I met Luella in seventh grade. My family had moved to Hauula and Luella and I became BEST friends! We did everything together and I loved sitting behind her in class in Kahuku because I could braid her incredibly gorgeous hanging-to-the- back-of-her-knees thick black hair instead of paying attention to the teacher. I loved her hair! Her mother let me help wash it one time because it took two people to do. I know this sounds silly but I remember so much about our year together in seventh grade. We got our first boyfriends, we got our first periods, and we each had our first boy kisses and RUSHED to the phone to tell each other! We had a lot of sleepovers together and I liked her family as much as she liked mine. We were 13 years old. And I never forgot her. And I never will forget her, my first best friend.

I remember her beautiful smile and sweet spirit…she will be sorely missed with her passing🙏💕🫶🏼love to John and the family as well🌈💕🌺