On Saturday, May 18, 2019, Edmund Leong Fo Chun passed away peacefully in his home at age 95. Ed ("Shorty") was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawai'i, the seventh of ten children. He attended Mun Lun Chinese School and graduated from McKinley High School. Having enlisted during World War II, he served as an airplane mechanic at Schofield Barracks in Honolulu before concluding his service at Westover Field, Massachusetts. After the war, he returned to Honolulu, graduating with an accounting degree from the University of Hawai'i. He married Gloria Apat Young on April 18, 1953, and together they raised two sons: Garett and Randall and three daughters: Renne, Darlene, and Cynthia. Ed wore a number of hats throughout his long career, including: taro farmer, airplane and auto mechanic, high school auto mechanics teacher, and manager with Baby Butler Furniture. He was active in Honolulu's Chinese and business communities and ultimately found his niche and a successful career in real estate sales, development, and property management. His biggest project was building one of the first condominium developments in Hawai'i, the 90-unit Governor Cleghorn building in Waikiki, which was completed in 1966. Ed was a talented swimmer and loved traveling and the outdoors. He and Gloria were frequent visitors to Las Vegas and, together, they visited every continent of the world except for Africa and Antarctica. Ed especially loved hunting and fishing with friends and family, taking numerous summer fishing trips to Alaska and hunting trips to the neighbor islands. He shared that love (and its bounty) with his friends and family. Ed was a devoted husband and the light of Gloria's life as well as a hard-working father. Many of his children's friends also considered him a second father. He and Gloria delighted in filling their home with family and friends during innumerable gatherings. Good-natured, warm, welcoming, and exceptionally generous to his friends and family, he will be remembered as much for the help he gave friends and relatives with their first investments in real estate, as for ferrying his grandchildren to the waves at Makaha Beach. Per his wishes, a small graveside service was held at Diamond Head Memorial Park. He is survived by his wife, Gloria; his sister, Helen Kau; his five children, Garett (Laurie) Chun, Renne (Mark) Chun, Darlene (Mike) Tavepholjalern, Randall Chun, and Cynthia Pena; and nine grandchildren, Jason Chun, Vincent (Kristy) and Victor (Jayla) Chun, Maile, Max, and Makana Tavepholjalern, and Ryan, Brad, and Nolan Pena. Arrangements Provided By: Nuuanu Memorial Park & Mortuary LLC
Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased
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