Why Rika Rosenberg was sitting at a bus stop Sunday is a mystery to her friends.

Tetsuko Evans, who has known Rosenberg for more than 30 years through their involvement with Nichiren Buddhism as practiced by Soka Gakkai International, said her friend either drove her car, walked or caught a taxi to get around.

"Never the bus," Evans said.

Rosenberg, 72, who lived at the Wailana at Waikiki condominiums, was seated at a bus shelter on Kalakaua Avenue, 80 feet north of Makaloa Street, shortly before 5 p.m. Sunday when a 2001 Dodge Caravan taxi veered off the roadway from the right lane and struck her.

Police said the taxi's passenger said the driver lost consciousness just before the crash.

"We all very shocked but everyone wonder why she is at bus stop; she never use bus," Evans said.

Rosenberg suffered a severe leg injury and later died at The Queen's Medical Center. She was the only person injured out of the six or seven people at the bus stop.

"She very healthy ... look 50, not 72, and always say to us, 'I live 100 years,' " said Evans, who had a telephone conversation with her friend early Sunday afternoon. "I always call her to see if she OK."

Rosenberg was a victim of a recent purse-snatching, so Evans said she had been calling more often.

Rosenberg's husband died last year and the couple had no children, Evans said. The Rosenbergs had lived in Hong Kong and the Philippines and visited Hawai'i regularly until moving here permanently five years ago, Evans said.

Rosenberg, a Nichiren Buddhist for more than 40 years, was the Soka Gakkai International-USA's Ala Wai District women's leader.

"She never missed a meeting, took care of everything in our district," said Macie Ah Quin, the Ala Wai District men's leader.

Said Evans: "Rika very nice person, very strong in faith. She always offer her house for meetings."

Rosenberg was from Shinagawa, Japan; her sister arrived in Honolulu yesterday, Evans said.

Nichiren Buddhism places special emphasis on the sanctity of human life and, as a natural outgrowth of this, on peace. Members believe lasting peace can only be realized by overcoming the impulse toward hatred and violence that exists within all people.

Reach Rod Ohira at rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.