Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Aloha Conrad


It was with great sadness that I learned this morning, via a tearful call from a listener during my tuesday morning radio show, of the passing of a much beloved member of Maui's musical tribe. Conrad Ahia, son of Sam and elder brother of the musical Ahia family of Lahaina, passed to the other side sometime last night after being diagnosed with and fighting a tumor in his brain. 


Always quick with a big smile and a song, Conrad will be missed by friends & family alike.  Though I didn't know him well, I had the opportunity to work with Conrad and the rest of his family (father Sam, brother Howard and sister Lisa I know much better) preparing photography for the family CD release AHIA, way back in 1994. The portraits of family members were included in the CD packaging and beautiful, hand-made 16x20 silver gelatin prints I made still hang in the family home. I still remember those sessions well... a studio filled with creativity, laughter and music.


Aloha Conrad. Rest in Peace.

6 comments:

Lynette said...

While crying about our loss we thought to google our dear Brother in Christ just now and were stunned to find this and then read that you already know. Thank you for this lovely tribute to a mighty servant of God who is now filling heaven with his powerful and irreplaceable voice praising our Savior. We miss his laugh. We miss his sparkling eyes. I need to stop. It's all too new and I can't see through the tears. We'll see you again our dear friend - we love you! Kenny & Lynette

James said...

I am a friend of Conrad and Jennifer here in Huntsville, AL. I have created a facebook group to help us all remember Conrad. He was a great man, and my life is better for having known him.

Anonymous said...

I'm trying to find the Facebook group for Conrad, please help me find it

Tony Novak-Clifford said...

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=145394812148472

Anonymous said...

Thank you.

Unknown said...

Thank you so much for posting this site. Conrad followed God's call to come to our small, diverse congregation of Disciples of Christ and our Jewish Board Chair/Praise Drummer, in Huntsville, Al to share his music and great faith with many of our brothers and sisters who are faced with life's extreme challenges. Praying for Conrad was both an individual and group effort, and God answered our prayers for Conrad's healing, just not in the way we had hoped. The last song he shared with us the Sunday prior to his surgery was Heaven is in My Heart, and it will again be sung in his memory this coming Sunday as a pronouncement of our faith and the wonderful message of strength and love he shared with us! We now give thanks that Conrad is in the light and we will continue to follow God's call to share that light with all. We will miss you dear Conrad. Rev. Sherry Birney and the congregation of Grateful Life Community Church (Disciples of Christ)