William “Bill” Kaanohilani Makolo, passed away at Tacoma General on Sunday, Nov. 28, 2021 at the age of 73. He was born Jan. 13, 1948, to William and Sarah Makolo in Honolulu, Hawaii. Bill graduated from Roosevelt High School in Honolulu in 1966 and worked as a driver for Coca-Cola prior to moving to Aberdeen, Washington in 1972.
On May 24, 1975, Bill married LaDonna Camille in Cosmopolis and they later had a son they named William-Harry.
After arriving to the Mainland, Bill worked as a day laborer for Larry “Hoot” Pearson’s shake crew at the local Grays Harbor mills before driving bus for the Hoquiam School District (HSD) where the kids called him “Mr. Bill.” Bill later retired from the HSD Maintenance Department in June of 2011, after 37 years with the district.
Bill had a lifelong passion for playing pool and was nicknamed “Pineapple” shortly after arriving to the Mainland for being one of the only Hawaiians in the league at the time. He took a break from pool throughout the ’90s to spend most of his spare time practicing or coaching baseball with his son.
Bill was a self-sacrificing, loving and devoted husband, uncle, father, grandfather, brother, friend and mentor.
William is survived by his wife, LaDonna Camille Makolo of Cosmopolis; his son William-Harry Manaohana Makolo of Camp Pendleton, California; sister Ellen P. Scheuer of Olympia; and granddaughter Emily-Elizabeth Ilima Makolo of Covington, Washington. He is preceded in death by his parents, William Kekaha Makolo and Sarah Kahue (Kapahu) Makolo; brothers Daniel D. Nicholas, Joseph K. Nicholas and Lester N. Makolo; and sisters Mary Jane Majors, Libby Leimomi (Nicholas) Gattenby, Joyce Faith and Roberta Ilima (Makolo) Furtado.
Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 10 at the Harrison Family Mortuary in Aberdeen. A reception will follow at the Cosmopolis Lion’s Club at 3 p.m.
The family suggests a monetary donation, in lieu of flowers, to the family to help with funeral costs and aftercare for his wife be made to gofundme.com/f/bill-makolo.
Arrangements are by Harrison Family Mortuary in Aberdeen.
