HAWAII FLAGS TO FLY AT HALF-STAFF IN HONOR OF FORMER STATE SEN. HENRY TAKITANI

Governor Linda Lingle has ordered the Hawaii State flag at state and county buildings throughout Hawaii to fly at half-staff on Sunday, July 19, 2009, from sunrise to sunset, in honor of former State Senator Henry T. “Hank” Takitani who died earlier this month.

The Governor’s proclamation also encourages residents to display the state flag at half-staff at their homes and businesses that day.  Memorial services are set for July 19 on Maui.

The text of the Governor’s proclamation to lower the flag in honor of former State Senator Takitani follows:

PROCLAMATION

The people of Hawai’i mourn the loss of Henry T. Takitani, former state senator, who passed away on July 6, 2009 at the age of 85.

Senator Takitani devoted his life and career to helping others, championing higher education throughout the state, especially on the neighbor islands.

Prior to entering politics, Takitani joined the Army and was assigned to Company K of the highly decorated 100^th Battalion, 442^nd Infantry. He later earned an economics degree from Illinois College before returning to Maui to join the family business. With the encouragement of his friends from the Army, Takitani ran for office, drawing much support through a successful grass-roots campaign.

Elected to the state House of Representatives in 1968, Takitani made a successful run for the Senate, where he served for 10 years. He greatly valued education and served as chairman of the Senate Higher Education Committee, where he worked to expand the University of Hawai’i as a way to give local students a viable option for college without leaving home. In addition to improving the university academically, he also advocated the building of more dormitories on the Mānoa campus and improving Maui Technical College, which later joined the University of Hawai’i system as Maui Community College.

Hawai’i is a richer place because of dedicated public servants like Henry T. Takitani, who was committed to strengthening our community and helping our residents thrive. Sen. Takitani will be deeply missed, and our hearts and prayers go out to his wife Shirley; daughters Sheila Kawahara, Cheryl Takitani-Smith and Roxanne Teshima; six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

With deep respect and gratitude, we honor the memory of HENRY T. TAKITANI.

THEREFORE, I, LINDA LINGLE, Governor of the State of Hawai’i, do hereby order the lowering of the Hawai’i State Flag to half-staff on all state and county buildings from sunrise to sunset on July 19, 2009, and encourage our residents and visitors to offer their condolences to the Takitani family. I further encourage the people of Hawai’i to display the Hawai’i flag at half-staff at their homes and businesses on that day.
DONE at the State Capitol, in the Executive Chambers, Honolulu, State of Hawai’i, this sixteenth day of July 2009.

(Information provided by the Office of the Governor, State of Hawaii)