In Memoriam - Dr. Kris Oka, DDS (1945-2022)

March 19, 2023 • Addison Ching • News

Dr. Hideki "Kris" Oka passed away unexpectedly in his San Francisco home on December 13, 2022. He was 77.

His obituary states that although beyond retirement age, he continued to see patients twice a week, remaining active as a dentist. Partial retirement allowed him to devote time to his passion for playing the Hawaiian steel string guitar, cycling, and spending time in Hawaii.

Dr. Kris Oka at the 2019
Kaua‘i Steel Guitar Festival

Dr. Kris Oka

Kris looking for his music at the
2018 Maui Steel Guitar Festival

His obituary gives more information about Kris.

"As a youth, he was a member of the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 58 of Konko Church, achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. The love of the outdoors, camping and fishing remained with him throughout his life. Hideki played Varsity Football at Lowell High School, loved to ski in the Sierras and in the Rockies, enjoyed cycling, and had a passion for surfing that took him frequently to Hawaii.

"Hideki was an accomplished ukelele player and more recently he had mastered the Hawaiian steel guitar, traveling often to Hawaii where he enjoyed the aloha spirit of his local friends and a mutual love of Hawaiian music."

Many steel guitarists attending the Maui Steel Guitar Festival, Kaua‘i Steel Guitar Festival, and Hawai‘i Island teel Guitar Festival heard Kris perform. Accompanied by his prerecorded musical tracks, he played a wide range of selections from Hawaiian to Elvis.

Kris' success in the dental field allowed him to grow his collection of vintage steel guitars, and he shared his instruments with deserving young steel guitarists. The Bronson bakelite used by NextGen steel guitarist Joey Misailidis was given to her by Kris.

Lately he had taken up purchasing and modifying 6-string Magnatone steel guitars by adding a seventh string to the instrument, placing the tuning key at the top center of the headstock.

He is survived by his younger sister, Gail Morin (Pierre Morin) and four nephews. A memorial service is pending for family and closest friends. He will be interred at the Japanese cemetery in Colma.

Here's Kris performiing "Koke‘e": at the 2018 Hawai‘i Island Steel Guitar Festival at Mauna Lani.

This video can also be seen on YouTube.