In his later years, Hubert Victor Everly gave himself a nickname: Everly the Educator.

The choice may have seemed surprising for those who knew him as a restless youth, expelled by five different schools for misbehavior in the classroom.

But for those who knew Everly in his adult life, "Everly the Educator" will be remembered as an important figure in reshaping Hawai'i's public education system.

Hubert Everly, former dean of the University of Hawai'i-Manoa College of Education, died May 16 at age 93. A memorial service will be held Sunday.

Everly served as dean of the College of Education from 1956 to 1979. During his tenure, Everly saw enrollment increase, lobbied for the construction of new buildings and oversaw the creation of new research groups and degrees.

"He really opened a lot of doors for Hawai'i students and educators," said Odetta Fujimori, former president of the Hawaii State Teachers Association and a longtime friend of Everly.

Everly advocated open enrollment to the College of Education and successfully opposed efforts to have quotas that sought to equalize the number of teachers from different ethnic groups.

"He wanted to change it so that anybody who wanted to and had the merits to become a teacher could become one," said Lisa Stewart, Everly's granddaughter, who is also an educator.

As enrollment rates increased, so too did the number of locally trained teachers.

Everly arrived in Hawai'i in 1933 at the age of 18 to become a park ranger, his granddaughter said. That came after some difficulties throughout grade school and high school, including the expulsions.

He found his way back to education, however, upon meeting a dean of Teachers College, which would become the UH College of Education.

Everly saw education as playing a vital role in Hawai'i's move toward statehood in 1959, Stewart said.

"The vision of Hawai'i becoming part of a larger demo-cracy all rested for him on public education," Stewart said. Her grandfather felt "you could not have a democratic society without a strong public education system."

After he retired, Everly continued to support Hawai'i public schools by serving on the boards of the Hawaii Education Association, the Hawaii State Retired Teachers Association and the state Employees Retirement System.

Everly, a World War II veteran, is survived by his wife, May; a son, Benjamin; daughters Jan and Gail; brother, Arnold; nine grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday at the UH Architecture Auditorium. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the University of Hawai'i Foundation, Hubert V. Everly Endowed Scholar in Education.