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Spouses of the mayors of Honolulu

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Donna Tanoue spouse of Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell

The spouse of the mayor of Honolulu is an unpaid ceremonial position. Those who have filled the position have been a reflection of the history of the islands. Several were of Hawaiian ancestry. Emma Fern was a Hawaiian chanter and dancer. Kini Kapahu Wilson was not only a proponent of women's voting suffrage, but also found fame as a hula dancer who performed for heads of state around the world.

Where Hawaiian ancestry was involved, including the cultural tradition of informal adoption known as hānai, some of the spouses were known by more than one name in addition to their married names. The practice itself, sometimes described as the Hawaiian foster care system, blurs the accuracy of how many children in a family are the issue of either parent, or fostered into the family. For that reason, obituaries often varied from source to source in reporting the number of children of the deceased.[1]

So far, Eileen Anderson has been the only woman mayor, and her husband Clifford F. Anderson was retired from his position as an officer with the Honolulu Police Department when she ran for office. Mayor Frank Fasi married Cherry Blossom Queen contestant Joyce Kono. Lucy Thurston Blaisdell was a school teacher for decades, and Gail Mukaihata Hanneman served as a United States congressional staffer or years, before returning to Hawaii when her husband ran for mayor. Donna Tanoue has a background in financial investment, has served on several corporate boards, and earned her J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center.

Spouses of the mayors of Honolulu

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Name Image Birth–Death Term Mayor Notes Ref(s)
Sheba Alapai Fern (1872−1910) 1909–1910 Joseph J. Fern They married in 1894. Mother of sixteen children, she was his second wife. She died April 1910. [2][3]
Emma Fern (1872–1937) 1910–1915
1917–1920 		Joseph J. Fern Joseph Fern served two non-consecutive terms as Mayor, and had 17 children by his first two wives. Hawaiian chanter and dancer Emma Keliikekukahilikaleleokalahikiolaokalani Smith Silva (or Sylva) became Mayor Fern's third wife on August 15, 1910. She had 9 children of her own, and together they had one child, Victoria Kukahilihiapoaliilani. They were then parents and/or step parents of their combined 27 children. He died during his second term in office, and she survived him by 17 years, dying on September 24, 1937. Her obituary gave her name as Emma K. Hiram Fern. [4]
Alice Kia Nāhaolelua Lane (1889–1959) 1915–1917 John C. Lane Known by several names. She was the daughter of the hānai (informally adopted) son of Governor of Maui Paul Nahaolelua. The wedding announcement referred to her as Alice Nahaolelua. Her obituary refers to her as Alice Kalakini Lane. Her mother was a lady-in-waiting to Queen Liliuokalani, who mentioned her in her book as "Mrs. Kia Nahaolelua". Alice's mother accompanied the queen to Washington D. C. [5][6]
Kini Kapahu Wilson (1872–1962) 1920–1927
1929–1931
1947–1955 		John H. Wilson Wilson served three non-consecutive terms as Mayor. Kini Wilson was a hula dancer during the reign of Kalākaua, a suffragist, and named by Hawaii Magazine as one of "15 extraordinary Hawaii women who inspire us all" She toured the world, performed for Kaiser Wilhelm II and Tsar Nicholas II [7]
Julia Kaanaana Arnold (1889–1967) 1927–1929 Charles N. Arnold Julia was Mayor Arnold's second wife. He had 6 children with Charlotte K. Taylor who died in 1916. Children by that marriage were Charles Jr., Alfred, William, Cecelia, George and Arthur. In 1918, he married Julia Kaanaana Colburn, daughter of John F. Colburn and Julia Naoho. Together, they also had 6 children - Shaster, June, Alice, Evonne, Frances and Thomas. [8]
May Martha Lycett (1885–1978) 1931–1938 George F. Wright Born in Honolulu. Married September 11, 1905. Her mother's name was Annie, and her father James Lycett emigrated from Australia in 1876, employed by the Honolulu Iron Works. Her father's 1917 obituary lists his 11 living children; besides May, there was John, Sarah, Emma, Maud, Edith, Alice, William, Ada, Florence and Bertha. [9]
Vacant 1938–1941 Charles Crane Hazel Jennings Crane died in 1918 [10]
Mary Kamala Crewes Petrie (1885–1971) 1941–1947 Lester Petrie Born in Lahaina, she was the daughter of an English immigrant. Married in 1912, their children were Ramona, Wesley and Irma. She had membership in the Daughters of Hawaii. Named "Hawaii's Senior Citizen of 1965". [11]
Lucy Thurston Blaisdell (1903–1986) 1955–1969 Neal Blaisdell Born in Honolulu to Helen A. Meek and Charles Henry Thurston, she attended Punahou School. Lucy met her husband when she was in high school, and taught school for 36 years. The couple had two daughters, Velma and Marilyn. She christened the SS Matsonia in 1957. [12]
Joyce Miyeku Kono Fasi (1937–) 1969–1981
1985–1994 		Frank Fasi Frank Fasi served two non-consecutive terms as Mayor. Joyce Fasi graduated from the University of Hawaii, and was stepmother to Fasi's children from a previous marriage. She was runner-up in the 1957 Cherry Blossom Queen contest. [13]
Clifford F. Anderson — 1981–1985 Eileen Anderson At the time of her election, her husband Clifford F. Anderson had retired from the Honolulu Police Department. They are the parents of three children. [14]
Ramona Sachiko Akui — 1994–2004 Jeremy Harris Ramona and Jeremy divorced in 2008 [15]
Gail Mukaihata — 2005–2010 Mufi Hannemann Former US Congressional staff member, she served on the American Samoa Economic Advisory Commission, and has been a director of the Hawaii Medical Assurance Association. [16]
Judy Carlisle — 2010–2013 Peter Carlisle Cat lover [17]
Donna Tanoue (1954–) 2013–2021 Kirk Caldwell Tanoue has a financial investment background. She was the 17th chairperson of the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) from May 26, 1998, until July 11, 2001. Subsequently, in April 2002, she became Vice chairperson and Managing Committee member of the Bank of Hawaii. She holds a J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center. [18]
Karen Chang — 2021–present Rick Blangiardi Chang has corporate experience, having worked with American Express and Charles Schwab, and was recently board chair of Hawaii Pacific Health. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she founded The Creative City, a project to promote culture and the arts on Oahu. [19]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "hā.nai". Hawaiian Dictionaries. Retrieved December 23, 2017.; Staton, Ron (August 24, 2003). "Native blood and custom clash". Honolulu Star-Bulletin Hawaii News. Retrieved December 23, 2017.
  2. ^ "Mayor Fern's Wife Is Dead". The Honolulu Advertiser – via Newspapers.com (subscription required) . April 29, 1910. p. 8, col. 3. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  3. ^ Grave Marker of Sheba Kaihekui Alapai Fern. Kalihi, HI: Puea Cemetery.
  4. ^ "Widow of First Honolulu Mayor Called By Death". The Honolulu Advertiser – via Newspapers.com (subscription required) . September 26, 1937. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  5. ^ Liliuokalani 1898, pp. 305, 307, 313, 349.
  6. ^ "John C. Lane Was Married Yesterday". The Honolulu Advertiser – via Newspapers.com (subscription required) . March 15, 1909. p. 1, col. 6. Retrieved December 21, 2017.; "Alice Kalakini Lane". The Honolulu Advertiser – via Newspapers.com (subscription required) . June 29, 1959. p. 14, col. 1. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  7. ^ Deneff, Matthew (March 8, 2017). "15 extraordinary Hawaiʻi women who inspire us all". Hawaii Magazine. Retrieved December 21, 2017.;Holmes, Gillian S. (2002). "Wilson, Kini (1872–1962)". In Commire, Anne (ed.). Women in World History: A Biographical Encyclopedia. Waterford, Connecticut: Yorkin Publications. ISBN 0-7876-4074-3. Archived from the original on 2016-02-20. Retrieved 2017-12-21.
  8. ^ "Suupervisor Arnold Joins Married Ranks". The Honolulu Advertiserr – via Newspapers.com (subscription required) . September 1, 1918. p. 2, col. 5. Retrieved December 21, 2017.; "Julia Arnold, widow of ex-mayor dies". Honolulu Star-Bulletinr – via Newspapers.com (subscription required) . July 27, 1967. p. 44. Retrieved December 21, 2017.; "Former Mayor Arnold Dead, Funeral At 4". Honolulu Star-Bulletin – via Newspapers.com (subscription required) . October 29, 1929. p. 1, col. 3. Retrieved December 22, 2017.; "C. N. Arnold Once Mayor of Honolulu Succumbs Monday". Honolulu Star-Bulletin – via Newspapers.com (subscription required) . October 29, 1929. p. 3, col. 2. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
  9. ^ "May Wright widow of mayor". The Honolulu Advertiser – via Newspapers.com (subscription required) . February 28, 1978. Retrieved December 21, 2017.; "Marriages Oahu". ulukau.org. Retrieved December 21, 2017.; "Dies After 40 Years Residence". Honolulu Star-Bulletin – via Newspapers.com (subscription required) . January 18, 1917. p. 1, col. 5. Retrieved December 23, 2017.
  10. ^ "Mrs. Crane Dies On Coast On Eve Of Her Homecoming". Honolulu Star-Bulletin – via Newspapers.com (subscription required) . October 21, 1918. p. 1, col. 3. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  11. ^ "Mrs. Lester Petrie Gets Honorary". The Honolulu Advertiser – via Newspapers.com (subscription required) . June 10, 1965. p. 33, col. 1. Retrieved December 21, 2017.; "Mary C. Petrie". Honolulu Star-Bulletin – via Newspapers.com (subscription required) . August 6, 1971. p. 32, col. 2. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  12. ^ "Lucy Thurston Blaisdell dies at 83". The Honolulu Advertiser – via Newspapers.com (subscription required) . December 18, 1986. p. 1. Retrieved December 21, 2017.; "from page one: Lucy Thurston Blaisdell dies at 83". The Honolulu Advertiser – via Newspapers.com (subscription required) . December 18, 1986. p. 4. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  13. ^ "Joyce Fasi Wins 'A+' From The Mayor". The Honolulu Advertiser – via Newspapers.com (subscription required) . January 21, 1969. p. 29. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  14. ^ Leavitt 1985, pp. 7–8.
  15. ^ "After City Hall stint, Harris returned to science, academics". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. February 17, 2011. Retrieved December 21, 2017.; "Char Asian-Pacific Study Room -". library.kapiolani.hawaii.edu. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  16. ^ Forum, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health. "Gail Mukaihata Hannemann : Board Members: About Us: APIAHF". www.apiahf.org. Retrieved December 21, 2017.; "Officers and Directors | HMAA". www.hmaa.com. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  17. ^ "Animal Companions". The Honolulu Advertiser – via Newspapers.com (subscription required) . January 17, 2010. p. 59. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  18. ^ "Donna Tanoue – FDIC 1999 Annual Report". FDIC. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  19. ^ "ABOUT". The Creative City. The Creative City. Retrieved 6 November 2023.

Bibliography

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