[ WATSON YOSHIMOTO / 1909-2004 ]
Isle businessman had
a passion for hunting
Watson T. "Yoshi" Yoshimoto, founder of Oahu Construction Co. and a world-class big-game hunter, died Tuesday in his Honolulu home. He was 95.
Big-game hunting was Yoshimoto's "passion," conducting hunting trips to 43 countries, according to close friend and business associate Howard Chong Jr., who joined him on a few safaris.
Yoshimoto was inducted into the Field Trial Hall of Fame in 1991 in recognition of his 42 years of service nationally and received awards from numerous international hunting clubs.
In 1978 he established the nonprofit W.T. Yoshimoto Foundation, dedicated to the protection of wildlife resources through education and conservation. In 1999 the foundation was inducted into the Founder's Club of the University of Hawaii Foundation.
Yoshimoto was born Nov. 21, 1909, in Punaluu. His parents were plantation workers who died when he and several brothers and sisters were still children, said Chong, of the Healani Land Co. Chong is also president of the W.T. Yoshimoto Corp., a real property management firm.
Yoshimoto's formal education reached only until the sixth grade, but the "very intelligent, very humble ... self-made man" learned engineering skills by going to night school and through correspondence courses, said Chong, who called Yoshimoto his mentor. He would often say, "This is America; you can be anything you want to be," Chong added.
Yoshimoto was "never arrogant," Chong said. "He never pushed himself on anybody. In any social situation, the guy was a gentleman."
He also owned and operated the Classic Bowling Center in Kalihi, although he never bowled, Chong said.
He served as president of the General Contractors Association and was on the board of directors of the Honolulu Iron Works, Honolulu Trust Co., City Bank of Honolulu, Aloha Motors Ltd., Hawaii Thrift and Loan Co. and Crown Corp.
He is survived by wife Katherine Katsuyo Yoshimoto, daughters Jeannie Vee Davidson and Maxine Lee, brother Gordon Stanley Gau, sisters Florence Tsuneko Ikeda and Gladys Matsuyo Sato, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Friends may call from 9 a.m. Tuesday at Mililani Memorial Park and Mortuary's makai chapel. Funeral service is at 10 a.m. Interment is at 11 a.m. at Mililani Memorial Park. The family requests that flowers be omitted and casual attire be worn.