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November 13, 1951 – October 1, 2024 Cyril Kaoru Goshima, 72, of Honolulu Hawai’i, passed away on October 1, 2024. He was born in Honolulu to Nisei parents, father Robert Yutaka Goshima (family from Sendai, Japan) and Grace Momoyo Tanaka (family from Hiroshima, Japan). He grew up with sisters Elaine and Doreen mostly in the Palolo Valley and Manoa areas on Oahu, Hawai’i. His parents believed in and provided for a good education through the Catholic religious schools system: Saint Patrick (K-1) and Mary Knoll (2-12). After graduation from high school, he attended the University of Washington in Seattle receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology in 1973. He was then accepted in to the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawai’i in Honolulu and received his MD degree in 1977. He completed his internship in medicine at the United States Public Health Service Hospital in Staten Island, New York in 1978. He interrupted his training to work as a health practitioner at the Navajo Area Indian Health Service at Chinle Health Center in Arizona from 1978 to 1980. He finished his training in Internal Medicine in Hawai’i from 1980 to 1982. He was in private practice in Kaimuki from 1982 until his retirement in 2021. He was delighted that he could see his family home in Palolo Valley from his office every day. In addition to his private practice, Cyril was appointed by Governor John Waihe’e to serve on the Governor’s Committee on AIDS in 1987. The committee was tasked with establishing guidelines and support systems regarding prevention and education strategies during the AIDS crisis. Cyril was also the Executive Director for the AIDS Education and Training Center of the University of Hawai’i. The center was supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration. The focus of the center was to provide training and support to physicians and nurses in the Pacific Rim countries regarding best practices in treating and caring for patients living with HIV/AIDS. The training center later became the Pacific AIDS Education and Training Center – Hawai’i and U.S. Affiliated Pacific Island. In 2006 the Hawai’i State Department of Health awarded Cyril with the Suzanne Richmond-Crum Award which recognized his outstanding contributions to HIV/AIDS Services. In 2020 the Hawai’i Health and Harm Reduction Center honored Cyril and listed him as part of their “29 Champions”. Then in 2022 he was awarded the “Kahu Malama” award from Gregory House for his early work in treating HIV/AIDS patients when other doctors were reluctant to do so. He met the love of his life, Barry John Baker from Tasmania, Australia, in Honolulu in August 1980. Over the years they traveled the world together and especially loved visiting Europe and Japan. They were both delighted to be able to marry in February 2014. Cyril believed that who he was and who he became was because of his upbringing that emphasized education, faith, curiosity, love of the natural world, and sharing of time-talent-treasure with his friends and fellow humans. He deeply valued his friends and worked hard to make and keep them. He was dedicated to the care of persons who had HIV/AIDS and felt it was a privilege to help and serve them. This work he believed allowed him to grow personally, spiritually, and in every way. He is survived by his spouse, Barry John Baker, his elder sister Elaine Mizobe, his niece Mindy Mizobe and her companion Lloyd Grieger. He was predeceased by his parents Robert and Grace Goshima and his younger sister Doreen Goshima. A memorial mass will be held on Friday, November 1, 2024 at the Newman Center/Holy Spirit Parish adjacent the University of Hawai’i at Manoa campus. Visitation: 5:00 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.; Services: 5:45 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
“Now cracks a noble heart. Good night sweet prince: And flights |
