Celebrating the Life of Herman Hildo Libarios Jr
Herman Hildo Libarios Jr, 76, of Honolulu Hawaii, passed away peacefully in his sleep on November 29, 2023.
Herman was born in Honolulu and spent his childhood years growing up in Kainaliu Kona on the Big Island. He attended Konawaena High School and later graduated from Roosevelt High School. He served in the US Military (Army) during the Vietnam War and then returned home to earn his Bachelor’s degree in psychology at the University of Hawaii.
Herman worked as a counselor at Honolulu Community College in the Trio Program. Later he was employed as a post high scholarship counselor at Kamehameha Schools for 30+ years. He loved his coworkers and working with students in the Na Hookama Scholarship Program. Later in retirement he enjoyed fixing cars, wood working, boogie boarding but most importantly spending time with friends and family. Herman also spent years volunteering for the Hawaiian Humane Society’s Pet Visitation program and with Veteran Affairs at Tripler Army Medical Center. He traveled extensively to all the neighbor islands, many parts of the United States, Canada, England, Paris, Scotland, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Japan, Korea, Philippines, China, Hong Kong, Vietnam and recently took several cherished trips with his two daughters to his beloved Kona.
He will be missed by his wife Joanne, daughters Niki (Mele) and Tasha,older brother Ronald and his beloved dogs – Xander, Lizzie and Dash. He is interred at Punchbowl National Cemetery and his celebration of life was held in a private ceremony.
Herman's Awesome Life:
Here is Herman, his wife Joanne, and two daughters Niki (Mele), and Tasha. Also in the picture are 4 of their many dogs, Kiinani, Xiao Gou, JJ and Ini. In this picture the family volunteered for pet therapy with the Hawaiian Humane Society. We invite you to click the images below to see larger photos of Herman’s life!
I remember Herman as a sweet man and a lovingly devoted husband and doting Dad to his daughters.
I’m so sad to hear of Herman’s passing. I am a former TRIO student at HCC in the mid 70’s when he was my counselor. He was the BEST! He took a few of us to the Big Island where we stayed at his family house in Kainaliu & we had the chance to meet his beautiful mom & taste her awesome cooking! The best trip ever! Years later in the late 90’s I ran into him at KCC on my first day as a new employee! I was on a campus tour. He was with Uncle Mike Ane his bestie! At that time he was working at Kamehameha Schools. I only have the warmest Aloha & memories for Herman! May Heavenly Father wrap him with Love, and Peace. I am sure Herman continues to spread his Hawaiian Aloha in the Heaven’s as well! Peace, Love & Blessings be with his beautiful wife and daughters too! Much Love!
With deepest sympathy to Herman’s family. I knew Herman as he worked closely with his Brother, Ernie, to help the minority students at Leeward Community College. Herman loved deer meat and enjoyed hunting on Molokai. May he rest in peace.
Aloha Herman. The pictures say that you had a wonderful family life. Joanne, Niki (Mele) and Tasha – please accept my sincere sympathy. You shared a beautiful tribute. Be thankful for the many happy times you enjoyed together.
I will always remember Herman’s kindness, compassion, and sense of humor. I worked for him at Windward Community College 43 years ago, one of the best times of my life. My thoughts are with your family.
Dear Joanne, Mele and Tasha,
Your dad was a wonderful, kind, and loving friend to everyone he met. I can still hear his voice joking with me and making me laugh. I will miss you dearly my old friend.
I’ll never forget all of your kindness and love that you showed me all these years. All of our sympathies and love to you Joanne, Mele and Tasha from my family to yours.
I will always carry Herman in my heart. So special of a person.
Love,
Uncle “Chocko”
I met Herman while attending night school at Chaminade in the late 1960s. He had recently graduated from Roosevelt and was living with his older brother, Ernie. We hit it off as we both liked to fool around, enjoyed shooting pool, and playing nickel pin ball gambling machines after night class. One Saturday, we went to his brother’s apartment and were surprised to see him there. Ernie put his book down and started to scold us and told us that we better buckle down. He threatened to kick Herman out and send him back to Kona if he didn’t settle down. Herman naturally promised to do better as we quickly got out of there. A few months later we went out to a Korean bar after taking the final accounting class exam. I got drunk and he had to bring me home. I remember vomiting on my mother’s living room floor and didn’t see him after that.
A few years ago, while reading a newspaper at Jack in the Box, Herman came behind my back and in a threatening voice said that I was sitting in his chair and better move. He burst out laughing when he saw my shocked face. We hugged and I asked him why I hadn’t seen him since Chaminade. He said my mother scolded him the night he brought me home drunk and told him to not come back and that he was a bad influence on me. That’s why he stayed away.
We got together after that to catch up. He said that he got drafted and went to fight in the Vietnam war. That was a terrible time and he developed serious health issues because of the Agent Orange chemical sprayed by the US on the Vietnamese jungles. He subsequently graduated from UH and became a counselor. He worked at the UH community college and later at Kamehameha High School. He said that he was lucky to marry Joanne who was good in math and kept him straight. He also felt blessed to have two wonderful daughters and lots of dogs.
I was really impressed by the college scholarship program Herman worked on for the Kamehameha graduates. His local- style counseling skills enabled him to connect with the students. He knew the importance of a college education and kept tabs on the students’ progress. He also asked students to let him know if anyone was partying too much. If a student was falling behind, he contacted the student, threatened to stop the scholarship and said that he would demand a refund of the tuition costs if the student didn’t shape up. That was effective and many students graduated from college.
I also enjoyed listening to his stories about growing up in Kona and his trips abroad with his family. Herman, Ron Lee, and I would get together for lunch and Herman always joked around. At times I didn’t know if he was kidding me with some of his stories.
Herman and I reminisced how lucky we were to go on separate paths after Chaminade as we were both kolohe. We were able to find good wives who helped get our act together. And we were fortunate to reconnect after so many years. I was so sad when Joanne called to say that he recently passed away. He was one of my best friends and I miss him. I know that the Lord will take care of Herman as he is a good man and one who made a difference for so many.
Herman was our classmate at Konawaena high school ,Class of 1965. He didn’t graduate with us but came to many of our class reunions . We last saw him at our 70th birthday reunion In Kona. Rest in peace, Herman. Your fellow classmates and I will never forget you.
I knew Herman from my dear friend Niki (Ernest) Libario but always saw him regularly at Honolulu CC when he visited our students who had scholarships from Kamehameha. He was such a fun and easy to talk to person. It was like I knew him forever. He was so modestly proud of his daughters and wife, such a family man. I was so sad to hear about his passing but will always remember his kolohe smile and presence!
I worked with Herman at Honolulu and Windward Community Colleges back in the late 70s. Those were the days when we were young and full of energy. We did things together. As time passed and Herman aged, he still kept his boyish humor and zest for life.
He went to work at Kamehameha Schools and I went to work at UHM. We would occasionally get together to “talk story” of the old days and how much “stuff” we got into. He enjoyed telling the old stories and always had a twinkle in his eyes as he remembered the juicy parts, “remember Harold, when we…”. I remember Herman, and I will always remember you and our life together. Aloha, my old friend.
Dear Joanne, Niki, and Tasha,
What to say about a man departed but not lost- as we all carry him still in our hearts? While we can still hear his voice joking with us and making us laugh until we cry and never really knowing where the truth really stopped and the shenanigans began. We will miss celebrating, creating new memories, of eating and sharing life, with Herman.
We will forever carry all of the living and and loving that you as a family have showed us all through these years- as I think many of us are trying to convey to you, that we love you and feel so deeply blessed to have been given an opportunity to share any part of a life journey with you.
Wishing you peace and love, Laura & Vince