Edwin K. Muroki Jr.'s Obituary
Edwin Kiyoto Muroki Jr, 88, of Kahului, passed away on Nov 20, 2023.
Edwin, or “Ed” as he was known to his friends and "Kiyoto" to his family, relished a life of precision, efficiency, early arrivals, and early exits; That is, until he was talking story. He could talk story with the best of them.
Edwin was born the first son of the first son, into a family lineage that included Samurai bloodlines. He was born the oldest of four boys to his beloved mother Florence (Fujimoto) and Edwin Kiyoshi Muroki in Haiku, HI on Jan 16, 1935. He spent his youth running up and down the gulches in Haiku.
Given the chance, he would regale you with a story of victory: Ed attended Holy Rosary School in Paia, and St. Anthony School in Wailuku, where he played football. He was ever proud that he and his football team went on to be victorious by beating St Louis High School in Honolulu. He also played in a Shriners football game on Oahu between the Oahu All Stars and the Maui All Stars.
During his service in the US Air Force, he worked as a draftsman on secret and top-secret projects, including "Project Sandbag" for the CIA in which radio and radar installations were built around the Khyber Pass in Pakistan in the 60s prior to satellite communications.
After his service in the United States Air Force, he went on to study at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA where he met his wife, Valerie (Skaff) Muroki and married her in 1969. They had their first and only child, Kurt Muroki, in 1972. Always proud of his beloved son Kurt, Ed would often be seen wearing either a Juilliard or Indiana University cap or shirt.
Ed was a proud Police Officer with the Maui Police Department where he retired as a Lieutenant. He had more police stories than you could count.
He was an avid fisherman and hunter. Ed, along with his fishing partners Masuda, Nitta, and Smith, pulled in large amounts of fish and tako and they would regularly supply their catch to Noda Market in the Old Kahului Shopping Center. He enjoyed multiple trips to Alaska to fish for salmon and halibut. Ed would often take his dog Duke along for the hunt on Maui, and even had a prize bird mounted and hung in the living room, resulting in his son Kurt’s first word: “pheasant”.
Edwin’s best advice to his son Kurt was “always try your best”, which was the best advice any father could give.
He is survived by his son Kurt (Rachel), predeceased by his beloved little brother Wayne (age 11), and survived by beloved brothers Don (Aileen) and Eric (Elena), nephews Mark, Jason, Travis, nieces Malia and Kim, grand-nephews and grand-nieces, cousins and friends.
Per his wishes, there will not be a memorial service, and his family request no flowers, and no koden.
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