MARY DELORES POKIPALA

Born Mary Delores Hurst, Kanima Haskell County, Oklahoma, to the proud parents of Clarence "Doc" and Gracie "Della" Hurst. Mary was called home on October 19, 2017 upon arrival at the Friendship Village, Hospice in Tempe, Arizona. Mary’s first, marriage to, Marvin Shapiro produced a daughter Sheila Kay Shapiro and son Lawrence Noelan Shapiro. Having lived many years in Phoenix, AZ. Mary’s interest for higher education was sparked after graduating from Phoenix Junior College in AZ. In 1974 she earned her BA in Education at Arizona State University. After moving to Oahu, Hawaii, Dee as she liked to be known went on to complete the Supervisory Management One Course for the Department of Personnel Service for the State of Hawaii. She later met and married her Second husband Charles Vernon Pokipala, a musician and vocal singer for the Royal Hawaiian Band for the State of Hawaii. Dee went on to complete the Basic Correctional Technique for the Department of Correction and worked at the Hawaii Youth Correction Facility for girls, and was elected as a Union Steward. In 1982 Dee went on to earn a degree in Small Business Management, and her Real Estate license from the University of Hawaii. In 1985 Dee enrolled in Practical Nurse Perspective on Development of Nursing at University of Hawaii Kapiolani Community College. After receiving her Certificate as a Personal Care Attendant, Dee was awarded a Tuition Waiver Award for Achieving Exceptionally High-Grade Point Average. The Award letter read, "This Tuition Waiver is Noteworthy in that it takes a special Intelligence and Unique person to achieve this Award." Following the death of her second husband, Dee retired from the State of Hawaii. In 1987 Dee went on to earn her Master’s in Science with a Major in Counseling, and in the same year Dee was inducted into the "BOOK of WHO’S WHO." In 1990 Dee Presented a Dissertation that Fulfilled the Requirement for Doctor of Philosophy Degree, with a Major in Counseling, from Pacific Western University. Dee moved back to Phoenix Arizona in July 1992. In 1994 Dee worked for the Department of Economic Security (DES) in Phoenix, AZ. until her retirement in 2004. Dee was an avid reader and on occasion would finish a novel in a day or two. As the years went by she was slowly consumed with medical issues and would replace her passion for reading with watching television. Dee is survived by her loving companion of thirty years, and husband of twelve years, Virgil Kaipo Wright. Besides her daughter and son, a daughter in-law Wanda Shapiro, and son in-law James Edgar Wright Jr. A grand child, and several great grand children. Her final wishes Is the scattering of her ashes off the Island of Oahu, Hawaii.