Posted on: Saturday, May 14, 2005

Ronald Deisseroth, 91, civic leader

By Karen Blakeman
Advertiser Staff Writer

Ronald Deisseroth, longtime Honolulu civic leader, land developer and amateur mushroom farmer, died April 26. He was 91.

Deisseroth was president of Deisseroth Enterprises and former president of Hawaiian Housing Corp. and Waikiki Development Co. He was also a developer of the International Market Place.

Deisseroth, who was born in Newburgh, N.Y., came to Hawai'i during World War II as director of the USO.

He served as governor of Hawaii District 500, Rotary International; on the executive committee of the Chamber of Commerce; as director of the Waikiki Improvement Association; and on the Board of Realtors, Sales and Marketing Executives.

From the 1950s through the early 1990s, Deisseroth leased property from Kaneohe Ranch that included two deserted World War II gun batteries. He used the underground chambers to grow mushrooms.

He also raised quail and ring-necked pheasants.

Deisseroth lost his wife of 56 years, Miriam Burton Deisseroth, in March 2004.

He is survived by his niece, Susan Deisseroth Blodgett, and by his grandnieces, Julia Blodgett Ferki and Katherine Blodgett Gusmano, and their children.

A celebration of life will be held at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday in Atherton Chapel, Central Union Church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to any of the charitable organizations that Deisseroth served.

Reach Karen Blakeman at 535-2430 or kblakeman@honoluluadvertiser.com.