James Kealoha - Early Years

Early Years

James Kealoha was born on April 29, 1908, in Pahoa on Hawaii island to Lee Chau and Alice Makanui Kealoha. His father was a Cantonese immigrant who had come to Hawaii as a plantation laborer. While growing up James was raised by his grandparents, whose name he assumed. Later he decided to add Kimo as his middle name. In the Chinese community in Hawaii, he was commonly known as Lee Yat Wo.

He graduated from Hilo High School in 1926 and started working as a clerk for Kwong See Wo, a grocery store in Hilo. In 1929 he married Muilan Young, and together they had two daughters, Leihulu Emma and Leiohu Lillie. In the next year he opened his own grocery, which he operated until 1948.