Charles "Chuck" Dale Ekimoto

Charles Dale Ekimoto was blessed with an abundance of leadership qualities. It would be accurate to say that he was an outstanding person and that his natural abilities served him well. He knew with certainty how he wanted to set priorities in all aspects of his life. He struck those who knew him as the kind of person who had a clear sense of exactly what he expected and how to set about accomplishing those goals.

       His parents, Richard and Edith Ekimoto raised Chuck in Minnesota and Hawaii. Even at a young age, Chuck was credited with having a positive influence on those around him.

      The positive atmosphere that Chuck generated spread to his family. Chuck was raised with three siblings. He had one older brother, Richard, and two younger sisters, Debbie and Gail. Chuck served as a motivator within the family.

       He showed a natural curiosity in the manner in which he tackled new types of problems and would regularly challenge his own reasoning ability in finding solutions. He graduated from Kailua High School in 1975.

      The work habits and approaches to studying that Chuck utilized in high school also served him well in college. Chuck always seemed on a quest for knowledge and was naturally curious about the world around him. He was able to organize, evaluate, and implement procedures to best suit any situation whether it was related to his profession or one of his many interests outside of work.

Chuck was intuitive and mentally alert, seemed to crave the challenge of solving complex problems. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology from University of Hawaii at Manoa in 1985.

      In a group of friends and acquaintances, Chuck was typically the first person to take the initiative to go up and greet someone new. That quality made him very approachable by others throughout his life. This same quality brought Chuck the reward of many friends. Maintaining loyalty to those friends was a trait that came naturally. He believed that he should treat others in a fair manner, in the same way he wanted to be treated. Chuck also showed a great deal of appreciation for the accomplishments of his friends. While growing up, some of his best friends were Michael Chong and Elton Katagihara. Later in life, he became friends with Michael Chock and Gilbert Santos.

       As in other aspects of his life, he had a clear vision of what he sought in a relationship. Life offered him the opportunity to find someone to be his soulmate. After several years of getting to know each other, on July 23,1988, Chuck exchanged wedding vows with Leila Okita at Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin of Honolulu, Hawaii.

      Family and children were important to Chuck. Chuck was blessed with one child, Cheryl Yamato and also blessed with two grandchildren, Evan and Colton. Time was spent enjoying dinners, karaoke, and other family outings.

      At work Chuck was viewed as a natural leader. Chuck was also adept at uncovering new and more efficient ways of getting things done. He was able to establish and meet objectives and schedules through long range planning and was always able to keep the big picture clearly in sight. Although Chuck might have been described by some as a perfectionist, he was without question a dedicated and diligent employee. He was an auto parts manager for 33 years at Servco Pacific Inc. and was well respected and loved by his co-workers and staff.

      Not only did Chuck find pleasure in pursuing his various hobbies. His skill at problem solving had a positive influence on these activities as well. His favorite pursuits were video games, working on cars, and karaoke/music in general.

      No matter what the activity was, Chuck had the ability to motivate others. This talent influenced his participation in sports, too. He sought out the possibilities in a competitive situation, and he stayed cool and calm under pressure. He relished the stimulation of the action and energy associated with sports. In high school, Chuck played basketball. In his college years, Chuck continued to stay active by running marathons, and recreational sports that included bowling and softball. He was also a sports fan and enjoyed following his favorite events like football, major league baseball, and Nascar / Indy car racing whenever he got the opportunity.

      Traveling, especially vacations, was another way for Chuck to unwind and enjoy life. He liked exploring new places and he was always game for a new adventure. Favorite vacations included Las Vegas, Los Angeles, an Alaskan Cruise, Neighbor Island Cruise, and the East Coast where he visited Debbie and Ramzi.

      Chuck was a lover of animals and cherished his many pets. Over the years, it started with Vulchy & Chubbs, Mele, Rainbow, Sky, and Sunshine, a lutino lovebird. He and Sunshine were best friends for 7 years.

      Chuck's retirement came in March 1, 2021. He found continued pleasure in competing arcade games with friends and fishing. He also enjoyed his favorite foods, like slush floats, moon pies, rainbow cake, Mei Sum, Koa's seafood omelette, and Tiano's prime rib.

       Services were held at Hawaiian Memorial Park. Chuck was laid to rest in Hawaiian Memorial Park.

      Charles Dale Ekimoto knew what he wanted from life and never hesitated in going after it. He could be characterized as a driven individual, someone who understood the importance of achievement and family life.

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Charles “Chuck” Dale Ekimoto

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of “Chuck” at his home in Ewa Beach on April 14, 2023.

Chuck was the branch manager for Servco Toyota for 33 years until his retirement in 2021. He always happily gave of his time and talent whenever anyone was in need. His love of music and outgoing personality created long-lasting friendships, especially as the MC of many joyous celebrations.

He is survived by his loving wife, Leila; daughter, Cheryl Yamato; grandsons, Evan and Colton; father, Richard K. Ekimoto (Flo); brother Richard S. Ekimoto (Lois); sisters, Debbie Tiell (Ramzi); and Gail Tachibana (Neal). He is preceded in death by his beloved mom, Edie Ekimoto.

Visitation: 4:30 p.m.; Celebration of Life: 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 25, 2023, at Hawaiian Memorial Park Cemetery.