2024 In Memoriam

A number of the University of Hawaiʻi’s most respected educators, researchers, graduates and supporters passed in 2024. Here are their In Memoriam stories, in reverse chronological order. Each one of them had a profound impact on the university, Hawaiʻi and the world.

Anthony Marsella, trailblazing cultural psychology leader
A distinguished psychologist and transformative academic leader, Marsella’s groundbreaking work challenged long-standing Western psychological paradigms, emphasizing the critical importance of cultural context in understanding human behavior and mental health.

Craig Glenn, sedimentologist, pioneer on submarine groundwater
Glenn was known worldwide for his pioneering research on submarine groundwater discharge in Hawaiʻi, especially in developing and applying remote sensing techniques. He was a key instructor in the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology for essential and famous courses in sedimentology.

Hugh Hi-Woong Kang, trailblazing Korean studies historian, visionary builder
A scholar of ancient and medieval Korea, Kang was one of the first Korea historians to become a faculty member in a history department in the U.S. and helped UH Mānoa become the first university in the U.S. to grant a PhD in Korean history.

Stephen Vaughn Smith, carbonate geochemist
Smith was a well-respected scientist whose endeavors focused on biogeochemical processes at a global scale. He was a master at identifying ecosystems whose emergent properties could be addressed directly through simple measurements.

Caroline Sinavaiana-Gabbard, poet, professor, pioneer
Sinavaiana-Gabbard is the first Samoan in the country to achieve the highest academic rank of professor. The award-winning author and poet was recognized as one of the influential women from U.S. territories and made USA Today’s Women of the Century list.

Pan-Alberta Pukahi, longtime UH Mānoa DPS Captain
Pukahi was known and loved by many at UH Mānoa, where she was the first female captain at the Department of Public Safety.

Yong-Ho Ch’oe, Korean studies, history pioneer
Ch’oe was a trailblazing scholar of Korean history and Korean American history, as well as an early advocate of Korean studies. He was a founding member of the UH Mānoa Center for Korean Studies, the oldest and largest center devoted to Korean studies outside of Korea, established in 1972.

Barry Weinman, a life of generosity and impact
Weinman’s legacy is intertwined with the story of Virginia, his partner in life and philanthropy. He believed that all people should have control over their bodies and health throughout life’s journey. The Weinmans dedicated themselves to supporting the UH Mānoa John A. Burns School of Medicine and the UH Cancer Center.

Patsy Dung, first Rainbow Wahine basketball coach
A pioneer in advancing women’s sports in Hawaiʻi, Dung was hired by UH women’s athletic director Donnis Thompson in 1974 to lead the university’s newly established women’s basketball program. She coached the team while also serving as a physical education teacher at Farrington High School

John Richards, Kapiʻolani CC hospitality dean
John Lindsay Richards Jr., Kapiʻolani CC’s dean of hospitality, legal, business and technology, left a legacy of creativity, compassion and unwavering dedication to career and technical education. He was a multifaceted individual who shared his culinary arts and music passions with the community.

Emme Tomimbang, Hawaiʻi broadcast veteran
A UH alumna, Tomimbang was a trailblazer in the Filipino community and a pioneer in radio and television in Hawaiʻi. Breaking barriers for local women, she hosted her own radio show in her teens, interviewed international celebrities at KITV, launched the Morning News on KHON Channel 2, and founded her own production company.

Fred T. Mackenzie, legendary UH faculty, scientist
Much has been written about the breadth of Mackenzie’s scientific contributions, but he was most proud of founding the Global Environmental Sciences program in the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, the first of its kind in the U.S.