BY SUE FRANCIS
(Former Mid-Pacific Vice President of Institutional Advancement) Contributions by Paula Kingsbury, Bill Wheeler ’78, Kerry Wheeler and Nancy Barry
BLAISE JACKMAN
(MAY 11, 1937 – MAY 31, 2022)
“A BIG MAN with a big heart” — that is how Blaise Jackman is remembered by his many friends and colleagues. As Mid-Pacific’s Director of Buildings and Grounds, Blaise served for 17 years from 1982 to 1999, during an era of major advancement in campus facilities and programs. So much of what he did was behind the scenes, but it provided the foundation for the growth and development of the school.
Blaise oversaw the renovation of buildings including Damon and Atherton halls, Bakken Auditorium and the president’s house, and the addition of new facilities. It is impossible to list the many other improvements he made to the campus and the countless times he set up rooms and outdoor venues for meetings and events, always with excellence and never with a word of complaint. As his daughter Jacklynn wrote in her eulogy, whether the task was big or small, he always got the job done.
Mid-Pacific was his ‘ohana. A strong and humble leader, he was often seen driving around the campus in his iconic black paniolo hat surveying the property and the jobs to be done. He not only supervised his staff, but he also joined them in their work and often had cookouts for them. It was always a treat to visit the shop and enjoy the camaraderie there even amidst the never-ending demands.
Most of all he loved his family and was devoted to his wife Yvette and their children (Johnnail ’84, Jessica ’85, Jacklynn ’95, Jermane ’99), grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A gifted and creative carpenter, he also sewed hula performance dresses for his girls and created specially crafted gifts for each of his grandchildren to show them that each of them was unique and special to him.
There was so much love in Blaise for everyone, and it is with great appreciation and aloha that he is remembered by all those who had the good fortune of knowing him.
JUNE YAHIKU
(JUNE 24, 1951- NOVEMBER 24, 2021)
June supported the Office of Institutional Advancement over the course of 18 years from 1993 to her retirement in 2011. As Administrative Assistant, her attention to detail and organizational skills set high standards and provided a steady hand in the midst of constant change.
June’s duties were many and varied and included interaction with all school constituencies—administrators, board members, staff, alumni, parents, students, and the general public. She coordinated with other departments to support major events like graduation and campus celebrations. With her gentle, sincere and soft-spoken manner she was a great ambassador for the school.
Among her many accomplishments was the collection and maintenance of the school archives, a challenging effort as materials had to be moved several times to different locations, but essential to the preservation of the school’s history.
Described by her colleagues as gracious, kind, competent, caring, generous, helpful, and humble, June would instinctively know when a person needed someone to just listen. Her quiet demeanor, though, belied her funny sense of humor and warm friendship with her co-workers. She often brought home-baked treats to share with them, and she kept in touch with former colleagues after they left, always interested in how they were doing. She was a true and loyal friend.
June loved and was loved by her family, her husband Les and her children, older daughter Stacie Ann, and Mid-Pacific graduates Lance ’04 and Jennifer ’03. She was truly a beautiful person inside and out, and an example of how to treat people no matter who they are. She will be missed.