Kumu hula Marlene Hokulani DeRego, who shared her love of hula and Hawaiian culture with thousands of students across the globe, has died of cancer at age 57.

“Auntie Hoku” and her husband, Lawrence “Larry” DeRego, founded Halau Hula ‘o Hokulani in her hometown of Wahiawa in 1985 and later moved it to Waipahu, but its reach extended much farther. De- Rego taught hula to students in Hawaii, the mainland, Japan, New Zealand and Europe.

“She has a heart of gold,” said fellow kumu hula Chinky Mahoe, who got to know her when they were kids paddling canoe.

“You can tell that she loves people and will do anything for you. You talk about aloha and you talk about the Hawaiian aunties and their smile — well, she was it!”

Halau Hula ‘o Hokulani focuses on sharing hula and Hawaiian values not only with its dancers, but their families, as a means of working and playing together. Students learn to dance and chant, make lei, play the ukulele and other instruments, all of it interwoven with Hawaiian history and culture.

“Her passion for carrying the hula around the world but also perpetuating it here in Hawaii goes beyond words,” said Donalyn Dela Cruz, who was in DeRego’s first hula class. “She was born to teach and share the Hawaiian culture, traditions and stories and hula. There is no doubt about that.”

DeRego was diagnosed with stage four ovarian cancer just six months ago. She died Friday at Kaiser Moanalua Medical Center.

“It’s difficult to know that this disease can take such a beautiful soul so quickly from us,” said Dela Cruz, who became a hanai daughter to her. “We all wish that we had more time. She had grand plans for many things.”

A stream of visitors came to the hospital to bid her farewell, and DeRego was surrounded by family and friends when she died.

“I went to see Hoku the day before she passed away, and I sang to her,” said Melveen Leed, a longtime friend. “She heard me. She had such a nice response.”

“She was a great, great hula teacher,” Leed said. “I think she was like a mother to all of her halau. She was a very caring person.”

Auntie Hoku handled the hula instruction while her husband led other aspects of the halau, including educational trips to sites where students learned the historical context of the dances.

The DeRegos established the Hula ‘Oni E Hula Festival in 1991, which has attracted hundreds of halau over the years. The festival has also been held in Tokyo and Osaka, and a Hula ‘Oni E Hula Festival Concert is set for October in Vienna.

Mahoe remembers traveling overseas with DeRego to spread the love of hula.

“We traveled together back and forth to Japan to judge hula competitions and stuff,” he said. “It was always laughter, always laughter. We would just have a great time.”

Hoku and Larry DeRego, married for 36 years, were recognized in April by the state Senate for their contributions to Hawaiian culture and values. Their award-winning halau has taken part in many competitions, including the Keiki Hula Competition and the Merrie Monarch Festival.

Born July 30, 1958, De- Rego taught Hawaiiana in the public schools. She came from the hula line of Lokalia Montgomery. Halau Hula ‘o Hokulani traces its heritage to Blossom Kailiponi Clark, Larry DeRego’s mother, who was recognized as a Living Treasure of Hawaii.

“Auntie Hoku made a huge impression on thousands of people,” Dela Cruz said. “She was just such a loving and generous and sometimes kolohe (mischievous) human being. When you walked in, no matter how long she knew you, you just felt immediately comfortable, and you felt loved and welcome.”

The halau will continue under the leadership of her daughters Leinani DeRego Lauaki, Kehaulani Kawai and Leonani Nahooikaika.

DeRego is also survived by daughters Blossom Fabregas and Kim Nakamitsu; sons Dustin DeRego and Larry Boy DeRego; sisters Charlene Diamond, Darlene Butts and Momi Cruz-Losano; and brothers Panihau Cruz and Greg Cruz.

Services are pending.