Nicole Tanaka

Nicole is survived by her older sisters, Charis (Jesse) Wilson (née Tanaka) of Hilo and Georgette (Rali) Tanaka of Maui; her nieces, Tiffany (Herb) Wilson and Ciarra-Lynn Parinas, both of Hilo; her nephew Keoni Wilson of Maui; her grandniece, Ashley (Daniel) Ufford (née Laybon) of Arizona; her grandnephews, Elijah and Noah Laybon, both of Arizona; her aunts Daryl (Hank) Atay and Dawn Kaluakini, both of Maui; her uncle, Leo (Meryl) Kaluakini, Jr. of Maui; and numerous cousins. She is predeceased by her parents, George Masatoshi Tanaka and Leona Ryu Tanaka (née Kaluakini), as well as her brothers, Terrance, Michael, and Baby Tanaka.

Nicole was born on February 2, 1972, to George and Leona at Maui Memorial Medical Center. She was raised in Kahului, as well as Wailuku, where she graduated from H.P. Baldwin High School in 1990. For the past sixteen years, she was a dedicated sales associate with Minit Stop at the Kahului location.

Nicole was a cat enthusiast and artist. She was an independent woman, who enjoyed coloring and photography in her spare time, and she could often be found enjoying her favorite movies and shows in the comfort of her home. She will be deeply missed by her friends, family, and all who knew her.

A celebration of life service to honor Nicole will be held on Saturday, August 16, 2025 at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Wailuku. Family and friends visitation will begin at 9:30 A.M., and prayer services will begin at 10:30 A.M. Lunch will be served in the Parish Hall after the service. The scattering of Nicole’s ashes will be at Ma‘alaea Lighthouse at a later date, and family and friends can follow up with Charis for details.