Louis Anthony Carnazzo

                                   Louis “Uncle Lou” “Luigi” Anthony Carnazzo 

Louis Carnazzo entered into eternal peace at Castle Hospital, Kailua, Hawaii, on November 25, 2024, nine days after his 89th birthday. He was born on November 16, 1935, in LeMars, IA, to first generation Sicilian parents, Sebastian and Fina (Caniglia) Carnazzo, who were devout Catholics. The Caniglia and Carnazzo families originated in Carlentini, Sicily, where Lou’s great-great-grandfather crafted a marble side altar in Chiesa Madre, the main church. The extended Caniglia and Carnazzo families lived in Omaha, NE, but when Louie was five years old, his immediate family moved to Monterey, CA where his physician father cared for the Sicilian immigrant fishing community.

A childhood injury left Louie with lifelong physical challenges. His father died just six years later, leaving his mother a widow with five young children. Fina was steadfast in her faith and passed on her love of God, and complete trust in Him, to her five children. Louie never let life’s challenges hinder his outlook on life, his activities, or travels.

Louie married the love of his life, Mary, and they moved their young family from Monterey, California to Kailua in 1967 where they joined St. Anthony Parish. Lou went into freelance business as a court reporter in Honolulu. He first worked for Coward & Cripps, eventually branched off in a partnership with Bob Conley, and then became sole business owner of Carnazzo Court Reporting Company. He was a well-known fixture in Honolulu.  He charmed the legal community, starring in hilarious ads in the Bar Journal. He adopted all of his employees, and guided them towards God with his boundless generosity and prayers covering the office kitchen cabinets. Lou had a tremendous work ethic; he retired at the age of eighty. Even after retiring, he continued to host gatherings for his former office staff; he was like a father to them.

Lou and Mary were actively involved in the diocese and especially St. Anthony Parish and school (where their children were educated): spaghetti dinner chefs, “Passion Play” actors; school fundraiser fair and parish picnic organizers, and chili & bingo night chefs. Lou installed the courtyard drain tank and poured sidewalks along classroom lanais.

Before retiring, Lou was a daily Mass lector at the cathedral. He befriended the Daughters of St. Paul, helping extensively with repairs at their convent. He joined the Serrans and the Knights of Columbus.

Music and singing were an important part of Lou’s life: Hawaiian Folk Choir with George Kamalamalama; cantoring at Masses, leading songs at daily Masses at St. Anthony Church. He took singing lessons–even into his 80s.

Lou loved being outside in God’s beautiful Creation. He hiked (even the Stairway to Heaven), gardened, jogged on the beach or walked for exercise, and he passed on his love of the ocean to his children: he took them swimming, snorkeling, and sailing (he bought a Venture Catamaran in the 70s); he got SCUBA certified and spent hours sailing with his dear friend Gene Pollock.

Lou’s “can do” attitude had him accomplishing more in one day than most do in one week. Most of his projects were in service to the Church and his St. Anthony of Padua parish community, but his generosity and loving spirit extended far into the outer community as well. He helped the homeless. He helped complete strangers. Whenever he saw anyone in need, he took action. He was busier as a retiree than he had been as a business owner.

Lou spent hours helping other people. One (still-unfinished) project required hours of phone calls, emails, and meetings with local businesses requesting construction material donations to repair the family home of a long-time, needful Kailua resident. He wanted these donors to receive recognition in a news story: Coastal Windows, Hardware Hawaii, City Mill, Re-use Hawaii, Wayne’s Lumber, J&B Materials, Busekrus Cabinets Doors & Windows, Home Depot, and countless generous individuals.

A true Sicilian, Uncle Lou welcomed everyone into his home. He hosted annual Labor Day picnics and invited EVERYONE he knew. He had an amazing heart of generosity (he regularly bought appliances for people) and forgiveness (he forgave readily and always forgot). He was happiest when he was cooking and feeding people. He shuttled friends to and from the airport; they nicknamed him “Luber.” He supported various local fishermen, buying extra fillets to share with others. He was often found sawing and hammering in his garage creating gadgets or gifts (always with the door open so that friends could stop by).

Uncle Lou added his creative and humorous flair to any fundraising event he was involved in: he wore various costumes (Col. Sanders, a rooster, a fish) to attract interest and to solicit more donations in the bucket he carried around. When he grew less stable on his feet because of back surgeries, he enlisted the help of students from St. Anthony School  and St. John Vianney School to dress up in the costumes, but he still toted the bucket and (shamelessly) asked for more. No one could say no to him.

Lou loved traveling and experiencing different cultures and foods. He had what his Sicilian nonna called pedi lungo, “long feet.” When he was finally able to travel the world, he did! In the 80s, he and Mary traveled to Rome with the Our Lady of Peace Cathedral choir and he made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land with his sister. In 2012 and 2018, he spent the summers traveling in Italy and Sicily, and just last year, he made an extended pilgrimage abroad–two weeks in the Holy Land and then eight months in Europe, visiting beautiful churches, cathedrals, and Marian visitation sites. He inspired countless people who were amazed at his energy and his strong faith. Everywhere he went, he made friends with the people he encountered, from priests and sacristans to fellow pilgrims, from taxi drivers to railroad workers, from AirBnb hosts to other travellers in hostels. He was invited to sing with the Sunday choir at the Carmelite Friary Church in Killarney, Ireland. He adopted his guide and his driver in Morocco calling them his “sons.” In Scotland, he made soup and a fish dish for a South Korean university student in a hostel kitchen. She was keenly interested in learning more about his faith and about Catholicism. Upon learning of his recent passing, she messaged: “Though it was just a tiny period that we met, I felt so much warmth from him. I [came] to think that I want to be a person who can willingly offer some kindness to strangers, like him.”

In the last decade, Lou constructed elaborate “PRAY TO END ABORTION” signs for his front yard. He invited and willingly engaged in discussion with anyone who knocked on the front door. He prayed for those people who loudly cursed at the signs, at the house, and even at him. And one day, he discovered that his bold evangelization had saved at least one child’s life because “the signs made [the child’s mother] think.”

Uncle Lou is preceded in death by his beloved wife of 53 years, Mary, by his parents, Sebastian and Alfia "Fina" Carnazzo, his brothers John and William, and his sister Frances. He is survived by his sister Paula, son Damian (Dana), daughters Lisa Ajanel (Walter) and Gina, grandchildren, Alonzo Jack (Madison), Tessa, Miguel, Enrique, and Phoenix, and countless nieces, nephews, and cousins. He lives on in all of us because he taught us how to live: even during his last hours on earth, he was a beautiful and faithful servant of God who generously shared Christ’s love with everyone he encountered.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Lou’s memory may be made to: Pearson Place, Pregnancy Resource Center (https://pearsonplace.org/)

Services will be held in both Kailua, Hawaii and in Monterey, California.

St. Anthony of Padua, Kailua, HIDec. 14  Rosary & Visitation 9:00, Eulogies 10:30, Funeral Mass 11:00, Lunch 12:00 (Parish Hall)(Nu’uanu Mortuary)

San Carlos Cathedral, Monterey, CADec. 26  Vigil Prayer Service, Rosary, & Eulogies 5:00 pmDec. 27  Funeral Mass and Burial at San Carlos Cemetery 9:30 am

Reception at The Elks Club 11:30am

In lieu of flowers, donations in Lou’s memory may be made to:Pearson Place, Pregnancy Resource Center (https://pearsonplace.org/)