Minoru Inaba, former legislator,dead at 98

By Hugh Clark
Advertiser Big Island Bureau

KEALAKEKUA, Hawai'i — Retired educator Minoru "Gabby" Inaba, a five-term legislator and well-known figure in Kona's sports community, died Thursday. He was 98.

Inaba was the third of nine children born to Japanese immigrants Zentaro and Hatsuyo Inaba, who started the legendary Kona Hotel in Holualoa.

Inaba, who earned his nickname for his constant chatter as a youth, was one of five members of the first graduating class of Konawaena High School and was a noted baseball player. He also participated in football and track and field. Later, Inaba would serve 38 years as a teacher and vice principal at the school, and also coached baseball there.

The school's baseball field is named in his honor.

Retired Konawaena principal Morris Kimura, now a Realtor, said Inaba was his mentor and helped many boys participate in sports.

"He paid our entry fee out of his pocket at a time when he was paid maybe $90 a month," Kimura said. He recalled Inaba as "a small guy who chatted a lot on the baseball field."

Inaba retired from the Department of Education in 1970 but went on to serve five terms in the state House of Representatives as a Democrat.

A service over ashes will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Kona Daifukuji in Honalo. The family requests casual attire and no flowers.

Inaba is survived by his wife, Sumie "Jane"; daughters, Jeanette M. Tinnel and Annette (Tatsumi) Sato of Kona and Mae (Karl) Kawahara of Hilo; brothers, Yoshio of Hilo, Norman of Honolulu, Goro of Holualoa and James of Kona; sister-in-law, Emiko Inaba of Hilo; five grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.