John Joseph Bissen Jr.

November 24, 1928 - October 4, 2017

Mr. John Joseph Bissen Jr., 88, of Kahului, Maui, passed away peacefully on October 4, 2017, surrounded by his loving family in Las Vegas, Nevada. Services honoring Mr. Bissen will be held at St. Anthony Catholic Church on Friday, October 27, 2017. Visitation will begin at 9:30am, with Mass beginning at 11:00am. Mr. Bissen will be laid to eternal rest at Maui Memorial Park at 12:30pm. “John Bull” was born on November 24, 1928, to John & Julia (Pa’ahana’ole Ahulau) Bissen Sr. After graduating from St. Anthony High School (Maui) in 1947, John enlisted into the U.S. Army service. He was trained as Finance Specialist and was assigned to Nuremburg, Germany serving over 2 years abroad. On his return in 1952, he worked for Young Brothers (Maui). In 1954, John married his love from Kahului, Helen F. Apo, and together they raised four children. Promoted in 1961 to supervisor for Dillingham Maritime the family moved to Honolulu. In 1968, he received another promotion as superintendent to the Port of Long Beach, California. John retired in 1998, having served 10 years with Matson. For nearly 30 years, John was an active Hawaiian Civic Club member on the Mainland. He served as President of Ainahau o Kaleponi HCC and was a member of Ahahui o Liliu’okalani HCC, Southern Nevada HCC, and Las Vegas HCC. He received numerous awards for his dedication and service to the clubs and Hawaiian community. John is survived by his beloved wife of 63 years, Helen Frances (Apo) Bissen; children, Tieri Pa’ahana Leilani Bissen, Roxane Kaleiohu (Bissen) and her husband Bruce Whitney, Henry Buddy Bissen and Johnen Healani (Bissen) and her husband Mark Akiona; grandchildren, Sean Joseph Whitney, Leah Roxane Whitney, Helen Tieri Whitney, Paulina Ululani Akiona and Kristina Leikukuiokalani Akiona; and great grandchildren, Madison Whitney Ruvalcaba, Joanne and Casey Rodriguez.