Ray Yuen, veteran Hawai'i editor, dead at 87
By Hugh Clark
Advertiser Big Island Bureau
HILO, Hawai'i — Ray Yuen, former editor of the Hawai'i Tribune-Herald, died at his Pauka'a family home near Hilo on Saturday morning after a long battle with cancer. He was 87.
Yuen spent 39 years at the Tribune-Herald, the last 12 as editor.
Ray Yuen spent 39 years at the Hawai'i Tribune-Herald.
Later he worked on the staff of U.S. Sen. Hiram Fong in Washington, and in Hilo with federal programs before his semiretirement.
He never fully retired, according to his son, Chris, who said his father pored over volumes to find just the right quote for his daily contributions to the Tribune-Herald's editorial pages. That effort began in 1996 as the "Daily Quotation," and later was expanded to include "The Daily Verse."
Walt Southward, who worked with Yuen in the early 1960s, called him "probably the last of a kind for Hawai'i." Southward said Yuen started in 1935 as a $10-a-week advertising salesman, then went on to work as sports and news writer and eventually as editor from 1962 to 1974.
Eugene Tao, a retired editor at the paper who worked for Yuen as a government affairs reporter, recalled him as simply "a very fair person."
Others described him as a man who died with as much grace as he had lived. In February 2001, the "Us Too" group of prostate cancer survivors publicly saluted Yuen for his "courageous fight" against the disease.
"He is an inspiration to us all," remarked Richard Matsunaga, retired Hilo High principal who leads the prostate cancer group.
Yuen was preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Alice Yuen, a former journalist and librarian who died in late 2000, also of cancer.
Even though he never attended college, Yuen was an early advocate of college education on the Big Island and campaigned through his editorials for four-year status for the University of Hawai'i-Hilo.
Both Yuens were charter members of the Big Island Press Club for nearly 35 years.
Funeral services by Dodo Mortuary were pending. Family members said Catholic services were planned, probably for Friday.
In addition to his son Chris Yuen, an attorney and Hawai'i County's planning director, Yuen is survived by son Andy of La Jolla, Calif., and daughters Mary Lou Kobayashi of Honolulu, Lori Sasaki of Kona, Julie Cryan of Hilo, and 10 grandchildren.
