Robert E. White Jr., retired assistant secretary at Amfac and Amfac Sugar Co. vice president, died in Honolulu on May 20 after a brief illness. He was 88.

White, a descendant of kama'aina families involved in ranching interests in Hawai'i, carried out a similar role for Amfac in its Australian ranching investments.

He was one of the founders and longtime coach for Aulea Swim Club, and, after his retirement from Amfac, he served as volunteer treasurer for the Institute for Human Services, the Hawai'i Nature Center in Makiki and Arcadia Residents' Association.

He attended Punahou School but graduated from Thacher, a California school that emphasized horsemanship, and went on to graduate from Yale University and Harvard Business School. At Yale he played a starring role as a backstroker on its national championship swimming team. The team, recognized by Yale as its greatest ever, was undefeated in his four years, from dual meets to national championships from 1938 to 1942.

He served as an aircraft carrier officer in the Pacific theater in World War II.

He is survived by his wife, Karen (Tookie), longtime probation officer and administrator with the Family Court of Hawai'i; three sons: Terry, one of the founders of Hawaii Superferry; architect Philip; and Michael, general manager of the Ka'anapali Beach Hotel; and daughter Mele Pochereva, a public relations consultant; 13 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; sister, Ellin Burkland, who lives at Arcadia; and many other family members in Hawai'i and on the Mainland.

Celebration of life is at 2 p.m. June 4, at Arcadia Retirement Residence. Valet parking. Aloha attire. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the Institute for Human Services, Hawai'i Nature Center or Arcadia Retirement Residence.