QUEEN LILIU’S TRAVEL COMPANION DIES.
After being ill for some time, Mrs. Wakeke Ululani grew weary of this life, at six in the evening of this past Monday [11/21/1921], at her home on 13th Avenue in Kaimuki, being eighty or so years old.
Mrs. Wakeke Ululani Heleluhe was born on Maui, however, for thirty years, she was a companion to Queen Liliuokalani, from the Queen’s young days, until Liliu passed on.
In the last days of the Queen’s life, Mrs. Heleluhe was constantly before her, watching over her care, just as the days when Liliu was reigning as monarch of Hawaii nei, and everywhere that the Queen went, she went as well.
Once when the Queen went to Washington, Mrs. Heleluhe was in her retinue.
Mrs. Wakeke Heleluhe was a member of the Kaahumanu Society [Ahahui Kaahumanu]. Her husband, Joe Heleluhe, who passed long ago, was the Queen’s secretary during her reign.
Surviving her is a son and daughter of theirs; the son, Jack Heleluhe, is working in America singing, and when the steamship Hawkeye State arrived in Honolulu some weeks ago, he was one of the people on the ship, on his way to Baltimore.
As for the daughter, Mrs. Myra Iona, she is one of the women who attended Queen Liliu while she was living, and she went along twice with the Queen to Washington.
At 3:30 in the afternoon of this past Tuesday, her funeral was held, from William’s Mortuary her earthly body was laid to rest at the cemetery in Kamoiliili.
[The Queen writes of her stay in Washington D. C. in 1897:
“In the early part of May it became necessary for my companion, Mrs. Kia Nahaolelua, to return to Honolulu. Three months was the length of time I had expected to be absent when I asked her to accompany me; but five months had passed away, and her husband and large family of children needed her. So I sent her to San Francisco under the charge of Captain Palmer, where he was to meet Mrs. Joseph Heleluhe, and conduct her to Washington.”
The Mrs. Joseph Heleluhe sent for here is Wakeke Ululani Heleluhe.]
(Kuokoa, 11/25/1921, p. 4)

I just got my copy of the new edition of “Hawaii’s Story by Hawaii’s Queen”! It is gorgeous. One small thing i noticed in the index was that Mrs. Heleluhe seems to have been inadvertently left out. But afterall the old saying is indeed true: “Aohe hewa o ka hale kanaka ole.” [Flawless is a home that is not inhabited.” Nothing is perfect that is wrought by the hand of man.]
Heleluhe, Wakeke Ululani, 106, 258, 338, 385, 391
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Thank you so much for posting this. Myra is my great grandmother, I look for info on that side of my family often!
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Hello Lauren. Joseph Heleluhe and my greatgreatgrandmother Keoki Heleluhe were brother and sister. I am always searching for ohana so if you are interested in talking let me know
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Keolamauloa, though it’s been years since these comments were posted, I am ecstatic to learn this!! I would love to talk more, I didn’t realize we had more family to meet! Please email me any time! laurenleilaniiona@gmail.com
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The dowager Queen Emma was att the white house
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