Daidai was the wife of the late Jose Camacho Tenorio, who she assisted in creating Joeten Enterprises Inc., one of Micronesia’s most successful business enterprises. Daidai passed away after a brief stay at the Commonwealth Heath Center, leaving behind a legacy of devotion to both her family and community.
“Daidai embodied all that is beautiful and good about our family,” her son, Clarence T. Tenorio, said. “She inspired her children with graceful strength, unwavering commitment to family and keen concern for her community that she so dearly loves.”
Family members say that Daidai’s greatest source of joy in life was her family, which always came first.
In 1946, Daidai married Jose Camacho Tenorio, better known as Joeten.
After her marriage, Daidai stayed home to raise their six children.
Daidai repeatedly emphasized the importance of hard work to her children, providing them with family tasks and responsibilities, while acting as a strict disciplinarian when necessary.
She often inspected her children and grandchildren’s report cards, encouraging them to live up to their potential.
“Education was paramount to her,” Daidai’s grandson Bo Palacios said. “But Daidai wanted more than educated children. She wanted her children to use their education to reach out and help others.”
Despite the high expectations she set for her children, family members say she never failed to demonstrate her love and devotion to them.
Calling upon her experience as a nurse caring for sick and wounded soldiers at the U.S. Army/civilian hospital during World War II, Daidai encouraged her children to use their talents to help and serve others.
Her children say that Daidai taught them to be faithful, practicing Christians, to share their successes by giving back to the community, and to provide assistance to the church and its members whenever there was a need.
Daidai exemplified those values in her business endeavors. In 1949, Daidai and her husband opened a retail store in Chalan Kanoa, building a small mom-and-pop store into a highly successful international business conglomerate.
Despite her entrepreneurial success, Daidai tried hard to never turn away people in need. In the early years, Daidai arose at 6 a.m. to open the store early for friends who needed bread.
She would often work late into the night, at times working until 2 a.m. to balance the books, take inventory and prepare for the next day’s work.
Daidai was born in Saipan in 1926 during the Japanese Imperial reign; she is the daughter of Ana Villagomez Duenas and Pablo Shigejo Takai.
During her first year of elementary school, Daidai’s father died, leaving her mother to raise her and her two younger sisters.
With the loss of her father, Daidai began helping her grandfather on his farm.
She planted cotton and harvested coffee beans each day after school.
Her time working with her grandfather taught her the value of hard work, which served her well throughout her life.
Shortly after World War II, Daidai and Joeten worked side-by-side for the duration of his life. A fter his death in 1993, a heartbroken Daidai found solace in her children and grandchildren. All the while, she continued to help run the family businesses, and live an independent and fulfilling life.
Daidai had a great love for the commonwealth and its people.
Due to her devotion to the Christian faith and working relationship with Bishop Thomas Camacho, Daidai helped create the Joeten-Daidai Social Hall and Diocesan Curia.
Her contributions to the church and compassion to the community gained the attention of Pope John Paul II, who sent the secretary general of the Vatican to honor her as a Lady of the Order of St. Gregory the Great, the highest honor bestowed by the pope on a lay Catholic.
Daidai is survived by her six children: Annie, Clarence, Norman, Patricia, Frances and Priscilla along with numerous grand and great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Monday at Mount Carmel Cathedral and will begin with the responso at 8:30 a.m. The Mass of Christian burial will begin 10:30 a.m., which will be followed by the burial at the Mount Carmel Cemetery.
DPS to conduct checkpoints
(DPS) — The Department of Public Safety’s traffic section will be conducting Occupant Protection-Child Restraint and Sobriety/DUI checkpoints on the following days:
OPCR checkpoint:
• Aug. 28 — The first setup will be on Beach Road Garapan by Fishing Base, from 4 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.
The second setup will be on Beach Road Susupe by multi-purpose center, from 7:30 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.
Sobriety/DUI checkpoint:
• Aug. 29 – The first setup will be on B/R San Jose by Marianas Printing Building, from 7:30 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.
The second setup will be on Chalan Pale Arnold Road in Gualo Rai by Bobby’s Cafe, from 10 p.m. to 11:15 p.m.
• Aug. 30 – The first setup will be on Beach Road Garapan by Bank Pacific, from 7:30 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.
The second setup will be on Chalan Pale Arnold Road in Chalan Laulau by PTI, from 10 p.m. to 11:15 p.m.
• Sept. 1 – The first setup will be on Beach Road Chalan Laulau by the former Flair Club, from 7:30 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.
The second setup will be on Chalan Pale Arnold Road in Gualo Rai by Hans Corp., from 10 p.m. to 11:15 p.m.
For more information, contact Sgt. Juan C. Mendiola or Lt. Paul Ogumoro at 664-9085.
HONOLULU (USPS) — Hector Medina will be officially installed as the Postmaster for Saipan at a special program scheduled for 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 3 at the Saipan Post Office in Chalan Kanoa. He replaces the late George Diaz, who passed away in February.
As Saipan postmaster, Medina will supervise nine postal employees and the daily distribution of approximately 14,000 pieces of mail daily to 5,900 Chalan Kanoa Post Office box customers.
He also oversees the contract postal unit operations on Capital Hill, San Vicente and Tinian, which encompasses another 2,800 customers.
Medina is a 35-year postal employee who had served as the officer-in-charge at the Guam Post Office for six months before assuming the same position on Saipan in February, and was eventually selected as the permanent Saipan postmaster in May.
He began his postal career in 1973 at the Hagåtña Station on Guam. He served as a mail carrier for 17 years, and then assumed a variety of supervisory positions within the Guam Post Office over the years.
“Becoming a postmaster is a long-time dream of mine,” said Medina. “I pledge to provide the best possible service to my customers. I also hope to become an active participant in community functions and affairs. I would like to thank my family for their support and understanding, postal leadership for their vote of confidence, and the people of Saipan for their acceptance.”
The brief installation program will feature the administration of the postmaster’s oath of office to Medina by Leo Tudela, the Postal Service’s director of Asia Pacific Relations. Remarks will also be given by invited guests, including Gov. Benigno Fitial and other CNMI political and business leaders.
Medina was born in Puerto Rico and raised in Indiana. He settled on Guam 38 years ago after serving in the U.S. Navy. He and his wife Elizabeth have been married for 36 years and reside in Gualo Rai. They have three adult children and seven grand children. Medina enjoys watching and coaching sports, including Little League baseball.
DFS honors employees of the month
(DFS, Saipan) — DFS Saipan Ltd. Recently recognized Machiko Cruz and Brigida Pinaula as July employees of the month.
Cruz, the winner for the support category, was recommended by her manager Izumi Castro. Currently working in the Platinum Services Club as a VIP attendant, Machiko offers excellent customer service and has been receiving positive feedback from customers and business partners as well. Machiko was hired in Feb. 2007.
Pinaula, the winner for the sales category, was nominated by her manager Tadashi Umezawa. Pinaula is an outstanding sales associate who welcomes customers with sincere hospitality and her genuine friendly personality. She has been with DFS since April 1978.
Both employees received a framed employee of the month certificate, a $100 cash award, and VIP parking for one month. They are now eligible candidates for the 2008 DFS employee of the year award in their categories.
Shell lowers gasoline price
(Shell) — Eloy Lizama, president of Shell Guam, announced yesterday that they were lowering the price of their regular unleaded gasoline and diesel.
The price for regular unleaded has been reduced by 10 cents a gallon while the price for diesel is now lower by 15 cents a gallon.
“From our most recent price reduction on Aug. 16, we continued to see a decline in Shell’s cost of regular unleaded and diesel fuel products,” he said. “Shell will pass these savings onto our customers and lower the price for Shell regular unleaded and Shell diesel.”
Lizama said the price decrease would be posted at Shell service stations as of midnight, Wednesday Aug. 27.
Green flag on Tinian
(DEQ) — The Division of Environmental Quality has analyzed samples collected from Tinian’s recreational beaches and storm water drainages as part of its regularly scheduled sampling.
None of the samples collected contained excessive concentrations of fecal indicator bacteria nor did they exceed the CNMI’s marine water quality standards.
DEQ assigns all of the sampled beach sites a green flag.
Tinian PTSA meeting
(THS) — This is to inform all parents/legal guardians of Tinian High School 7th-12th graders that there will be a special meeting for the PTSA on Friday, Aug. 29, at 3 p.m. at the Tinian Youth Center.
Agenda is as follows:
1) Counting of Ballots
2) Announcement of PTSA officers
If you have any questions, call Augusta Famaw, Lynette I. Hofschneider, Vida Borja, Wella Mendiola or Frances H. Diaz at 433-9213 or 433-3800.
