital Nursing Program. One summer she returned to Maui, having converted to Catholicism she was Baptized at St. Anthony Church on July 3, 1947. Upon graduation she planned to go to Cleveland Hospital in Ohio to further her career. Before she left, she met James Finn. The romance continued on the mainland culminating in their marriage on December 22, 1951. Jim was an air traffic controller in the Air Force, and with it came many transfers to different Air Force Bases. Her fortitude, belied by her skills, became evident as family relocations occurred, often once a year. You can only imagine how daunting a task this was; Just consider traveling with 7 children born over a period of 11 years. Jim retired from the military and the family relocated to Maui in 1970. Clara resumed her Nursing career at Maui Memorial Hospital, supervising the staff and periodically filling in for the Director of Nurses. A last relocation to Hilo came in 1972, where Jim, now a FAA air traffic controller, was stationed. Again, Clara went back to her career, this time at Hilo Hospital. Again, supervising and sometimes Acting Director of Nurses. She retired from Nursing in 1982. Keeping busy, she worked at a chiropractic clinic for Nick. She continued being a friend, wife, mother, grandmother, and by the 2000s, great-grandmother. Clara lived a long life with all the interesting moments, the ups and downs, joys and sorrows that make us human and beautiful. She continued her journey to meet up with Dad and Russell, as she wanted, "in her own home, in her own bed, in her sleep". She was predeceased by her husband James and son Russell. She is survived by children, Michael (Diane) of Maui, Lee (Gabriele) of Oahu, Pamela (Keith) of Hilo, Andrew (Nalani) of Kauai, Teresa (Lisa Huntsinger) Witten of Hilo, Patricia (Johnathon) Griffiths of Oahu; siblings, Harry (Nancy) Fujioka of Oahu, James Fujioka of Oahu, Myrna Nakamura of California, Irving Fujioka of Oahu, 19 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to superb homemaking skills, career as a Registered Nurse, loving wife of 53 years, nurturing mother raising 7 children and sometimes their children, and so many other attributes, and to anyone she met and knew, she was highly esteemed and thoroughly loved by all. A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Joseph Church in Hilo, 9:30am, Wednesday, November 12. The family requests no koden or monetary gifts, thank-you.