Introducing Jeanette Kaualani Howard
By Karen Welsh
Like the black sands through the hourglass, so are the days of 81-year-old Jeanette Kaualani Howard's life.
Or so I found out recently when my husband, Brian, and I decided to holoholo down Ka'u way on one of his rare days off.
Our adventures led us to the beautiful turtle-laden volcanic sands beach at Punalu'u. There's not much in the way of development on this remote stretch of land. What was built there for commercial use was shamefully abandoned long ago.
No, only a pavilion for cookouts or picnics, bathrooms, a monument and, at the far side of the beach, a narrow strip gift shop remains for the many tourists and locals that frequent this famous landmark.
That's where I found Auntie Jeanette, a Punalu'u native and owner of the diminutive 8 by 10 foot "Howard's Curios" gift shop.
There she sat, surrounded by a menagerie of candy, postcards and assorted gifts, knitting a false eyelash lei, nodding and smiling at customers as they passed by her stand.
This tiny world --this small haven -- has been her bread and butter -- her way of life since the 1950s. She's even survived the two tsunami's of 1960 and 1975 to keep her livelihood going.
"I lost my business both times," Jeanette said. "But, we came back."
Jeanette credits a strong foundation for her continued success.
"The only thing that was left was the cement foundation," she said. "And, as long as the foundation was here, we could rebuild and continue the business."
Having a sure foundation is something Jeanette has known her entire life. She was born in a home down by the beach in 1923. She lived there until her father took the job as a sugar cane plantation luna or "boss" position on Oahu in 1940.
During that time she entered Farrington High School, where she was a senior when Pearl Harbor was attacked in December 1941.
After the bombing, the military solicited help from the senior classes in the area and Jeanette began working as a clerk in the base's Naval Supply Depot, where she continued until 1945. During that time, she met her first husband and ended up moving to Virginia.
"I liked it there, but I didn't like the weather," Jeanette remembered. "It was always too cold in the winter and too hot in the summer, so I decided to come home."
Unfortunately, Jeanette's first marriage ended when she returned to her beloved island home --to Punalu'u. It was then Jeanette opened opened the giftshop to support her young family.
And, all was maika'i in her world.
"The beach is special here," she said. "I like living here. I like living near this beach because it's quiet and peaceful down here."
Somewhere along the way Jeanette met her second husband, Arnold Leroy Howard, a naval military mechanic. They were married in 1969 and finished raising the seven children in their blended family.
Jeanette's seen a lot of changes in the area throughout her many decades of life. She remembers a different environment than the one seen today.
"The beach is getting smaller and smaller," she mused. "The ocean is moving more and more inland. There used to be a brackish water pond when I was little. All the children used to learn to swim in that pond before we went into the ocean."
But, Jeanette said it's still beautiful and the couple is thriving in their small corner of the earth. Arnold loves to spend his days fishing and Jeanette continues to sell her wares while meeting and greeting people from all over the world.
"I think I will live here the rest of my life," Jeanette said. "No, I don't think, I know. I know I will live here the rest of my life."