The Kekoa ‘Ohana, a Family Stewarding a Legacy of Education and Service

Curtis Kekoa Sr. KSK’40 and Nenita Maldonado Kekoa on their wedding day in 1945.

Prior to attending Kamehameha Schools, retired Air Force Col. Curtis Kekoa Sr. KSK’40 was selling pencils in downtown Honolulu at the brink of dropping out of middle school. After some encouragement from one of his public school teachers, Curtis applied and was later admitted to the Kamehameha School for Boys as a ninth grader. He attended on financial aid up until his graduation.

“My father epitomized the exact individual Pauahi’s will was meant to help and support,” said daughter Kekoa Kekoa Enomoto KSK’64, who changed her first name from Catherine to Kekoa in honor of her father. “His accomplishments and passion for serving others are the direct result of his time at Kamehameha Schools.”

After losing their father and mother Nenita, Kekoa and her siblings, Curtis Kekoa Jr. KSK’67 and Kevin Kekoa KSK’77, decided to honor their parents with a scholarship that would carry on their legacy. They worked closely with the Foundation’s development administrator, Bran-Dee Torres KSK’93, to set up the parameters of their scholarship, which will be offered to post-high students pursuing an education in the area of, but not limited to, military and/or music.

“Education was top priority in our family, and our parents made sure we had the support to flourish,” said Kevin, who is the application services manager at HMSA. “As a family, we now have the opportunity to give the gift of an education to other Hawaiians through our family’s scholarship while honoring our parents.”

A few years after graduating from high school, Curtis Sr. enlisted in the Army Air Corps and went on to serve a decorated 31-year career that spanned three major wars as a pilot and officer. His service citations include the Distinguished Flying Cross with seven Oak Leaf Clusters, Bronze Star, World War II Victory Medal, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, Air Force Commendation Ribbon and Legion of Merit.

Curtis met wife Nenita Maldonado while on military leave in Los Angeles, and the two would later marry in 1945. An immigrant from the Philippines at age 2, Nenita grew up in Hollywood and came from a family that put education first. She graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles, and later went back to school through the University of Colorado’s extended education program to become a paralegal.

After retiring from the Air Force, Curtis Sr. went back to school in his 50s to get his law degree from the University of Southern California. At the time, he had a family of three and was the oldest graduate when he finished law school. Nenita stood by him and provided the extra support at home to enable him to finish school.

The Kekoa ‘ohana would later move back to Hawai‘i where all three of their children attended and graduated from Kamehameha Schools Kapālama. The younger generation would soon follow including Kekoa’s daughter Lehua Enomoto Kadooka KSK’87, Kevin’s son Kody Kekoa KSK’10 and daughter Kiana Kekoa KSK’12. 

“My ‘ohana has been blessed by Pauahi’s legacy for three generations,” Kevin said. “Just as much as it is a tribute to our parents, this scholarship is also a tribute and mahalo to Ke Ali‘i Pauahi.”

For more information on how you can establish a scholarship in the memory of loved ones, friends and colleagues, please call (808) 534-3966 or e-mail info@pauahi.org.