“Remembering Wally” PART 1
A Letter To Blanca Soeda

I‌ ‌‌remember‌ ‌‌bein‌g‌ ‌‌in‌ ‌‌Wally‌'‌s‌ ‌‌class‌ ‌‌at‌ ‌‌Benjamin‌ ‌‌Parker‌ ‌Elementary‌ ‌‌School‌.‌ ‌‌When‌ ‌‌we‌ ‌‌were‌ ‌‌in‌ ‌‌the‌ ‌‌6th‌ ‌‌grade‌,‌ ‌‌we‌ ‌‌both‌ ‌served‌ ‌‌as‌ ‌‌JPO‌ ‌‌(‌Junior‌ ‌‌Police‌ ‌‌Officer‌)‌ ‌‌for‌ ‌‌the‌ ‌school‌.‌ ‌‌We‌ ‌ were‌ ‌‌both‌ ‌‌the‌ ‌shortest‌ ‌‌in‌ ‌‌the‌ ‌‌squad‌ ‌‌but‌ ‌‌we‌ ‌‌were‌ ‌‌chosen‌ ‌as‌ ‌‌sergeants‌ ‌‌of‌ ‌‌a‌ ‌‌platoon‌.‌ ‌‌We‌ ‌‌had‌ ‌‌to‌ ‌‌take‌ ‌‌care‌ ‌‌of‌ ‌‌two‌ ‌intersections‌,‌ ‌‌one‌ ‌‌at‌ ‌‌Kamehameha‌ ‌‌Highway ‌‌and‌ ‌‌William‌ ‌Henry‌ ‌‌Road‌ and‌ ‌‌the‌ ‌‌other‌ ‌‌at‌ ‌‌Kamehameha‌ ‌‌Highway ‌‌and‌ ‌‌Waikalua‌ Road.‌ ‌‌Our‌ ‌‌job ‌‌was‌ ‌‌to‌ ‌‌blow‌ ‌‌our‌ ‌‌whistles‌ ‌‌to‌ ‌‌get‌ ‌the‌ ‌‌JPO‌s‌ ‌with‌ ‌‌the‌ ‌‌stop‌ ‌‌signs‌ ‌‌to‌ ‌‌stop‌ ‌‌traffic‌ ‌‌and‌ ‌‌get‌ ‌‌the‌ ‌pedestrians‌ ‌‌across‌ ‌‌the‌ ‌‌intersection‌ ‌‌safely‌.‌ ‌‌I‌ ‌‌have‌ ‌good‌ ‌‌memories‌ ‌‌with‌ ‌‌Wally‌ ‌‌in‌ ‌‌those‌ ‌‌days‌.‌

In‌ ‌‌middle‌ ‌school‌ ‌‌(Castle‌ ‌‌High‌ ‌‌and‌ ‌‌Intermediate‌)‌ ‌‌we‌ ‌‌played‌ ‌baseball‌ ‌‌on‌ ‌‌the‌ ‌‌Kaneohe‌ ‌‌little‌ ‌‌league‌ ‌‌team‌.‌ ‌‌I‌ ‌‌remember‌ ‌‌Wally‌ ‌as‌ ‌‌being‌ ‌an‌ ‌‌all‌ ‌‌around‌ ‌‌good‌ ‌‌baseball‌ ‌‌player‌.‌ ‌‌We‌ ‌‌also‌ ‌‌rode‌ ‌our‌ ‌‌bicycles‌ ‌‌around‌ ‌‌town‌ ‌‌with‌ ‌‌friends‌ ‌‌from‌ ‌‌school‌.‌ ‌‌We‌ ‌would‌ ‌‌ride‌ ‌‌around‌ ‌‌the‌ ‌‌Soeda‌'‌s‌ ‌‌Gas‌ ‌‌Station‌,‌ ‌‌Dote‌'‌s‌ ‌‌Market‌ ‌across‌ ‌‌the‌ ‌‌street‌,‌ ‌‌eat‌ ‌‌saimin‌ ‌‌at‌ ‌‌Oshima‌'‌s‌ ‌‌saimin‌ ‌‌stand‌,‌ ‌‌which‌ ‌was‌ ‌‌between‌ ‌‌Time‌'‌s‌ ‌‌Super‌ ‌‌Market‌ ‌‌and‌ ‌‌Jack‌ ‌‌in‌ ‌‌the‌ ‌‌Box‌.‌ ‌One‌ ‌‌of‌ ‌‌the‌ ‌‌guys‌ ‌‌lived‌ ‌‌down‌ ‌‌William‌ ‌‌Henry‌ ‌Road ‌‌so‌ ‌‌we‌ ‌‌use‌ ‌to‌ ‌‌ride‌ ‌‌down‌ ‌‌to‌ ‌‌his‌ ‌‌house‌ ‌‌too‌.‌ ‌‌One‌ ‌day‌ ‌‌Wally‌ ‌‌rode‌ ‌‌onto‌ ‌this gravel driveway and took us to this shed with a tractor in it, and he said, “This is my grandma’s house.” That was Grandma Oda’s house on William Henry Road.


“Remembering Wally” PART 2

What is funny is in 1988, this property where the gravel driveway and shed was went on sale, and I bought this property. My family and I built our house on this lot and we still live here today. ‌‌Often‌ ‌‌when‌ ‌‌I‌'‌m‌ ‌‌on‌ ‌‌the‌ ‌‌driveway‌,‌ ‌‌I‌ ‌‌think‌ ‌‌of‌ ‌‌Wally‌ ‌‌taking‌ ‌‌us‌ ‌‌to‌ ‌Grandma‌ ‌‌Oda‌'‌s‌ ‌‌house‌.‌ ‌ ‌

In‌ ‌‌high‌ ‌‌school‌ ‌‌we‌ ‌‌were‌ ‌‌in‌ ‌‌the‌ ‌same‌ ‌‌club‌ ‌‌again‌ ‌‌(‌Chevaliers‌)‌,‌ ‌‌lots‌ ‌of‌ ‌‌fun‌ ‌‌times‌ ‌‌and‌ ‌‌memories‌ ‌‌going‌ ‌‌on‌ ‌‌club‌ ‌‌socials‌.‌ ‌‌After‌ ‌‌high‌ ‌‌school‌,‌ ‌‌I‌ ‌went‌ ‌‌to‌ ‌‌L‌os Angeles, ‌‌Calif‌.‌ ‌‌And‌ ‌attended‌ ‌‌El‌ ‌‌Camino‌ ‌‌Junior‌ ‌‌College‌.‌ ‌‌In‌ ‌1963‌ ‌‌or‌ ‌‌1964‌ ‌‌(‌not‌ ‌‌sure‌)‌ ‌‌Wally‌ ‌‌came‌ ‌‌up‌ ‌‌to‌ ‌‌L‌.‌A‌.‌ ‌‌and‌ ‌‌stayed‌ ‌‌with‌ ‌‌me‌ ‌for‌ ‌‌a‌ ‌‌few‌ ‌‌weeks‌,‌ ‌‌not‌ ‌‌sure‌ ‌‌what‌ ‌he‌ ‌‌wanted‌ ‌‌to‌ ‌‌do‌.‌ ‌‌He‌ ‌‌then‌ ‌‌decided‌ ‌‌to‌ ‌go‌ ‌‌to‌ ‌‌L‌.‌A‌.‌ ‌‌City‌ ‌‌College‌ ‌‌and‌ ‌‌moved‌ ‌‌up‌ ‌‌to‌ ‌‌the‌ ‌‌city‌ ‌‌with‌ ‌‌Jerome‌ ‌Nakamura‌.‌ ‌‌They‌ ‌‌rented‌ ‌‌a‌ ‌‌house‌ ‌‌with‌ ‌‌a‌ ‌‌bunch‌ ‌‌of‌ ‌‌other‌ ‌‌local‌ ‌students‌.‌ ‌‌After‌ ‌‌I‌ ‌‌got‌ ‌‌drafted‌ ‌‌into‌ ‌‌the‌ ‌‌Army‌,‌ ‌‌I‌ ‌‌lost‌ ‌‌track‌ ‌‌of‌ ‌Wally‌.‌ In‌ ‌‌the‌ ‌‌late‌ ‌‌70‌'s‌ ‌‌or‌ ‌‌early‌ ‌‌80‌'‌s‌ ‌‌he‌ ‌‌came‌ ‌‌home‌,‌ ‌‌and‌ ‌‌that‌'‌s‌ ‌‌when‌ ‌we‌ ‌‌met‌ ‌‌you,‌ ‌‌Blanca‌.‌ ‌‌We‌ ‌‌knew‌ ‌‌you‌ ‌made‌ ‌‌Wally‌ ‌‌a‌ ‌‌happy‌ ‌‌man‌,‌ ‌and‌ ‌‌when‌ ‌‌you‌ ‌‌gave‌ ‌‌him‌ ‌‌three‌ ‌‌son‌'‌s‌,‌ ‌‌you‌ ‌‌made‌ ‌‌him‌ ‌‌even‌ ‌happier‌.‌ ‌‌After‌ ‌‌you‌ ‌‌and‌ ‌‌Wally‌ ‌‌bought‌ ‌‌a new house‌,‌ ‌‌I‌ ‌‌remember‌ ‌‌Wally‌ ‌‌hired‌ ‌‌Jerome‌ ‌and‌ ‌‌me‌ ‌to‌ ‌‌build‌ ‌‌a‌ ‌‌roof‌ ‌‌over‌ ‌‌the‌ ‌‌open‌ ‌‌patio‌.‌ ‌‌It‌ ‌‌was‌ ‌‌great‌ ‌working‌ ‌‌for‌ ‌‌you‌ ‌‌and‌ ‌‌Wally‌ ‌‌and‌ ‌‌seei‌ng‌ ‌‌you‌ ‌‌guys‌ ‌‌every‌ ‌‌day‌ ‌‌for‌ ‌couple‌ ‌‌of‌ ‌‌months‌.‌ 


“Remembering Wally” PART 3

‌‌The‌ ‌‌day‌ ‌‌that‌ ‌‌Lois‌ ‌‌and‌ ‌‌I‌ ‌‌saw‌ ‌‌you‌ ‌‌and‌ ‌‌Wally‌ at the shopping mall‌,‌ ‌‌little‌ ‌‌did‌ ‌‌I‌ ‌‌know‌ ‌‌that‌ ‌‌our‌ ‌‌time‌ ‌‌was‌ ‌‌getting‌ ‌‌so‌ ‌short‌.‌ ‌‌I‌ ‌‌will‌ ‌‌always‌ ‌remember‌ ‌Wally‌ ‌‌as‌ ‌‌a‌ ‌‌great‌ ‌‌friend‌,‌ ‌‌one‌ ‌‌that‌ ‌was‌ ‌‌always‌ ‌‌fun‌ ‌‌to‌ ‌‌be‌ ‌‌around‌.‌ ‌‌Wa‌ll‌y‌ I ‌‌hope‌ ‌‌to‌ ‌‌be‌ ‌‌your‌ ‌‌friend‌ ‌‌again‌ ‌should‌ ‌‌we‌ ‌ever‌ ‌‌meet‌ ‌‌again‌.‌ ‌‌Blanca,‌ ‌‌take‌ ‌‌care‌ ‌‌and‌ ‌‌enjoy‌ ‌‌all‌ ‌‌your‌ ‌memories‌ ‌‌with‌ ‌‌Wally‌,‌ ‌‌and‌ ‌‌enjoy‌ ‌‌your‌ ‌‌sons‌ ‌‌and‌ ‌‌grand‌child. They‌ ‌‌are‌ ‌‌everything‌.‌
 ‌ ‌
Sincerely‌,‌ ‌ 
Mas‌ ‌ ‌

I had the pleasure of working with Mr. Soeda and his loving family a few years ago. It was always a good time and they were full of smiles. I remember the laugh he had when we started tossing a ball around and how it brought back memories as it had been years since the last time he’d throw a ball. He was always up for new challenges. I still have the bracelet his wife made me on one of our last visits. My heart goes out to the Soedas.

We loved your smile.
Whenever we went to Hawaii, they welcomed us with a smile and a hug. And you took me to various places. Not to mention shopping, Volleyball and Basketballgames at UH,Ukulele factories, Boat swims in Kaneohe Bay, Karaoke, and Christmas Honolulu City Lights etc...
We still have a lot of memories.
Thank you very much.
Forever my Hawaiian dad.
Please kindly watch over everyone.

Ate I send my deepest sympathy to the family.

Ate Blanca and me are both former Liberty 
house employees  and got to know each other in Instagram 3 years ago.  We both love Hoya and plants and  we became  like sisters. 
Throughout ,  we have chatted  about plants and Kuya Wally's  health struggles. We prayed and consoled each other. I finally  met Kuya last year and had a short meeting, but I can tell he was a great father and husband  due to how his loved  ones took care of him  with  lots of love . I treasured that day in my heart and mind. 

Kuya Wally rest in peace and watch  over Ate Blanca and your ohana. 

Maria, my heart is breaking for you. Wally seemed to be a kind and gentle man, someone you could share a wonderful life with, as you did. I remember him smiling and gracious whenever I visited your home and that’s how I will always think of him. May your memories of happy times with Wally and your family live in your heart always. You will miss him forever and I hope the day comes soon when your memories will bring more smiles than tears.

Our most sincere and profound condolences to our first cousin Blanca Musni Soeda and children Mark, Jason and Ryan for the untimely demise of our dear Wally Soeda.

He was truly an ideal husband to Blanca and a great father to his three (3) children.

The passing of Wally is a very sad situation. He was very much loved by the family, relatives and friends. He was a very nice and kind person... an in-law but regarded and considered  as a true member of the family.

We came to know him well during our vacations in  Hawaii many years ago. He was a great host  who brought us to different places in Hawaii with Blanca. He entertained us with very interesting stories about life in Hawaii. 

At night, he would open his videoke and  render beautiful English and Filipino songs with his velvet baritone voice.

He likewise took some vacations in Manila with his wife Blanca and stayed with us for few days in our home where we have known him  better with more time spent and fellowship together.

WE WILL DEFINITELY MISS YOU WALLY. 

May your soul rest in peace in heaven forever with the Lord, His angels and Saints..

We love you Wally,

EFREN & LITA GONO
Manila, Philippines



Uncle Wally as I would always tell my Auntie Blanca is my favorite uncle, he’s one of a kind, very nice person,  gentle, generous  and you will always see those smiles on his face. He never get tired of picking us up on the airport whenever we visit Honolulu , tour us around different islands and just kept on driving while telling funny stories. Never a dull moment with him and his whole family. 
Who could have thought that our last visit in 2016 would be our last meeting with him when at that time, he was still so energetic and in good health.

Will always treasure those memories and keep Uncle Wally in our hearts.

Till we meet again....
Mike and Beth Milligan






Kuya Wally was a man of few words, as my Ate Blanca would often tell me, but he certainly had a big and generous heart. My memories of Kuya Wally are all happy ones. Every time we visited Honolulu, he would welcome us into his beautiful home and treated us like family. What impressed me most about him was how he showed his love for Ate Blanca. I believe there was nothing humanly possible he wouldn’t do for her. He would often tell stories about suddenly stopping while driving with Ate Blanca whenever she sees and likes something along the road, like a nice-looking or uniquely-shaped rock, or a tree branch (no matter the size), and he would carry them to the car to bring home for the garden. No task was too big or too small, not when it comes to the love of his life.

I remember when I showed Ate Blanca the picture of a garden in a local resort we went to, she loved the leaf-designed pathway so much, she and Kuya Wally made it their next garden project. During our next visit, we saw the beautiful final result of their joint effort. Kuya Wally said to me jokingly “Nancy! Do you know how much trouble you put me through???”.  He said they spent a lot of time searching for large leaves to be used as molds needed to create the pathway, not to mention the tremendous work that went into it. It was all worth it because the pathway turned out really nice and artistic, a true work of love. It dressed up the garden perfectly!

We are honored and blessed to have known you, Kuya Wally. You are a blessing in our life.


When I think of Wally, I remember his great smile and warm personality, his dependability, loyalty and desire to do a good job.  He was a hard worker, respected and well-liked by his co-workers and business acquaintances.  Wally was our “go to“guy who always knew where to find information or the circumstances on issues being worked on.  He also had a knack for great storytelling whenever he returned from vacations.   We all looked forward to hearing of his humorous vacation experiences with Maria at our office meetings every time he returned from a vacation.  We are deeply saddened by Wally’s passing.  Our sincerest condolences to Maria and the Soeda family. 
 
Steve and Kyle Tajima             


Jorge and me send our deepest sympathy to the family.
Blanca and me are plant lovers and our relationship began in IG. We became very close. Four years ago with Jorge visited Hawaii and met the lovely  Soeda family. We always appreciate Wally for his warm welcome and kindness. We treasured that day in our memory.  Blanca told us about Wally's life and work. He was a devoted husband and father.  We'll remember him in our prayers. 
Dear Wally rest in peace.

Of course my favorite memory was walking into the room, and him smiling.  Man of great faith, I was blessed to know him, and will always be thankful for his family that cared so deeply for him.  Blessings all!  Fr. Patrick Fanning, ss.cc.

     Wally to us was like a river that gave life.  Its water  crystal clear, pure and pleasing to the eyes; flowing gently giving sweet melodic sound to the ears.  To us, he will be remembered like a gentle river that never runs dry, flowing continuously until it ends in the portals of God.
           Wally, rest in peace  

                                  Kuya Filo,Ate Norma and family
                                  The Arevalos

I'm really sad to lose you.  You have been my great Hawaii Dad for many years. It was my one and only treasure. I will never forget the lots of love and kindness from you.

I remember working with Wally who had always had a sense of humor. He told jokes, kept a smile, and was always even tempered. Wally, Dean, and myself would always alternate giving introductions at our dinner meetings. He also talked with my husband and I about when he served in Thailand. Will miss him and I give my deepest condolences to his family.

In all the years of working with Wally, I never heard him complain nor "get bent out of shape", like most of us do when confronted with challenges. Wally always kept his cool, steadied the turbulent waters, calmly did his work. This does not mean Wally was passive; in fact, he always fought for what was right for our company. And he was a finisher. Always finished what he started. We were so fortunate to have Wally. I have great feelings of gratitude for Wally. I am saddened by his passing and wish to express my deepest sympathy to his family.

My sincere condolences to the Soeda family.
I was honored to have the chance to work closely with Wally as I was selected to step into his shoes at ABC Stores when he was to retire.  He left a very strong impression that will be with me forever as a very kind, knowledgeable, super funny sense of humor and cared very much for his family.  Wally will be dearly missed by everybody.

OBITUARY

Wallace E. Soeda

October 2, 1944 – July 31, 2020

Hawaiian Memorial Park Cemetery & Funeral Services

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