Alexander Pagan

On the cool and calm afternoon of Friday, May 6, 2016, the beloved patriarch of our family passed peacefully in his sleep at his home in Kaneohe. Alexander Pagan Sr., known as Papa, Uncle, and Compai to family and as Chico or Al to his friends, had his loved ones around him as he reunited with his wife, Irene Renee Navas Pagan.

Alexander Crusito Pagan was born on May 3, 1923 to Mateo and Dulce Pagan, the third of five children. He and his siblings, Roland, Fanny, Albert, and Armenia, grew up in Kaimuki on 10th Avenue. The love within the family extended to others and the siblings were blessed with a hanai sister, Rose. Together, the siblings learned the value of family and the unconditional love that comes with it. Al also spent part of his youth with uncles, aunties, and cousins in Kauai and they remained close throughout his life.

While a young man, his father became disabled and Al left his carefree youth behind to help support the family. He met and married Irene Renee Navas and they spent the early years of their marriage in Kaimuki and Kalihi while having five children of their own – Rose, Trudy, Betty, Irene, and Alex Jr. In 1954, the family moved to Kaneohe where the family home remains to this day.

Al worked as a machinist at Shop 38 in Pearl Harbor’s Shipyard where, after progressing through various positions, he retired in 1975. He made lifelong friends there and each had their own story or two about Chico’s skills, innovative thinking, and their respect for his leadership. Chico also enjoyed being a member of the Damien Eagles baseball team and the Rainbow Golf Club.

Family members would get together at the Pagan home for parties and sometimes, just because. Good food, good talk, good music – these were the hallmarks of the gatherings. The value of family and unconditional love that Al learned while growing up, he and Renee passed on to their children.

Al and Renee’s children all married and most of them moved to California. Al and Renee enjoyed visiting their children and grandchildren in California and enjoyed it even more when the families came to Hawaii. Of course, the families would stay at Al and Renee’s house – they would have it no other way. In addition to family visits to California, Al and Renee traveled to Puerto Rico, Europe, Mexico, and various points across the US mainland. They also went on several cruises with family and friends and cherished every moment.

A few years after Renee passed in 2000, Al met Eva Valentine. Together, they created new memories and traveled to places such as Niagara Falls, Disney World to celebrate his 85th birthday, the Everglades, the Panama Canal, and other places across the mainland.

Earlier this year, as Al’s health started to decline, his daughters came to the family home in Kaneohe to help take care of him. Prior to their arrival, Al had been in the primary care of his grandson, Tim, with support from Alex Jr. The past few months have been a joy for Al as he had his family around him. In addition to his children, his cousins from Kauai, his brother, Albert, along with his family, his brother-in-law, Richard, and Al’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren all spent time with him, talking story and enjoying his humor.

The family feels truly blessed that Al proved his doctor and nurses wrong by staying around to celebrate his 93rd birthday with all of his family. We have the deepest gratitude for the care given to Papa by his doctor, Dr. Melvin Chang, and Liz and Kaui from the Hawaiian Island Hospice.

Al leaves a large and loving family…Brother Albert (Barbara) Pagan of Pearl City, Hawaii, Sister Armenia (Bill) Broff-Gifford of Fremont, California, Brother-in-law Richard (Nancy) Navas of Honolulu, Hawaii, Daughters Rose (Jim) Bradley of Mountain View, California, Trudy Monte of Fremont, California, Betty (Glenn) Masuno of Fremont, California, Son-in-law Henry Medeiros of Brentwood, California, and Son Alexander (Marshelle) Pagan Jr. of Kaneohe, Hawaii.

14 Grandchildren: Phillip (Michelle) Bradley, Debbie (Nate) Allred, John (Kristan) Monte Jr., Thomas Monte, Jason Monte, Tim Pagan, Robin Gibson, Troy (Laurie) Sterling, Jessica (Chuck) Dyer, Kym Galvan, Lynden Medeiros, Chris (Julie) Pinick, Samantha Pagan, and Nicole Pagan.

25 Great Grandchildren: Christopher, Spencer, Carson, and Sydney Renee Bradley, Alex Bradley, Braden, Katelyn, Carter, and Hyrum Allred, Jerrick Monte, Zachariah, Jocelyn, Cassandra, and Alexandra Monte, Grey Pagan Ihu, Maya Pagan, Joshua Gibson, Carlene and Austin Dyer, Ashley, Seryna, and Hailey Galvan, Justin Medeiros, Taylor and Alika Pinick.

3 Great-Great Grandchildren: Melody, Caiden, and Delilah Monte.

He joins his wife, Irene Renee Navas Pagan, Daughter Irene Medeiros, Grandson Douglas Bradley, Brother Roland Pagan, Sister Fanny Carvalho, and Sister Rosalind Morales, and Son-in-law John Monte Sr.

The celebration of Al’s life will be held on Wednesday, May 18, 2016 from 5:30PM to 8:00PM at Borthwick Mortuary at 1330 Maunakea Street in Honolulu. He will be laid to rest next to his wife Renee at Hawaiian Memorial Park Cemetery on Thursday, May 19th at 10:00AM.