Board chairman led Kauai in early 1960s

Holding the office that predated mayor, he raised 15 children on the Garden Isle

OBITUARIES

Raymond Xavier "Buddy" Aki of Wailua, Kauai, a former Kauai supervisor and chairman, died at Wilcox Hospital Monday. He was 86.

Aki was elected to the Board of Supervisors, which predated the Kauai County Council, in 1959. He served as board chairman and executive officer, which predated the title of mayor, for two terms, from 1961 to 1964.

After leaving office, he moved to Oahu, where he started a tour company and was a land developer until his retirement.

Aki volunteered for military service in 1940, serving during World War II and eventually rising to the rank of lieutenant commander.

He traveled extensively and met his wife, Veronica Commons of Christchurch, New Zealand, on a trip. They later settled on Kauai, where they raised 15 children.

Before his public service, he was an insurance agent, real property appraiser and a building trades union organizer.

Aki is preceded in death by his wife, Veronica, and two children, Jerome and Claire Aki.

He is survived by 13 children: Maria (Fred) Orr, Monica (Butch) Nagahisa, Raymond P., Anne (Ashbell) Park, Blaise (Carol), Veronica (Greg) Lindo, Matthew, Maureen (Richard) Carvalho, Michael (Pearl), Tim (Kirumi), Sean, Kevin, Elizabeth (Michael) Manning, 60 grandchildren and 55 great-grandchildren.

Services on Kauai will be at 9 a.m. Thursday in St. Catherine's Church in Kapaa. Cremation will follow. Services in Honolulu will be at 9 a.m. Saturday at St. Steven's Church, 2747 Pali Highway.