Wayne Kaho'onei Panoke helped organize a Jan. 17, 2009 march down Kalakaua Ave. in Waikīkī to protest the state's U.S. Supreme Court appeal for the right to sell crown lands. - Photo: Blaine Fergerstrom

Aloha 'oe, Wayne Kaho'onei Panoke

Last night, Friday, November 13, 2009, at 7:00 p.m., at Queen's Hospital, with his sister, Lehua, friends Annelle Amaral, Ike Kaaihue, Ladd, Ann Bottecelli, and myself, Wayne Kahoʻonei Panoke transitioned to his new home in heaven.  Kahoonei had taken ill at the recent AHCC convention and while he was able to communicate for a few moments with his sister, Lehua, yesterday, he never recovered.
 
We have lost a booming, powerful voice in the Hawaiian community, a caring, compassionate leader, who never hesitated to stand front and center when it came to dealing with Hawaiian issues.  Standing side-by-side, he and Vicky Holt-Takamine, Ilioulaokalani Coalition, organized us in many marches.  In civic clubs, we could look for Wayne to be that voice of conviction at O'ahu Council meetings, at AHCC meetings, and the person whose gentle side called his hanai mother, Aunty Elizabeth Lau every morning to wish her a good day.
 
I will miss his morning calls, too..."Good morning, Tita.  How are you today?  What we gonna do today?"
 
His life was full and dedicated unselfishly to all of us.  I hope you will share with each other your remembrances of Wayne.  Our heartfelt condolences to his mother, sisters and brothers and to the leaders and staff of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, who took extraordinary steps to assure the comfort of Wayne during his hospitalization, and especially to Ike Kaaihue who spent every night at the hospital on Maui with Wayne to assure that he was never alone.
 
Uwē...uwē ka lani. The heavens weep today.
 
Marilyn Leimomi Khan
President
Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs