PROFILES OF FAMILIES
|
Elaine Nam Min
Children continue to fulfill the dreams
A better life
of their enterprising parents
Timeline, celebrations
The leadersElaine Nam Min's father, Soon Myung Nam, came on the second ship in February 1903. He was literate, quickly learned English and was promoted to luna on the Kohala sugar plantation.
"We have strong memories of living in a plantation," she said. "My father was unusually tall, about 5 foot 11. He rode on a white horse and he had to be sedate; we all had to run over and greet him as obedient children should. Later he bought land and became a sugar farmer in the 1930s, subsidized by the plantation."
COURTESY PHOTO
Elaine Nam Min
Her mother, Soon Nam Kim, came as an 18-year-old picture bride and was widowed at 39, supporting her six children by running rooming houses. She lived to 82, seeing her children fulfill her instructions for success.
"People are amazed that at our age, five of us went to college," said Min.
Her husband is Frank Min, who founded Min Plastic and Supply 50 years ago.
His father, Eui Kyung Min, was also in the first wave of immigrants and is a second-generation pioneer in the business world. He started his manufacturing company a half-century ago when plastic was a rare material whose potential was unknown.
"My husband was stationed in the Solomon Islands during World War II," said Elaine Min. "He would look into crashed airplanes and was curious about this glass-like material. He started out cutting scraps to make watch crystals. When he got back from the war, he went to New York City and studied, and got into plastics manufacturing."
By Mary Adamski, Star-Bulletin
BACK TO TOP |
|
Ronald Tae Yang Moon
A legacy of community service gets
A better life
passed down through the generations
Timeline, celebrations
The leadersHawaii Chief Justice Ronald Tae Yang Moon got a head start on the Korean Centennial celebration. He was one of eight prominent Korean-Americans chosen to ride on a centennial float in the Rose Bowl Parade Jan. 1.
Moon said his family legacy included an expectation that members would contribute to their community.
COURTESY PHOTO
Ronald Tae Yang Moon
In the grandparents, it was directed at restoring sovereignty in their homeland and involvement in their church.
In his parents, it was civic and community activities in Wahiawa. "Perhaps that's where I get it from, becoming a judge."
"I grew up understanding they were very involved in helping contribute money and clothing and food, to help the independence movement from Japan. When I was very young, one of Grandfather Lee's rules was you don't obtain or be seen with any Japanese-made goods. When he saw me wearing Japanese zoris, he just lost it!"
Both grandfathers, Man Kee Lee and Chung Hurn Moon, soon moved off the plantation: Lee started a barbershop and pool hall on the Big Island and Moon opened a tailor shop in Wahiawa.
"My dad, Duke Moon, took it over and expanded the store, brought in clothes and toys. My mother went to business school and helped with the accounting in tailor shop."
Mary Lee Han continued to run the store after her husband died. "That was the source of our livelihood," said the chief justice, one of five lawyers in the family's second and third generations.
"In 1959, my parents helped to finance my grandmother and grandfather's way to Korea, the first time since coming to Hawaii.
"My mom tells about Grandfather Lee, who used a cane and was aching all over when he got on the airplane. When he got off, he walked erect. Being back home rejuvenated him."
By Mary Adamski, Star-Bulletin
