Posted on: Thursday, May 2, 2002

Stephen John De Coite, Advertiser truck driver, dead at 49

By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer

Stephen John De Coite of Waimanalo, an award-winning truck driver for The Honolulu Advertiser, died April 25 at Castle Medical Center. He was 49.

De Coite was born Feb. 28, 1953, in Honolulu and worked at The Honolulu Advertiser and the Hawaii Newspaper Agency for 19 years distributing newspapers in the transportation department. He was also the International Longshore and Warehouse Union shop steward for the department.

Amongst his fellow workers, De Coite was known as the "man with the aloha."

In his typical style, De Coite for many years shared his home to unfortunate friends who had no place to stay, said his wife, Linda.

He also helped motorists whose cars had broken down on the road, she said.

"He's the type of guy who can't say no," Linda K. De Coite said. "He would give the shirt off his back to anyone."

Stephen De Coite was the recipient of the "Transportation Department Employee of the Year 2001" award. He was also an employee of Sea Life Park, and coached in the Kailua Little League.

"He took care of his family really well," Linda De Coite said. "He worked three jobs so I could stay home with the kids the first 10 years of their life. He wouldn't want me to work. He liked working at the paper."

In addition to his wife, De Coite is survived by his son, Daven "Kalei"; daughters, Stelina "Loke" and Stephanie "Makaleka"; father, Joseph Floronto; brothers, Joseph, Julian and Francis; and sister, Bernadette De Coite Williams.

Funeral services will be held at the Waimanalo Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Tuesday with viewing at 5:30 p.m. and service at 8 p.m., and on Wednesday with viewing at 9 a.m. and services at 11:30 a.m. Burial to follow at the Hawaiian Memorial Park in Kane'ohe.

Family requests aloha attire and no flowers.