Florence Hatsuko Stanley

Florence Anne Hatsuko Nagao Stanley

On August 16, 2022 our beautiful mother lost her long fight with dementia. She passed away peacefully in her home at the age of 95 and 7 months.  We mourn her loss and will miss her everyday, but we know she is in a much better place. Her life is what we will remember, not her death.  She was born in her family’s home on January 18, 1927 to Kikue Iyamatsu Nagao and Robert Junzo Nagao.   She started life poor in Palama settlement and attended Princess Ka’iulani Elementary School. At the time, she didn’t realize they were poor because everyone around her was also poor.  

When she was 13, she told her dad that she wanted to go to St. Andrew’s Priory founded by Queen Emma to educate the girls of Hawaii. He agreed and worked hard to give his children the best education he could. About that age, she got to choose her English name and she chose Florence because she wanted to be a nurse and Florence Nightingale was her hero.  She became Florence Anne Hatsuko Nagao and graduated from the Priory in 1945.  Our mother was very proud to be a graduate of the school of nursing at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. She went on to have a long nursing career and especially liked working as a labor and delivery nurse.

After Mom got married, her newly formed family moved to California and lived there from 1956 to 1970.  She and our dad left Hawaii with one child and came back with five.  When we moved back to Hawaii, Mom worked for St. Francis Hospital as a home care nurse.  Then, she worked for the state at the Nanakuli Maternity and Infant Care Clinic.  When that was closed down, she spent her last year working at Waimano Home in Pearl City.

After her retirement from the State of Hawaii Department of Health as a public health nurse, she became an expert in culinary herbs. She grew her own herbs, sold them to many restaurants, and created and cooked gourmet meals. She shared her love for growing and cooking with culinary herbs by teaching classes at the Lyon Arboretum in Honolulu. She started a business called Mililani Herbs and became known as the herb lady of Mililani.

Mom loved to dance both ballroom and the hula.  She was grateful to have taken after school hula classes at the Honolulu YWCA on Richards Street.  Years later, she learned that her hula instructor was Loyal Garner’s mother.  When Mom was at nursing school in Boston, she was asked several times to dance the hula and it was some of her happiest memories.  Mom continued to dance in her older years wherever and whenever she heard catchy music.  She would say, “This music makes me feel like dancing,” then she did.  Her trademark hula was “Lovely Hula Hands” and she danced it into her 90s, even when it became difficult to walk.  She always had a smile and a twinkle in her eye when she danced.  She was so happy.

Mom had the best care in her home from loving people, both family and caregivers. Our sister-in-law, Arliss, lovingly oversaw her care and nieces Kat and Kelia made sure their grandma was always as comfortable as possible.  Much heartfelt mahalo goes out to them as well as Bristol Hospice, other caregiving agencies and part-time caregivers.  We cannot thank them enough for everything they have done to care for Mom. 

Mom was predeceased by her former husband of 38 years, Albert Stanley, parents, Kikue Iyamatsu Nagao Fukuda and Robert Junzo Nagao, stepmother, Martha Mumeno Matsuzaki Nagao, brother,  Robert “Steve” Nagao of Pearl City, and her baby sister, Katherine Sumie Nagao.  She is survived by her sister, Shirley Nakamura of California, and her children, Kathy (Bobby) Keel, Paul (Melanie) Stanley, Laurie (Rocky) Anguay, Chris (Arliss) Stanley, and Matthew “Tim” (Zinnan) Stanley.  Also 11 grandchildren: Marisa Stanley, Kayla (Josiah Kuha) Stanley, Bradley Anguay, Sean Anguay, Dustin Stanley, Caleb Stanley, Kelia Stanley, Katrina “Kat” Stanley, Dylan Stanley, Madison Stanley, Liam Stanley, and 1 great grandchild, Sonya Stanley.

Mom would say to be happy and if you feel like it, have a glass of wine with lunch. Per her request, services will be private.