Posted on 09/26/2018
EnSue Kapaakea Pung Puaa passed away on August 28, 2018 in Mount Vernon, WA at the age of 79.
He was born and raised on Oahu, Hawaii where his father, Paul Puaa, served as a detective with the Honolulu Police Department and his mother, Bella Pung Puaa, served as Post Master for Pearl City. EnSue graduated with distinction from Kamehameha School and went on to receive a Bachelor of Science in Naval Engineering at the US Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD in 1960.
He served in Vietnam as a Captain in the Marine Corps before moving to Washington State and working as an engineer at Boeing. He eventually left Boeing taking on various jobs that afforded him time to teach Tai Chi in the Seattle area. EnSue relocated to Mount Vernon after a serious heart attack and was cared for by his longtime friend, Barbara Paul Mayer. He resided at Creekside Senior Community Center in Burlington and was a regular at the Mount Vernon Senior Center. His interest in healing techniques and spirituality and his intelligence and knowledge of the natural world made him a charismatic figure wherever he went. He will be sorely missed by his family and friends.
EnSue is survived by his sister, Paulette Moore; his children, Linnea Thomas and K.C. Puaa; his grandchildren, Emma Puaa, Camille Puaa, Ian Laursen and Inna Mayer; as well as numerous cousins and other relatives.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, October 7, 2018 at 1:00 pm at the Mount Vernon Senior Center.
You may share your memories of EnSue, and sign his online guest register at www.kernfuneralhome.com
Arrangements were under the care of Kern Funeral Home.
Published in Skagit Valley Herald on Sept. 26, 2018