Lois Lydgate Coleman of Hā’ena, Kaua‘i, Hawaii, beloved wife, sister, grandmother, aunt, great-aunt, cousin and friend passed away on Nov. 3, 2020 at the age of 91.
As generations of the Lydgate family before her, Lois was born and raised on Kaua‘i. Lydgate Park in Wailua is named after her great-grandfather, the Rev. John Mortimer Lydgate.
When she was 13 years old, Lois , her mother and two younger sisters relocated to Seattle, Wash. at the outbreak of World War II, attended St. Nicholas High School and the University of Washington before moving back to Kaua‘i. She hosted a KTOH radio show in Līhu‘e and worked with the Kaua‘i Civil Air Patrol.
A savy businesswoman, she and her husband Fred owned and operated three restaurants over the years: Ed & Don’s, The Sea Shell and the original restaurant at Lihue Airport as well as the Lihue Airport gift shop.
Lois sailed the Pacific with Peggy Slater and visited the world from Australia to Japan, Canada to Africa. Her love of literature and paying it forward to children led her to become librarian at Natural Bridges School in Kilauea for a time.
In later years, Lois and Fred would spend summers in Port Townsend, Washington — a community that they loved and had many friends. Well known for her love of nature, flora and people, she was an avid photographer and many of her note cards were in shops around Kaua‘i.
Her love of traditional Hawaiian music, hula and playing the ukulele was a particular joy. She was infectious with her welcome, joy, creativity and inspiration, living life to its fullest.
She was preceded in death by grandparents, the Rev. John Mortimer and Helen Elwell Lydgate; parents John Mortimer II and Hallie Davis Lydgate; husband Fred Coleman; sister Margaret Lydgate Rinker; and niece Deborah Rinker-Sims.
Lois is survived by sister Joan Mortimer Lydgate Burns; grandsons Fred Coleman III, Donald Coleman and William School Coleman; nieces Jennifer Rinker, Melody Rinker-Behrendt, Laurie Haack-Petroske and Jean Haack; nephew J. Stephen Haack; cousins Tony and Will Lydgate of Lydgate Farms; and dear friend and caregiver Cecilia Gomez.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a future date, where her ashes will be interred at Līhu‘e Cemetery in the Lydgate family plot. Kaua‘i Memorial Garden & Funeral Home assisted the family with arrangements.
