Joretta Marie Young

Joretta Marie Young, 88, passed away on June 28, 2026 in Centreville, Virginia. She had recently moved to the area to be closer to her children and extended family. Joretta passed peacefully with family by her side.

Joretta was born on October 7, 1937 in O‘okala, Hawai‘i, the eldest of three children of Albert Joseph Ignacio and Rosalind Paulos Ignacio. In 1946, the family moved from Laupahoehoe to Hilo, Hawai‘i where Joretta attended St. Joseph High School. After graduating high school in 1955, Joretta earned a nursing degree at St. Francis Nursing School in Honolulu.

During a nursing rotation in St. Louis, Missouri, Joretta met a medical resident, James B.H. Young of Honolulu. They married, started a family, and eventually returned to Honolulu to establish James’ medical practice. As a dedicated wife and mother, Joretta managed a busy household and the various activities and commitments that come with raising four children. In the mid-1970s, Joretta accepted a new challenge selling real estate. Over the next 30 years, she built a rewarding career as a real estate broker, successfully helping local and international clients find homes. As James neared retirement, Joretta also managed the office of his medical practice.

With retirement came the calling for a more relaxed pace of life and a return to her Big Island roots. Joretta and James moved to Hawai‘i Island and settled into their dream home on the slopes of Hualalai, overlooking Kailua-Kona. The slower pace and simpler lifestyle of Kona gave them the time to travel and tend to the passions and pursuits their property afforded. For Joretta, that included feral chicken wrangling and becoming known as the “Orchid Lady” for her gardening endeavors. Joretta’s church and community were extremely important to her, and she devoted many volunteer hours to St. Michael the Archangel in Kailua-Kona and Immaculate Conception in Holualoa.

A big motivation to move back to the Big Island was to deepen the connection and pride Joretta had in being a kama‘aina. She loved having a touchstone property from which to share her lifelong experiences of Hawai‘i with family and friends. All who visited were gifted with lively conversation and, of course, “ono” food!

Although it was difficult to leave their home in Hawai‘i, Joretta and James moved to California in 2020 to be closer to the support and care of their children. After James passed away in 2021, Joretta enjoyed a quiet life in Carlsbad, California spending time with family and tending to her patio gardens. During her final few months in Virginia, she enjoyed spending more time with her great grandchildren.

Throughout her full life, ‘ohana remained important to Joretta. She was a hub of her extended family, organizing holiday events, hosting family dinners, and providing support and advice whenever needed. Joretta will be lovingly remembered and greatly missed by all who knew her.

Joretta is survived by her children, Bernadette (Joe) Delaney, Margaret (Jim) McNamara, Mary (David) Bidinger, Christopher (Linda) Young, and her sister, Valerie (Michael) Ishii. She leaves behind 7 grandchildren: Michael (Allison) Delaney, Daniel (Kasey) and Joseph (Beth) McNamara, Jonathan and Emily Bidinger, Maile and Nicholas Young, several great-grandchildren and many loving nieces and nephews. Joretta is preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, James; her parents, Albert Ignacio and Rosalind Paulos Ignacio; and her brother, Leonard Ignacio.

A Funeral Mass celebrating Joretta’s life will be held at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Honolulu, Hawai‘i on January 5, 2027 at 11:00 a.m. A burial service will follow at Diamond Head Memorial Park at 2:00 p.m. Memorial contributions can be made in Joretta’s name to the following organizations.

St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i

https://saintmichaelparishkona.org/online-giving/

Hospice Care Services at Capital Caring Health, Fairfax Park Region, Virginia

https://capitalcaring.org/get-help/our-services/hospice/

Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Honolulu, Hawai‘i

https://holytrinitychurchhi.org/