Richard Marks, a successful businessman, respected town historian and the last sheriff of Kalawao County, died last night on the small peninsula of Kalaupapa on Moloka'i which had been his home since 1956.

Marks was 79 years old. His death reduces the Kalaupapa resident patient population to 23.

Gloria Marks said her husband of 46 years achieved his goal of establishing Kalaupapa National Historical Park in 1980 with the help of the late Hawai'i Congresswoman Patsy Mink, and was looking forward to the canonization of Blessed Damien de Veuster, known as the apostle of lepers at Kalaupapa.

Emmy Award-winning independent filmmaker Stephanie J. Castillo, whose 1992 documentary "Simple Courage" examined the history behind Hawai'i's tragic leprosy epidemic and the compassionate intervention of Father Damien, described Marks as a "deeply compassionate man."

"He loved Father Damien, went to Belgium and felt a connection to him," Castillo said.

Marks and his wife named their youngest son, who died in 1985, and their Kalaupapa tour business after Damien.

Operating a tour business in Kalawao County's three villages — Kalaupapa, Kalawao, and Waikolu — which represent a separate county from Moloka'i, which is part of Maui County, required not only historical knowledge but a lot of ingenuity since large items, such as buses, are only be brought to the peninsula once a year by barge.

"He was a broke-mechanic who worked on the buses to 2 or 3 every morning," Gloria Marks said. "He used zoris (slippers), pipe, wires just to keep the buses together and get people around but everyday, something like a muffler would fall off. You can't order and get parts here so he had to improvise."

There are currently four old broken-down vehicles in the Marks' "graveyard of buses." The fleet of operable buses numbers three, says Mrs. Marks, who plans to continue the business.

Richard Marks enjoyed hiking, reading and collecting old bottles, his wife said.

"We found out there were hundreds of old soda works on Moloka'i and we're still finding bottles," Gloria Marks said.

Marks' body was flown to O'ahu today and services will be held at a yet-to-be-determined date at Mililani Mauka Mortuary, his wife said.

In addition to his wife, Marks is survived by son Richard Salanisisi Marks; daughters Rita Faamotu Ward, Elizabeth Katelina Joshua and Eloise Gloria Carroll; three hanai children; two sisters, including Winifred Harada of Kalaupapa; 13 grandchildren and four great grandchildren.