Retiree News

Dad,

In your 91 years of life, you have done so much. In your younger years, you were a rascal of a boy often dragging your beloved sister, Mary Ruth along on all sorts of adventures. Your favorite adventure that you would tell people in your later years is the one of the dairy farm. “I was seven and my sister was five; we went to the dairy. We were gone all day and it was dark by the time we got home. We walked in the house and I was sure daddy would spank us. He asked me ‘Jack, where have you been?’ I replied, we were suffering for Jesus’. Daddy turned on his heels and left. This is when I KNEW I would be a politician.” Being a family man, you would return often to California to attend family reunions. You loved Classical and Jazz Music, especially Turk Murphy. You loved that your brother Billy played in the San Francisco Jazz band and would tell anyone you knew. Your favorite song was, Shadow of Your Smile by Tony Bennett and you would make sure the nurses in the hospital knew this. You loved the smell of white ginger, which lined Old Mamalahoa Highway on the way to The Farm, and would often have some in the house in Honokaa. An athlete all of your life, your passions were flying, biking, dancing hula, sailing, hunting, surfing, skiing, soccer, being a paniolo, and being a racquetball and squash champion. You enjoyed being “grandad” to 11 grandchildren, and “GGPA” to 18 great grandchildren.

Your accolades will leave a mark on the hearts of all who knew you. You first came to Hawaii on a football scholarship in 1949. You joined the U.S. Army prior to graduation from the University of Hawaii Manoa and served in Korea during the war. You returned to Hawaii and later transferred to the U.S. Air Force (USAF) after graduation. After jet fighter pilot training, you were a combat ready fighter pilot, instrument flight examiner, tactical evaluation officer, and operational planner for about fifteen years. Your first major plan was planning the first deployments of fighters by the Hawaii Air National Guard (ANG). You were certified as a staff Judge Advocate and finished your military career as the joint staff Judge Advocate for both the Army and Air National Guard units, State of Hawaii. You retired from the USAF and ANG, in 1984 with a rank of Colonel. You often asked your grandkids and great grandkids, “Who is going to be the next fighter pilot?”. You wanted us to follow in your footsteps. Being a pilot in the Air Force was just the start of your flying career as you went on to become a Captain at Hawaiian Airlines in 1958 and did so for the next 31 years. You had often said that “when I was at Hawaiian, I never had a bad day, I loved to fly”. You would also fly gliders out at Dillingham Air with Honolulu Soaring Oahu. You loved to take people up in gliders. You were proud to be a member of the Dandelions and would talk about them often. You were also part of the Quiet Birdmen group and would love to attend meetings and tell jokes You hardly ever missed a meeting. Even when you were in the hospital, you would ask if there was a meeting.

In 1965, practicing law was a way for you to help people. You were kind and generous and often thought of others before thinking of yourself. You would let people know “if you need free legal advice, here is my card”. When you were in the hospital, months before your passing you would say, ” Sanae, have my cards when you come visit in case someone needs help”. While attending law school at St. Mary’s University College of Law, San Antonio, Texas you joined the Air National Guard and flew the Delta Dagger, F-102, which you would tell the doctors in the hospital that this was by far your favorite jet to fly. Being a lifelong Republican, you thought to try your hand at politics, where you left your mark in the State House of Representatives from 1970-1978. During this time, you had a knack and passion for politics, not stopping there you went on to the State Senate from 1978-1980. While in the House and Senate, you went on to propose many bills, such as The Shoreline Protection bill, The Sunshine bill and endangered species protection before there were federal laws protecting turtles and monk seals. You would “work hard for the little guy”. You were elected GOP party chairman in 1980. In 1989, you formed Hawaii Aviation Contract Services, which provided pilots to Japan Airlines, Nippon Cargo Airways, and All Nippon Airlines. You formed the company with your partner, co-founder and best friend, Alexander “Blackie” Bell.

You approached life with enormous drive and commitment. In the months before you passed, you fought a heroic fight, even after your illness, to live as you did your entire life. After your stay at Tripler Army Medical Center, you were well taken care of at Palolo Chinese “Hotel”, as you would refer to it often. The nurses would often tell us, “Your dad is so funny, I love his jokes, he loved telling the “frayed knot joke” and he is so nice.” The nurses would refer to you often as “Uncle John”. Your friends would say that you were a kind soul, generous and forgiving

We love you so much Dad and hope to make you proud. Your children, Jackie (Alice), Nani, Joey (Helen), Kirk, Dianne Sanae and Dorothy Lark

Private memorial services were held.

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