Ernest Ho-A

Ernest "Ernie/Junior" Ho-a, Jr. 1936-2012
76 of Denver, passed away on Friday, February 03, 2012. He is survived by his wife, Juanita A. Ho-a. His two daughters: Kahualani
"Lani" (Scott) Hayden and Carla Lei (Tim) Johnson. His grandson: Keoni Kai Ho-a Johnson. He is also survived by numerous step-children, step-grandchildren, other extended family and friends, both here in Colorado and in Hawai'i. Memorial donations may be made to: Ke Ali'i Pauahi Foundation, either online at-www.pauahi.org/giving/ or 567 S. King Street, Suite 160 Honolulu, HI 96813 or (808) 534-3966.

Ernest Ho-a Jr. was born on February 3, 1936 in Kukuihaele, Hawai'i to Ernest Ho-a Sr. and Julia Toko Ho-a. He was raised by his auntie Rose and his hanai family. He attended Kamehameha School where, by all accounts, he was a rascal and a flirt. This is also where he met and became the "number one son" to Luryier "Pop" Diamond, and first fell in love with capturing the beauty of life (and a few wahines too) through a camera lens. After graduating in 1954, Ernie moved to the mainland and enrolled at the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York, where he showed all those haoles how to wear slippers in the snow. After graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and ended up, of all places, in Amarillo, Texas where he met and married his first wife, Helen. They were married for 28 years and had two daughters, Lani and Carla Lei that they raised in Denver, Colorado and Kekaha, Kaua'i, Hawai'i. In 1988, Ernie met a really maikai wahine, Juanita, while working at the U.S. Mint and made her his wife. They spent the last 23 years, like two peas in a pod, laughing, loving and having a good time together.

To Ernie, everyone was a friend just waiting to be made. Somewhere, he is telling someone a joke, asking for Kona coffee and custard pie, saying "don't worry, just hang loose", and trying to pinch the ladies' okoles. We miss you, Daddy, but we know that wherever you are, you are happy and home.