When people hear a soft ukulele and the opening notes of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow / What a Wonderful World,” they think of Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwoʻole, the beloved Hawaiian singer whose voice carried the islands to the rest of the world. Fewer know Marlene Kamakawiwoʻole, his wife of nearly 15 years, who met him as a teenager, gave up her own career as a performer to support him, and stayed by his side through a marriage that — like many real ones — had both devotion and real difficulty.
Quick Bio of Marlene Kamakawiwoʻole
| Detail | Information |
| Name | Marlene Kamakawiwoʻole |
| Known For | Wife of singer Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwoʻole |
| Born | 1962 (specific birthdate not publicly confirmed) |
| Background | Hula dancer who performed in Honolulu, Tokyo, Omaha, and Idaho before marriage |
| Husband | Israel Kamakawiwoʻole (married September 18, 1982; widowed June 26, 1997) |
| Daughter | Ceslie-Ann “Wehi” Kamakawiwoʻole, born around 1983 |
| Residence | Hawaii |
Who Is Marlene Kamakawiwoʻole?
Marlene Kamakawiwoʻole is best known as the wife of Israel Kamakawiwoʻole, the singer and ukulele player whose rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow / What a Wonderful World” became one of the most recognized Hawaiian recordings in the world. She knew him for years before his fame, married him in 1982, and was at his side through the health struggles that eventually led to his death in 1997 at age 38. Unlike many celebrity spouses, she has deliberately stayed out of public life since.
Her Life as a Young Hula Dancer
Before her marriage, Marlene was a working hula dancer. By accounts drawn from published biographical material about Israel, including the book Iz: The Voice of Hawaii, she had performed as far afield as Honolulu, Tokyo, Omaha, and Idaho by the time she was 14 — the age at which she met her future husband.
Meeting Israel Kamakawiwoʻole
Marlene and Israel met as teenagers, when he was already playing ukulele and performing around Hawaii. According to accounts drawn from published biographical material, he reportedly told her early on, “I am going to marry you one day” — a claim she didn’t take seriously at the time but which turned out to be true.
Their 1982 Wedding
Marlene and Israel married on September 18, 1982, at Ka Makua Mau Loa Church in Kalihi, Hawaii; she was 20. The wedding, planned for around 500 guests, drew roughly 1,000 attendees, and her parents reportedly took out a second mortgage on their home to cover the unexpectedly large celebration.
Giving Up Her Hula Career
After the wedding, Marlene stepped away from her dancing career. According to the same biographical sourcing, Israel told her, “There is only room for one entertainer” — and she set aside performing to support his growing music career and their family, though she occasionally danced on stage during his performances in later years.
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Their Marriage — A More Complicated Picture
Their marriage is often described in broad, sentimental terms online, but more detailed biographical accounts describe real strain alongside the devotion: Israel was frequently out late, and the couple went through periods of separation during which Marlene took their daughter to stay with her mother for extended stretches. By some accounts, she considered leaving the marriage more than once. The couple reportedly reconciled after Israel suffered a heart attack, after which Marlene helped care for him even during a period when they were living apart. This is a more layered picture than the simple “ups and downs, love stayed strong” framing that circulates in shorter profiles, and it should be read with appropriate caution, since detailed day-to-day accounts of the marriage rely on secondhand biographical reporting rather than Marlene’s own public statements.
Their Daughter, Wehi
Marlene and Israel had one daughter, Ceslie-Ann Kamakawiwoʻole, known as “Wehi” (her name is also rendered “Ceslieanne” in some contemporaneous news coverage). She was 14 years old at the time of her father’s death in 1997, placing her birth around 1982–1983.
Israel’s Death and Funeral
Israel Kamakawiwoʻole died on June 26, 1997, at Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu at age 38, following respiratory failure linked to long-standing weight-related health problems; he had been hospitalized on and off for more than a month beforehand. Family members said Marlene remained at the hospital through the night and was by his side when he died, describing her as “a tower of strength” during that period.
His funeral drew roughly 10,000 people, and his koa casket lay in state at the Hawaii State Capitol — making him just the third person, and the only non-government official, honored that way. Hawaii’s flags were flown at half-staff. On July 12, 1997, about two weeks after his death, thousands gathered at Mākua Beach as his ashes were scattered into the Pacific from the voyaging canoe Hōkūleʻa.
Life Since 1997
Marlene has kept her life almost entirely private since Israel’s death, raising their daughter and later becoming a grandmother. In a 2010 interview cited in later biographical coverage, she indicated that royalties from Israel’s music continued to provide financial support. Specific, independently confirmed details about her current daily life, residence, or activities in recent years are not publicly available.
What Isn’t Reliably Known
Several details commonly repeated about Marlene Kamakawiwoʻole aren’t independently confirmed: her exact birthdate, a specific profession such as “medical worker” alongside her hula career, a precise net worth figure (often cited online as around $3 million without a disclosed basis), and detailed claims about her grandchildren’s lives today, including whether any of them play ukulele. These should be treated as unverified rather than established fact.
Final Thoughts
Marlene Kamakawiwoʻole’s story is frequently told as a simple, sentimental footnote to her husband’s legacy, but the fuller picture — drawn from biographical accounts rather than tribute pieces — is of a woman who gave up her own performing career at 20, weathered real difficulty in her marriage, and still stayed present through her husband’s final, difficult month of life. She has spent the nearly three decades since his death keeping that story, and her own, largely out of public view.
FAQs About Marlene Kamakawiwoʻole
Who is Marlene Kamakawiwoʻole?
She is the widow of Hawaiian singer Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwoʻole, whom she married in 1982.
How did Marlene and Israel Kamakawiwoʻole meet?
They met as teenagers, when she was around 14 and already an experienced hula dancer, and he was performing locally on ukulele.
When did they marry?
On September 18, 1982, at Ka Makua Mau Loa Church in Kalihi, Hawaii, in a wedding that drew roughly double its expected guest count.
Do Marlene and Israel Kamakawiwoʻole have children?
Yes, one daughter, Ceslie-Ann “Wehi” Kamakawiwoʻole, born around 1982–83.
How did Israel Kamakawiwoʻole die?
He died on June 26, 1997, at age 38, of respiratory failure linked to long-term weight-related health problems.
What happened to Israel Kamakawiwoʻole’s ashes?
They were scattered into the Pacific Ocean at Mākua Beach on July 12, 1997, from the voyaging canoe Hōkūleʻa, with thousands of mourners present.
Where is Marlene Kamakawiwoʻole today?
She has lived a private life since her husband’s death; specific, independently confirmed details about her current circumstances aren’t publicly available.
