Longtime Hawaii entertainer Buddy Fo, 78, died April 30 following a heart attack. Buddy is best known for forming the Invitations vocal-instrumental group, which was big in Waikiki in the 1960s. He was Martin Denny’s bongo player prior to forming the Invitations. His wife Sammi, a singer-dancer, performed with him in later years. Survivors include their son Kanai. According to his sister-in-law Evonne George, Buddy, who had been living on the Big Island, suffered a heart attack April 29 and was flown to Queen’s on Oahu, where he died at 2 a.m. the next day. Buddy’s brothers Henry, Talbot and Nolan George played together in the University of Hawaii football backfield in the late 1950s.

Buddy was well-respected by Hawaii’s entertainers and many of them will take part in a celebration of his life May 26 at the Elks Club, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The service will take place from 10 to 11 a.m. Among the performers scheduled thus far are: emcee Kimo Kahoano, Eddie Kamae, Danny Kaleikini, Imaikalani Young, Iva and Kalani Kinimaka, Audy Kimura, Gary Aiko, Marlene Sai, Boyce Rodrigues, Teresa Bright, Sam Ahia, Brickwood Galuteria, Steve Jones, Benny Chong, Eddie Palama, Gordon Alfapada, Gregg Kaneaiakala, Kevin Mau, Na Hoku Pa, Billy Brooks and Brent Kalua. Organizers include Sammi and Kanai, Mike R. Kelly, Imaikalani, Jerry Nutt, Henry and Evonne George and their daughter Hayley Cerit. …

RETIRED HPD Lt. Stan Atkins, 81, a former Roosevelt athlete, died April 30. Stan had long been incapacitated following a stroke. …

PBS Hawaii’s “Jimmy Borges: After Dark” will never get old. Jimmy and his “A Team” of musicians served up a delicious platter of standards, heavy on jazz and swing, and also threw in romantic ballads in the May 5 rerun. The “A Team” included Betty Loo Taylor on piano, Gabe Baltazar on alto sax, Steve Jones on bass and Noel Okimoto on drums and vibes. The versatile Matt Catingub played tenor sax and piano and also sang. Singer Pauline Wilson was a bonus. Jimmy’s patter and photos of celebs he has met during his long singing career were another plus in the program, filmed in 2009. …

BUMPED into Paula Rath and her husband Dr. Jerry Mayfield on Mother’s Day and she said that after last week’s item in Wood Craft about Palama Settlement needing $2,000 to keep two programs for kids running, a donor stepped up with the funds. Paula said she and Palama officials are grateful. Palama Settlement was founded by Paula’s grandparents, James and Ragna Rath. Paula is a board member and is chairing the centennial of the incorporation of Palama Settlement. A Nov. 20 event is planned. …

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Ben Wood, who sold the Star-Bulletin on Honolulu streets in World War II, writes of people, places and things.

E-mail him at bwood@staradvertiser.com