David Boback, assistant district director for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division in Hawai‘i, died Jan. 24 in New Brunswick, N.J. He was 63.
Boback was born in Nanticoke, Pa., and graduated from the University of Hawai‘i at West O‘ahu. He enlisted in the Navy and retired in 1975 as a master chief petty officer.
Boback was with the Labor Department for 20 years, the last four as its assistant district director. He was responsible for the agency’s operations in Hawai‘i and all the U.S. Pacific territories, including Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa.
Since 1984, Boback served on the O‘ahu Cost of Living Allowance Defense Committee, which protected the interests of federal employees in Hawai‘i.
Tom Cestare, officer in charge of the National Labor Relations Board in Hawai‘i, said Boback was the kindest person he knew. Cestare said Boback also was a master negotiator.
"He’s one of those guys who was an incredible charmer. He had a great ability to negotiate. Whether you disagree with him or not, he just had this way of winning you over and you felt better for it," Cestare said.
Boback also excelled when it came to the everyday worker, Cestare said.
"Not only did he enforce the law and respected those who had some clout, he represented all those underlings who had nothing except him," he said.
In honor of Boback, the flag at the Prince Jonah K¨hiĜ Kalaniana‘ole Federal Building was flown at half-staff Jan. 25. A military honor service will be held Feb. 7 at 11:30 a.m. at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacificl.
Boback is survived by his wife, Carol; and sister, Hiafera.
Donations may be made in Boback’s name to the Assistance League of Hawai‘i, 378 North School St., Honolulu, HI 96817.
