Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 30, Number 3, 1 March 2013 — 03 GHARLES L ROSE JR. ʻA perfect specimen of a Hawaiian male' [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

03 GHARLES L ROSE JR. ʻA perfect specimen of a Hawaiian male'

By Leimomi Khan The Hawaiian community lost a leader with the passing of Charles L. Rose Jr., on Jan. 15. Rose is a former president of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, a federation of 68 clubs throughout Hawai'i and across the continental U.S. He was 78. Rose served for more than 40 years in the civic club movement. He helped to form Laupāhoehoe Hawaiian Civic Club in 1971 and was its first president. He went on to hold several leadership positions on the Hawai'i Island Council, including president, treasurer, director and many committee chairmanships. After moving to O'ahu, he joined Kailua Hawaiian Civic Club and was instrumental in helping to preserve Ulupō Heiau, whieh the club continues to oversee as official curator. Over the years, Rose joined five more Hawaiian civic clubs and served in several leadership positions on the O'ahu Council, including treasurer, director and many committee chairmanships. Rose was also active with Hawaiian eanoe clubs. He was a charter member and first president of Kawaihae Canoe Club and served

as the president of Moku O Hawai'i Canoe Racing Association and the statewide Hawai'i Canoe Racing Association. He was also former president of Hā Hawai'i and former chairperson of 'Aha Hawai'i 'Ōiwi Native Hawaiian Convention, two nation-building initiatives. In recent years, Rose helped to create Hawai'i Maoli, the nonprofit arm of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, and was a founding member of Prince Kūhiō Federal Credit Union, serving on both boards for several years. Rose was key in helping to bring funding to Hawai'i Maoli and the Hawaiian community. With his friend and former Hawai'i Maoli president Henry Gomes, he helped to secure the Kau Inoa repository contract with OH A and bring more than $10 million of funding into the Hawaiian eommunity by applying for grants for higher education scholarships, health programs, youth leadership programs and oral histories of kūpuna. Their crowning achievement was establishment of the Prince Kūhiō Community Center in Kapolei with a Housing and Urban Development grant and assistance from the state

Legislature. They constructed Kīpuka, the hrst building of this kauhale complex, whieh stands today and allows Hawai'i Maoli and the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs to own its own building and have a plaee for meetings. Gomes died last September. Rose's last project was establishment of a maile farm in Wailea, north of Hilo, with Ali'i Pauahi Hawaiian Civic Club. He helped to secure $2 million in grants from the Administration for Native Americans, OHA, U.S. Eeonomie Development Administration and other sources until the farm could be self-sustaining in its hfth year. Soulee L.K.O. Stroud, president of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, remembers fondly Unele Charlie's trait of humility mixed with humor. "In chairing a meeting and realizing that he had made a mistake, with a big smile he would shout out, 'E kala mai,' letting us all know that even Charlie Rose makes a few mistakes!" Stroud added: "Charlie was an

influential, compassionate, for-ward-thinking leader who believed strongly in empowering individuals and building partnerships. He touched the lives of many, in his personal outreach, always mindful of individual and group potential. He will be missed as a friend, mentor and hnest example of servant leader." In his professional life, Rose served for three years with the U.S. Army in the Korean War. After retuming home, he eamed a bachelor of arts degree fromthe University of Hawai'i at Hilo and became a poliee ofhcer with Hawai'i County Poliee Department, retiring after 25 years as captain of the Criminal Investigation Division. Then he worked for 17 years as an investigator with the federal public defender's ofhce. Rose was laid to rest in Hilo on Jan. 26. Memorial services were held in both Hilo and Honolulu. On March 2, Rose will be honored posthumously, along with Henry Gomes, at the Holokū Ball, sponsored by the Hawaiian Civic Club of Honolulu at the Royal

Hawaiian Hotel. At his service in Hilo, Mona Bernardino, former OHA deputy administrator, recounted several funny stories of Rose in the Hawaiian community and a particular meeting at OHA where he had just returned from a doctor's appointment and said his doctor gave him a elean bill of heahh. Rose proudly said, "My doctor said I am a perfect specimen of a Hawaiian male." At his service, his three grandchildren also delivered beautiful stories of their life with "Gramps." In retrospect, Rose's accomplishments in the Hawaiian community, his humility and his dedication to his family show he truly was a perfect specimen ofa Hawaiian maīe. Rose is survived by his wife of 57 years, Rose Marie, daughter, Crystal, son, Kawika, three grandchildren and many cousins, nieces and nephews. ■ Leimomi Khan is a past president ofthe Association ofHm>aiian Civic Cdubs.

Follow us: LJ/oha_ .hawaii | Fan us:Ē/officeofhawaiianaffairs | Watoh us: Yuufl!^ /OHAHawaii j HE HO'OMANA'O ^ > IN MEM0RIAM }

Charlie Rose, a former Hawai'i County poliee eaplain, was active in Hawaiian civic clubs and eanoe clubs. - Courtesy: Elaine Fergerstrom