Esther Benedict Starke

Esther Benedict Starke died April 1, 2022 at the age of 87. She was born in Kingsport TN and graduated from the UNCG with a degree in Education. She moved to Long Island to teach and met the love of her life Rodman Starke on a blind date in Boston. They married 10 months later. Together with Rod, she raised three children and created wonderfully warm homes in Boston, Pensacola, San Francisco, Sausalito, Kentfield, Bear Valley, Dallas and San Rafael. She was a spectacular mother, a devoted partner and a dear friend to so very many. Esther is survived by Rodman and Children Susan and Stephen and grandchildren Melanie, Elizabeth and Angelina.

Esther was masterfully accomplished in many crafts and art forms. She loved to draw, paint, knit, needlepoint, and sculpt. She and lifelong friend Donna Maier founded a delightfully successful decorating business, The Painted Ladies. Her special playful perspective burst out of all of her work. Eventually she focused on her beloved ceramic works. She created whimsical, original characters and personally colored stories in all of her sculptures. She was a beloved member of the Terra Linda Ceramic Artists group and an inspiration to many there. Her pieces showed prominently and won awards at shops in Carmel and Texas, Marin County Fairs and private studios.

Esther was a naturally joyful soul who shared her cheerful, creative outlook with all that were lucky enough to know her. She was infectiously loving and she will be deeply missed.

Edmund Kazuso (“Ed”) Oasa, beloved husband, son, brother, uncle, and friend to many, passed away on October 26, 2021, at Stanford Hospital in California after a five-year journey with leukemia. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Ed was a 1973 graduate of the University of San Francisco and went on to earn a PhD in Political Science from the University of Hawaii. He continued post-doctoral work in Europe and eventually landed a position teaching Sociology at the University of Kentucky where he met his wife Shellye. They were married in 1987 and moved to the Bay Area where they resided until his passing. In the Bay Area, Ed switched gears and became a licensed private investigator, becoming involved in numerous capital cases and providing defense counsel with briefings that demonstrated his dedication to fact finding and seeking justice. The little-known link between Ed’s seemingly distinct career paths was a larger, life-long theme: advancing a more profound understanding of politics and the necessary elements of social change. In short, Ed Oasa was a revolutionary, committed to social justice, assisting many others engaged in the search for meaningful change.

In his spare time, Ed was a voracious reader and enjoyed biking in Bay Area trails and paths. He also enjoyed listening to jazz and Hawaiian music and playing the ukulele, often participating in area jam sessions. In October 2016, Ed was diagnosed with Myeloid Dysplasia Syndrome (MDS or pre-leukemia) and in May 2017, underwent a stem cell transplant. A year later, he had a near fatal bout with pneumonia and ultimately returned home although he required supplemental oxygen and assistance from caregivers and physical therapists. Through good nutrition and regular exercise, Ed defied the odds and became less dependent on oxygen and remained in remission for nearly three years.

In 2019, Ed began studying Buddhism and came to understand the meaning of impermanence and the elimination of ego. He realized that his connection to others was most important. In June 2020, Ed was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and endured many rounds of treatment before finally succumbing to complications due to AML. Edmund is survived by his wife Shellye, mother Lillian, sister Suzanne, brother Wesley, and nieces Lauren Ono and Leslie Sing. The family would like to express its gratitude to the doctors and staff at Stanford Medical Center and the Reverends Ken Yamada and Ryoko Osa and Dr. Nobuo Haneda for guiding Ed in Shin-Buddhist teachings.

Edmund was laid to rest in Honolulu, Hawaii. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. The family suggests memorial donations in Edmund’s name be made to the MDS Foundation at www.mdsfoundation.org.