Leinaʻala "Sweetheart" Akiu Cockett Kihm

Leina'ala graduated from Maui High School in 1948 and attended BYU in Provo, Utah. While in high school she was a song leader and May Day Queen, and stayed active in organizing class reunions on Maui, as well as Las Vegas.

After marrying her high school heartthrob Gordon Cockett in December 1949 in Omaha, Nebraska, she started working for the County of Maui as one of two secretaries for the then Board of Supervisors, under Mayor Eddie Tam.

Lei and Gordon had four children: Williet, Craig, Sheridan, and John Cockett. She had 11 grandchildren in total: Nicole, Mahie, and Christian Johnson; Craig, Terry, Rudy, and Meagan Cockett; Christina, Kanoe, John, and Kauilei Cockett. And there are 32 greats!

Decades of volunteer services were dedicated to the Maui County Fair, MEO, the MACC, Arbor Association, just to name a few.Second marriage to another St. Anthony graduate, Frank Kihm, in 1983. They lived in the LA and Bay areas for several years before returning to her beloved Maui, to focus on her grands and greats!!

Established as "Tutu" 1971, and kupunawahine nui in 2000.

Her favorite vacations were a car road trip with Frank Kihm coast to coast on the continent and as a tag-along chaperone with Paul Keator and the Wailuku Bruisers soccer team, with grandson Christian Johnson, through Europe in 1989, as well as spending Veterans Day weekend with the family at Maui Banyan for many years.

She had an incredible memory for names and birthdates, remembering birthdays of family, friends, coworkers and their kids and mo'opuna AND all their friends!Lei was all about fun, laughter, and togetherness, be it with family and friends or work and volunteer environments. She usually left places better than when she arrived, and she led by example. She welcomed and accepted everyone.

Remembrance will be at Norman's Mortuary at 105 Waiale Road on Saturday, February 15th, visitation 10 a.m., service at noon, with burial in Maui Memorial Park at 2 p.m.