Rizza Lee Souther

Rizzalee Divina Souther, 32, of Ewa Beach, moved through this world like a rare kind of light-curious, instinctive, and impossibly loyal. She lived in many places, gathering pieces of the world as she went, but for the last thirteen years she rooted herself in Hawaii, where her life unfolded in love and courage.
Rizza had a way of learning from every person she met, as if everyone carried a story worth honoring. She lifted others with a strength that came from somewhere quiet and deep, even while fighting her own unseen storms. She protected people without needing to be asked. She cared without limit.
Years ago, she made a promise beside a hospital bed: to keep Brandi and her mother safe. It was a vow spoken softly but held fiercely. In her final moments, Rizza kept that promise with a bravery that defined her life. She left this world a hero, shaped by devotion and instinctive love.
She never needed grand moments to feel whole. Her happiness lived in the ordinary: being together, sharing space, feeling the steady warmth of family and their beloved animals. She is reunited now with their fur babies-Cheeto (13), Nala (12), Hapah (5), Chinchilla (5), and Jazzi Vinyl (2)-who passed the night before she did. They meet her in whatever comes next, the little souls she protected as fiercely as they protected her.
She is survived by her mother, Lita Wood; her father, Monty Wood; and her fiancée of eight years, Brandi Yoshida, who was her home, her partner, and her chosen future.
A private service will be held for immediate family and close friends. The ceremony will be streamed for virtual attendance so those who loved her from afar may join in honoring her life. Additional viewing information will be shared privately with invitees.