Glenn Kaya Obituary

GLENN AKIO KAYA Dec. 10, 1926 - Oct. 1, 2023 Glenn Kaya lived large, envisioning things that had never been done before, and thriving on the challenge of making them a reality. Obstacles didn't deter him from pursuing worthy goals, and with determination and ingenuity, he frequently emerged triumphant. Having pioneered transformative changes in Hawaii's retail industry, and leaving us with a treasure trove of cherished personal memories, he passed away peacefully at Arcadia Retirement Residence on Sunday, October 1, 2023. Glenn grew up in Wahiawa and graduated from Leilehua High School. He attended the University of Michigan on the GI Bill, majoring in Economics. In the 1950s, he played a key role in introducing discount merchandizing to Hawaii when he accepted the offer to manage GEM department stores - forerunner to membership stores like Costco - which was seeking to enter the Hawaii market. In the 60s he relocated his family to the California Bay Area to assume the position of regional vice president, overseeing GEM's California and Hawaii stores. The family returned to Hawaii in 1970. In the 80s, he brokered the sale of GEM's Hawaii stores, which had survived despite the closure of GEM's mainland and overseas stores, and McInerny to the Seibu Group. In 1993, when Seibu refocused its attention on its Southeast Asia businesses, it closed the GEM stores in Hawaii, bringing to an end the vast enterprise that GEM had once been. Glenn went on to manage City Square Shopping Center and Waimalu Plaza until his retirement at age 92. Glenn enjoyed playing racquetball, and held his own against much younger players. He was a devoted Michigan Wolverines fan and also enjoyed many years of golf with his friends at Waialae Country Club. Glenn enjoyed international travel, especially to Japan. He had a keen interest in the world and its people, subscribing to countless publications in order to satisfy his appetite for news of current events and their historical context. In addition to his intellectual curiosity, Glenn had a genuine interest in everyone he met, and was able to recall in remarkable detail the things they shared about themselves. The family would like to express our gratitude to his business partners and associates, who collaborated with him to bring mutual dreams to fruition; to fellow visionaries, who believed in his ability to bring vitality to communities; to his friends who conspired with him to always make having fun a top priority; and to Mom, whose unwavering support through 50 years of marriage made his successes possible. He was predeceased by his parents Iwao and Tsuyuno Kaya, and his devoted wife, Rene. He is survived by his brother George; children: Randall (Julianne), Cookie and Michael; and grandchildren: Christopher, Rachel, Rikio, Howie and Haylie. Services will be private, and the family requests no gifts. Condolences may be posted online at the Diamond Head Mortuary site. Arrangements Provided By: Diamond Head Mortuary Chapel