Fred Honda, veteran Hawaii hotelier who was general manager of the Halekulani Hotel, died Sept. 7 at Loveland, Colo. He was 95.
He was a popular fixture in the hospitality community here and known for his generosity and gentle manner.
Honda’s career began with the Sheraton Hotel, and he also was a prominent manager of the Oahu Country Club. He held positions at Amfac Hotels and Resorts and served as general manager of the Kapalua Bay Hotel on Maui.
While at the Halekulani, he oversaw the hotel’s property renewal projects that included the Vera Wang Suite as well as SpaHalekulani, popular fixtures for the hotel’s upscale visitors. He retired from the Halekulani in 2005 and relocated to Loveland.
Fred met his wife Julia, at the time of the opening of the Sheraton Maui at Kaanapali, when he was the hotel’s controller. Julie worked at the front desk.
They were married on Oct. 8, 1965, on Maui, and they become a significant hotel industry team, relocating to several properties in such cities as Burlingame and San Francisco. The Hondas celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2015.
He was quiet, generous and genial; she was graceful, kind, and a self-styled socialite, and they supported each other’s careers. He had the Halekulani and other properties earlier; she founded the Kona Coffee Festival and was its beacon for years.
A Celebration of Life event will be held at 11:30 a.m. Sept. 27 in Loveland.
Survivors include daughters Patti Hokulani Honda-Davis and Lee Ann Doering (from Fred’s earlier marriage); and two grandsons, Travis Kanekoa Davis and Garet Kealii Davis. An adult son, Kyle Kalani Honda, died several years ago.
And that’s Show Biz…
A really lovely man. Thanks for letting us know. When I first met Julie, he was gm on Maui and she drove a Volkswagen with eyelashes.