LIHU‘E — Flags will fly at half-mast at state agencies and offices today in memory of late Kaua‘i state Rep. Ezra Kanoho.
Kanoho served in the legislature for 18 years, and worked at the Hawaiian Telephone Company for 40 years, serving in various capacities, including Island Manager and Safety Director.
He was also deeply invested in the community, serving on the Mayor’s Task Force for Substance Abuse, the Board of Directors for United Way of Kaua‘i and Alu Like, as well as serving as president of the Kaua‘i Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Club of Kaua‘i.
“Rep. Ezra Kanoho, known to us as ‘Uncle Ezra,’ had impeccable style and grace,” said Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami in a recent statement. “He is a man that I will always look up to and admire. I grew up in the neighborhood where he lived and was one of the pesky kids playing ball next door. No matter how many times we ran into his yard unannounced, he greeted us with a smile to let us know we were welcome.”
Kawakami remembered Kanoho’s legacy.
“When I became a public servant many years later, he would greet me with that same humble smile,” Kawakami said. “Over the years, Uncle Ezra grew to become one of the most notable leaders that Kaua‘i will ever know. He had a way of making everyone he knew feel important and loved. Uncle Ezra has more accomplishments than most of us realize, but his greatest legacy was his kindness, gentleness, and humility. His physical presence will be deeply missed, but his spirit will live on in those whose lives he touched, and he will continue to impact our island and community for generations to come.”
Kanoho passed away last week at age 94, and is remembered fondly by other politicians.
“When I think of aloha, there are certain unique individuals that come to mind. Ezra is definitely one of them,” said U.S. Congressman Kaiali‘i “Kai” Kahele in a statement Thursday. “He will be remembered for his humility, compassion, and leadership by the many lives he touched throughout Hawai‘i, in particular, on the island of Kaua‘i, where he called home. Ezra made people feel heard and had the ability to build bridges between seemingly opposing views that may have never found mutual understanding. Throughout his more than 20 year tenure as a state representative, Ezra followed a strong moral compass and made the people his priority.”
Kanoho was born in Lihu‘e, where he attended Kamehameha Schools, as well as Kaua‘i Community College and Honolulu Community College where he earned an Associate in Science degree.
