I, Linda, was born in Puunene, Maui and raised in Kihei. My dad and mom, John and Clara Ventura bought this property back in 1944 when Kihei was not really popular because we were in the "boonies" and sparsely populated! Kihei was just starting to have families buy and move from the sugar plantation housing. The only "hotel" for visitors was Maui Lu Resort on this side of the island!
My dad was the first "real" Postmaster and after he married my mom she became his postal clerk. They both worked for the Post Office well into the 1970's and walked to work every morning! The original Post Office was located in the A & B (Alexander and Baldwin) plantation store/Post Office, behind where the now existing ABC Store is located, and then moved to where the now open air Farmer's Market is located. The now existing "new" Post Office is about 2 miles down the road in the Azeka 1 Plaza Shopping Center.
My dad's family came from Portugal and my mom's family came to Maui in 1923 from Hiroshima, Japan. I have 2 half brothers from my dad's first marriage (they are Hawaiian/Chinese/Portuguese), a half brother and sister (Texan and Japanese) from my mother's first marriage and my full brother and myself (Portuguese/Japanese) from this marriage. Very diverse family!
I married Harry van't Groenewout (Dutch) in 1969. His family moved to Maui from Porterville, California in 1967. His family is originally from Holland, his parents worked with the Dutch underground during WW2, then moved with him and his brother to America. We have 2 grown children, Keoni and Kearston both are living with our 4 grandchildren in the Mainland. We love this business, making new friends and having them become our Ohana (family) and getting them acquainted with our island home, Maui!