West Hawaii mourned the passing of a local icon this week: Norman Sakata, founder of the Kona Coffee Festival, Lions Club member and scoutmaster.
Sakata, 96, passed away Tuesday, surrounded by his children Clyde, Jocelyn, Michelle, Janice, Blaine and Laurie. He was born in March 2, 1926, in South Kona.
“His family rejoices that he is with his wife forevermore in the presence of their Lord Jesus on Valentine’s Day,” said his daughter Michelle Johnson. “They planned it so well so that we can be more happy than sad. Though he will be missed very much by his entire family and friends and all of the organizations that he is in like the Lions Club of Kona, the scouting program and the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival. His footprint will be long lasting here in Hawaii and he will certainly live forever in our hearts.”
The Lions Club of Kona and the District 50 Hawaii Lions both were saddened to learn of the passing of the former district governor.
“Not because Lion Norman was a Lion for over 64 years, serving our community and State as a dedicated Lion, or the fact that Lion Norman raised over several millions of dollars, for the states largest Eye Bank- The Lions Eye Bank of Hawaii, but because Lion Norman served tirelessly as a mentor and advocate for our future community leaders,” the organization said in a statement.
Sakata’s history with the Lions Club dates to when he was just 12 years old and helping care for his blind grandmother who would frequently praise the Lions Club organization because, “they cared for her and brought her Christmas presents.”
It was then the young Sakata knew he would one day be a Lion. Not only was he a member of the Lions Club of Kona but he also led one of the strongest Lions Clubs when he was elected club president in 1968-69. In 1991-92, he was elected State District Governor, following the footsteps of his uncle, past District Governor Lion Yasuki “Ahi” Nakagawa, whose blind mother Sakata helped care for as a youngster.
One of the Lions’ missions is to aid in sight impairment. Sakata took it to heart and followed Helen Keller’s keynote message at a Lions International Convention, “Be the Knights of the Blind in the Crusade against Darkness.” For 40 years, Sakata held the statewide Sight is Beautiful poster contest within all major schools to instill in students the importance of vision and eye care.
Sakata also was the contact person to help transport donated corneas to and from hospitals and airports. He also led the Lions Club of Kona’s Eyeglass Collection Project to collect, clean and distribute thousands of eyeglasses to be sent to people in countries where they may not be able to afford prescription eyeglasses.
One of his favorite stories from his years of service was of Jessica Sapanara, who was born blind in 1992 at Kona Community Hospital. After Sakata received a frantic phone call from the girl’s mother, Fern Sapanara, Sakata quickly made arrangements with the Hawaii Lions Foundation to help achieve successful cornea transplants in the infant.
“PDG Norman was always turned to for advice and recommendations on how to serve our communities. Always with a soft voice, he was always positive in his words, and many future Lions leaders, including myself, turned to him for his knowledge and guidance,” said District Governor Mitch Tam. “In addition to help raise much needed monies to run a successful eye bank, PDG Norman was also the driving force behind the statewide ‘Sight is Beautiful’ poster contest, where elementary aged students create a poster drawing of what sight means to them. Today, most schools across the island and state participates, with the best judged creations being proudly displayed at our annual District Convention. We do take solace, however, knowing that PDG Norman is reunited with the love of his life, Lion Marilyn Sakata.”
Mayor Mitch Roth praised Sakata for his service to our community. Roth previsouly honored Sakata for his life’s work in 2021 with a proclamation.
“Mr. Sakata was a legend, a true public servant, and a pillar of our Kona community. Through his grit and tenacity, he brought the world Kona Coffee, the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival, the ‘Gift of Vision,’ 22 Eagle Scouts, and so much more,” he said,. “His life’s work was founded on a selfless commitment to those around him, which ultimately allowed him to touch the lives of thousands of families throughout Kona, Hawaii Island, and the State, and he will be sorely missed. Mahalo, Mr. Sakata, for your life and legacy.”
One of the Kona Coffee Festival’s longest serving volunteers, Sakata’s dedication as a former president and volunteer for over 45 years helped shaped Hawaii’s oldest food festival into what it is today. He led the Festival for 18 years, cultivating remarkable growth.
According to the festival’s 50th anniversary brochure, the festival launched in 1970 with the idea to create a celebration of Kona’s famous coffee. It was also when Sakata first attended and two years later, he joined the group of festival organizing volunteers. His passion was always with the pioneer farmers who toiled Kona’s rocky, volcanic soil helping to ensure Kona’s coffee story lives on.
A few years later, Sakata pressed to have the festival recognize these farmers, and requested that the oldest coffee farmer, a man of 99 years, be recognized as the festival’s grand marshall. This coffee pioneer recognition continued throughout the decades. Sakata was also instrumental in amending the name from Kona Coffee Festival to Kona Coffee Cultural Festival, giving many diverse peoples that have painted the story of Kona coffee’s cultural heritage with many colors of life.
Rick Robinson worked with Sakata for over 25 years bringing Kona Coffee to the world at the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival.
“It was my pleasure to work with Norman Sakata for over 25 years on the Board of the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival. Norman was a tireless worker for the community and thoroughly enjoyed the joy of the community members and visitors from attending its various events,” said Robinson. “Norman knew how to raise funds from many different sources and had the ability to ask in such a way that he was always successful. His ability to mobilize the Festival Board and community volunteers to make each year’s Festival a success was legendary. His ability to raise funds was equally matched by his ability to mobilize the community to attend and participate. It was my distinct please to know and work with Norman for those many years.”
Sakata also served as Explorer Post adviser for 23 years and had 22 Eagle Scouts come from the post, including astronaut Ellison Onizuka.
Sakata was also awarded in 1961 with the Silver Beaver Award, an honor reserved for adult leaders who have made a profound impact on the lives of youth and was also a speaker at the 1987 National Scout Jamboree in front of tens of thousands of scouts.
Email Laura at lruminski@westhawaiitoday.com
