Posted on: Wednesday, April 30, 2003

Gary Kiyota, longtime tax administrator for Big Island, dead at 54

Associated Press

Hawai'i County's longtime tax administrator Gary Kiyota has died at 54.

He died April 9 after suffering a heart attack while on a flight to Hawai'i. He was returning home from a tax conference in Florida.

Kiyota worked for the state when it handled the assessing of property taxes for all counties. When those duties were turned over to the individual counties, Kiyota became chief of the Hawai'i County Real Property Tax Office.

"He was very dedicated," County Council Chairman Jimmy Arakaki said. "He knew more about the tax department than anyone I knew."

Family members described Kiyota as a low-key person who had a passion for golf.

"He always liked the solace of his private life," Walter Kiyota said of his brother.

Kiyota was the stepson of state Rep. Helene Hale, D-4th (Puna).

Services will be held Friday at Dodo Mortuary Chapel in Hilo.