My father died just before 2 a.m. this morning. He was within sight of his 97th birthday, which would have rolled around December 7.
My sister, Bonnie, got the news to the web early this morning on her blog.
We spent yesterday at his bedside after his condition worsened, but gave up the vigil by early evening. He was not expected to live through the afternoon, but did. Even at the end, he displayed surprising strength, although by now it was a burden and not a blessing.
He made quite a mark in the world of Hawaii ocean sports after arriving in the islands in 1939. He was a founder of the Hawaii Surfing Association, a founder and first president of the Waikiki Surf Club, and a founder of the Makaka Surfing Championships. He headed the Waikiki Surf Club through most of its first decade. He believed in amateur sports, and I don’t think he ever warmed to the idea of surfing becoming a professional enterprise.
I quickly grabbed a few photos that I think he would enjoy seeing again. That’s him surfing in Long Beach, California, in 1938, when he spearheaded organizing of the First National Surfing Championship at a surf spot later wiped out by construction of the Long Beach breakwater. His board had been built by the father of his close friend, Myron Brejcha, who was a Long Beach city official.
The middle photo was a Christmas card sent out by my parents around 1940. They’re walking on Kahala Beach with my mother’s dog, Kiki.
The bottom photo was taken on the beach in Waikiki, early 1950s.
![[text]](http://www.ilind.net/oldkine_images/lbsurf1938/source/image/05.jpg)
![[text]](http://www.ilind.net/images_2004/parents1214.jpg)
![[text]](http://ilind.net/oldkine_images/jml-beach-portrait.jpg)
What what a full life he led! Thank you so much for sharing his life and last years with us.
BTW I often regret not following up on your suggestion back in 1978 when I moved to the Big Island to be your Dad’s representative on the island–that would have been a great job in so many ways.
Ian, you have my condolences on the loss of your dad and also many thanks for sharing part of him with all of us.
Aloha to all of you at this time.
I am very sorry for your loss. May happy memories be of comfort to you & your ohana.
How handsome and healthy he was! What an incredible life!
My condolences, Ian.
Such a full life. Hawaii is all the better for his having lived here. Mahalo for sharing all this with us — historical details thru this closure, the details of a life’s end. Condolences. RIP John Lind.
Get this info to the paper so they can do a proper obituary. My condolences.
Sorry for your loss. But happy for the good life he had.
Your father is fortunate to have you to celebrate and document his life. From your recounting, his life was one filled with vigor, aspiration, and success, and you and your family will, I hope, find peace and satisfaction in your memories of him.
We send our condolences. He had a full and exciting life. How fortunate to have some of it eloquently recorded y his son. We send our aloha.
This–images of him young and in swimsuits–is a beautiful tribute to a man who’s lived a rich life. My aloha to you and yours.
Ian, I am sorry for your loss. He put up a tough fight, maybe too tough. At least now there is no more suffering. Celebrate his life, you are who you are because of him. And that is saying a lot. Wishing you, your Mom, Bonnie, and Meda a peaceful, reflective, quiet weekend. And when it rains, those are angel tears. With much Aloha, Curtis.
Happy Sailing John! Mahalo for sharing your Dad’s extraordinary life with us, Ian. Please extend our condolences and aloha to your Mom.
Love to you and Meda…
Ian
Condolences to you and your family. Thank you for blogging your interaction with your father over the years. It really seems that he knew; referring to one of your last blogs about visiting him.
My condolences and aloha to all of you.
Thank you for sharing so much of his life and times with us.
You did your father proud these past few months Ian sharing his remarkable humanity with a larger world than he knew in his life time. We are all the richer for that. As my mother at 95 begins her final journey, I remember your father and mine. Well done John Montgo9mery Lind.
I am so sorry for the loss of your father, Ian. Remember to take care of yourself in the days ahead. Aloha.
A life exceedingly well led.
Condolences, Ian.
Ian thank you for sharing the pictures and story of your father. I will show them to my children so his story will live on through them, too. My thoughts are with you.
My deepest condolences, Ian.
Tim
Ian,
Condolences to you and your family. Thank you for allowing us to celebrate his life over the last years through photographs, stories and letters.
Lance D.
My deepest sympathies for the loss of your father. Thank you for sharing the experience of his last few years. It has helped me understand what is happening with my father as his body and mind are shutting down.
By sharing the photos and your father’s recollections, you have helped us remember a Hawaii that has passed and given us tools to recreate that world in our imagination.
Warm aloha to you, Meda and your mother.
No father through the ages has ever received such a commemoration and celebration of his life as yours did here on your Blog, Ian.
We are better people for having known your Dad through your fantastic documentation and sharing.
My condolences, Ian. As you have honored your father’s life in your blog, I have learned to cherish the relationship I have with my own dad even more deeply. Thank you for that gift.
Now he’s cruising in his boat on that big ocean in the sky with a big smile on his face.
Peace and strength to you and your family. Dianne
My condolences to you and Meda and your family. Thank you, too, for sharing this. Your accounts were moving and I learned much.
Ian, I am very sorry for your loss. Condolences to you, to your mother, and to your sister.
Thank you so much for sharing the stories and photos of your Father. I’ve learned a lot reading about your recent visits with him. May you and your family find peace in this time of transition.
Tanya
Ian my love to you and your family. My thoughts and prayers go to you all in your time of mourning.
I’m so sorry for your loss. Thank you so much for sharing your experience with all of us. Condolences to you and your family.
Sincere condolences to you and your family. Take comfort in knowing he’s now free of any pain and suffering. May he rest in peace.
I’m so grateful to you for sharing your experiences with your dad in his failing days. I loved your touching descriptions of time spent with him.
Your father was a remarkable person–I’m grateful you shared so many of his stories. Condolences and aloha to you, Meda, your sister and your mother.
These last few days it has been as if your father had been stuck on the beach, too long. He has gone off to sea or wherever we go, leaving those behind in port with their bittersweet memories and unfinished business that we all have when our parents go.
Peace be with you.
Ian,
Thanks for sharing your father’s life and the many photos of old Hawaii that he took.
My condolences to your family, Ian.
Condolences sans question. Remember those 90 plus good years and reflect on them often as you naturally mourn and say goodbye.
That’s what I have done in memory of my mom who checked out at a younger age when her body broke down as her wonderful spirit persisted.
We both are so lucky to have had great parents worth remembering each day we live on.
Please accept my condolences.
In looking at your dad’s dates, I see he was born the same year as my father, Harold Lane. It may be that their paths crossed in Hawaii years ago. My father was VP of Sheraton Corporation when they purchased the Royal Hawaii, PK et al from Matson in 1959. My father was in HNL often during that time and deeply involved in not only the purchase but all of the changes/adjustments that take place with new management of a fleet of hotels. As I recall, your father was employed by the Honolulu Restautrant Supply Company-quite possibly one of the vendors for the new Sheraton Hotels. My father left this world in 1999. I am sure he will enjoy swaping stories of Waikiki in the early years.
There are never any words adequate to the loss of a loved one. But your father was fortunate to have a son as devoted as you, Ian.
Please accept our warm condolences!
Aloha no, Ian. Thank you for sharing your remarkable Dad’s life with us.
As others have said, he was so lucky to have a dedicated loving son and family like you folks.
Condolences to you, and your entire family, Ian. Thank you for sharing this journey. May your father rest in peace.
i’m so sorry for your loss.
Never met your father, but felt I got to know a little of him through your writing. Although I knew this entry would someday come, it was still a sad surprise to actually see it. Thank you for sharing this experience. My thoughts are with you and your family.
Ian,
Sorry for your loss. Thanks for sharing your father’s story.
Alex
Best to you and Meda as you find your way through the days and weeks ahead.
Ian and family,
I am so sorry for your loss. Thank you so much for sharing with us. Know that I am thinking of all of you at this difficult time. May the thought that so many people care about all of you bring you some comfort.
Should we all have such a full life.
I am so sorry for you, your mother, your entire family. Your parents were such a good-looking couple. How wonderful that you have all those photos so you remember them.