Welcome to our memorial page, a space dedicated to celebrating the lives of those who brought so much joy to our world. Though they are deeply missed, their legacy lives on. In their honor, we invite you to make a meaningful gift to Wounded Warrior Ohana and help us support our community’s heroes and their families.

In Loving Memory of Vernal Y. Kimoto

Vernal Yoshito Kimoto, passed away on February 16, 2026. Vern, as he was known by his family and friends, was a 1967 graduate of McKinley High School and attended Chaminade University. He worked at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard as a rigger, work leader and instructor. In 2017 after working 37 years there, he retired. He was always such an extremely proud veteran of the U.S. Army. He volunteered at the Institute of Human Services as a food prep and for ʻOlelo in the media department. He loved music and his great passion was playing his guitar. Vern was so committed that he taught himself to play, just by ear. Only much later did he take music lessons. At last count, he had 13 guitars. He was a member of a rock group called “Tapestry”, and they were a very popular band in the mid-70s. Another favorite pastime was bowling, and he belonged to a team. Wounded Warrior Ohana was Vern’s favorite charity so he has asked friends and family to donate to our organization. Mahalo for your service Vern.

Kailana was the beloved Border Collie that was part of the Rankin household for 14 years. As she grew older, her legs started to fail her and at the end was no longer able to walk. She passed over the Rainbow Bridge on February 14, 2026. She loved chasing fish at the beach, riding in boats, and spending time with her humans.