ALEXANDER TATSUO SUENAGA, DDS

The Man, the Myth, the Legend.

Dr. Alex "Doc" Suenaga, 89 of Honolulu, HI passed away peacefully with his family by his side on March 29, 2018. He was a WWII Army Air Corps veteran who served as an MP in Occupied Japan. He was a licensed dentist for the State of Hawaii and in private practice for 60 years. Doc was a proud supporter of his alma mater Farrington High School where he was a cheerleader and member of the glee club, theater guild and marching band. His classmates fondly remember him as "Alika". This humble farm boy from Kalihi attended Fort Hays College where he was a collegiate cheerleader and graduated from the University of Missouri, Kansas City with a B.S. in Chemistry and Biology and a Doctor of Dental Surgery. He accomplished obtaining a pilot’s license while in college and worked as a switchman for the Wabash Railway to support his college education. He was an avid golfer with Pacific Dental Golf and cultivated many friendships on the course mentoring a variety of golf newbies. He was a life member of the American Dental Association, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of America and the Navy League. He was also a regular fixture at Waialae Country Club’s Sony Open volunteering at the coffee tent for 22 years. He was a sansei descendant of the ikkaisen (first ship) of Kanyaku Imin to Hawaii. At 39, Doc was also a candidate for the Hawaii 16th District State House and later ran for the 1978 Constitutional Convention. As a lifetime member of the Vintage Motor Car Club of America, he had owned no fewer than 40 automobiles throughout his life. Alex loved to travel, especially to Las Vegas, often leading the group and played in various golf tournaments throughout the year. He also enjoyed sailing, merrymaking and instigating all kinds of fun trouble.

He is survived by wife Kay Mattos, son Patrick (Kimberly), daughters Suzanne, Mary, Catherine Suenaga and Anne (Allister) Fraser, 7 granddaughters and 16 great grandchildren, brother Franklin (Carol), sisters Doris Tomita and Audrey (Roy) Kagawa. He was the 3rd child of 7 children. He was preceded in death by sons Michael and David and daughter Jeanne (William) Torricer.

Celebration of Life will be held on May 11, Friday at Hosoi Mortuary. Visitation at 9am. Services at 10am. Punchbowl service at 2pm. Aloha attire. No flowers. Donations to be made to the Farrington Alumni & Community Foundation (FACF), PO Box 4261, Honolulu HI 96812, or the Haw Tung and Gilberte Wong Scholarship (UKMC) 650 East 25th St, Kansas City, MO 64108-2784 ATTN: Hillary Rm 411.

Arrangements Provided By: Hosoi Garden Mortuary