Richard Maurice Frazier, a longtime Big Island sugar executive and community volunteer, died Sunday at the Arcadia Retirement Residence in Honolulu. He was 91.
Frazier spent 40 years in Hawai‘i’s sugar industry and was manager of Honoka‘a Sugar Plantation, which later became Hamakua Sugar, until his retirement in 1972. He later served as chairman of the Kohala Task Force, a state and county program that tried to foster new businesses in North Kohala after sugar production ceased.
He and his wife, Nancy Brix, moved to Keauhou after his retirement and for more than two decades worked as community volunteers, including long service with the Kona Outdoor Circle. Frazier also served as a governor of Kona’s International Billfish Tournament and was involved in several community and service groups in Hamakua, including serving as charter president of the Honoka‘a Rotary Club, now the North Hawai‘i Rotary Club, and as a volunteer leader of the Salvation Army in Honoka‘a.
Born Jan. 15, 1910, in Honolulu, he was the son of Charles R. Frazier, developer of Lanikai and the Mid Pacific Country Club. He attended Punahou School, where he excelled in football and pole vaulting. He later attended Andover Preparatory Academy in Massachusetts before entering Harvard University.
His love of Hawai‘i led him to return in 1932, and he began his sugar career at the Waimanalo Plantation, where he became head luna before transferring to Honoka‘a, where he worked under pioneer sugar man Leslie Wishard before becoming the manager.
"Dick was not afraid to roll up his sleeves and do what had to be done for the community," said Leon Thevenin of PuakŲ, another retired sugar executive who said he knew Frazier for 70 years. Thevenin recalled how Frazier joined ILWU laborers to help build a community swimming pool in Honoka‘a in 1958 shortly after a strike by the workers.
"They (the union members) were amazed. Here was a plantation manager who was not afraid to get his hands dirty," recalled Thevenin.
In addition to his wife, Nancy, Frazier is survived by sons, Richard and James, and a daughter, Bonnie; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Funeral arrangements were pending. The family prefers contributions to the Kona Outdoor Circle Foundation or Arcadia Retirement Residence Foundation.
