CORRECTION: A previous version of this story erroneously stated Herbert Watanabe was president of the Hilo Little League. Watanabe was president of the Waiakea Lions when it sponsored the Waiakea Little League, before it changed its name to Hilo Little League in 1990. The Tribune-Herald regrets the error.
Herbert S. Watanabe, former elected member and chairman of the state Board of Education, died Feb. 21 in Honolulu. He was 93.
Watanabe served on the board between 1996-2012. He was its chairman between 2001-2003.
Born in Wailuku, Maui, Watanabe graduated from Lanai High School in 1946 and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in industrial and vocational education at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. The career educator came to Hawaii Island in 1952 to teach industrial arts at what was then Pahala High and Elementary Schools in Ka‘u.
He left for Kauai in 1955, where he taught at Kauai Technical School and became vice principal of Kapaa High and Elementary School, then started a vocational school at the former Oahu Prison in 1961.
In 1962, Watanabe returned to Hilo to be principal of the former Hawaii Technical School. In 1964, he became the Department of Education’s Hawaii District business and facilities specialist until his retirement in 1992.
His life was one of community service. Watanabe was an Eagle Scout who received the Silver Beaver award for community service and Outstanding Eagle Scout as recognized by the National Eagle Scout Association. He was an active volunteer for the Kilauea and Aloha councils of the Boy Scouts of America and former scout executive with the Maui Council.
In recognition of more than 70 years of service, Lions International posthumously awarded Watanabe its Medal of Honor. That service included being former president and secretary of the Waiakea Lions Club and a past international director for Lions Clubs International.
Current Waiakea Lions President Wayne Kuwaye said Watanabe served as district governor — basically the top Lions official in the state in 1979-1980.
“One of the significant things that happened during his term was the formation of the Hawaii Lions/Makana Foundation Eye Bank,” Kuwaye said. “He was proud that was started during his term. It’s something that’s still in existence today.”
According to Kuwaye, with Watanabe, “everything was Lions.”
“I think if they performed surgery on him, they cut him open, he’d roar,” Kuwaye said.
Watanabe was a Hawaii Army National Guard veteran and board member of the Church of the Holy Cross and the Lyman Museum. In addition, Watanabe served as a local YMCA director.
For his achievements, Watanabe received two state Senate certificates for distinguished community service and a state House of Representatives commendation. He also received the Department of Education Sustained Superior Performance Award and the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. In addition, he was the first recipient of the Grand Ambassador Award presented by the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau.
A celebration of life and memorial service will held at a later date at the Church of the Holy Cross. In lieu flowers or koden (monetary gifts) the family requests memorial donations to the Lions Eye Bank of Hawaii, the Aloha Council of the Boy Scouts of America, or the Lyman Museum.
Watanabe is survived by his sons, Mark (Emily) Watanabe of Hilo, Colin (Cherie) Watanabe of Honolulu, David (Debra) Watanabe of Pearl City, Oahu, and Lt. Col. Nathan (Blanche) Watanabe of Colorado Springs, Colo; seven grandchildren and a great-granddaughter.
His wife, Ellen Tamura Watanabe, died in 2002.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
