M.GAY CONKLIN Obituary

M.GAY CONKLIN, a long-time Honolulu resident, former attorney and District Court judge, avid sportswoman and bridge enthusiast, died peacefully at home on March 31, 2024 at the age of 97. Gay was born August 30, 1926 in Minneapolis, MN to Arthur Pieper Smith and Maryan Wheeler. She grew up in Minneapolis and attended Vassar College. During a planned round-the-world trip with a girlfriend in 1949, she fell in love with Hawaii (and her future husband) and cut short her trip. From 1952-69, Gay was a human resources specialist for Castle & Cooke. She then returned to Minneapolis to earn her J.D. degree from the University of Minnesota Law School. Back in Hawaii in 1972, she spent four years in the Attorney General's office, established a private law practice and in 1978 became a per-diem judge under Chief Justice William Richardson. In 1980 she became one of Hawaii's first female District Court judges. After her years in District Court, she again served as a Circuit Court per-diem judge until her retirement from the practice of law in 1986. For her next career, Gay earned a Masters in Teaching English as a Second Language, and was an instructor, at UH-Manoa, while pursuing her love of the outdoors and international adventure travel. She hiked on and toured six continents into her 90s. At age 60, she summited 19,340-foot Mt. Kilimanjaro. Gay was an enthusiastic golfer, hiker, and swimmer off Waikiki Beach. She was one of the first women to gain full membership at Waialae Country Club and actively participated in the Hawaii Trail and Mountain Club, YMCA of Oahu, Sierra Club and other sports and outdoor organizations. Her community involvement extended to the Honolulu Academy of Arts, Nature Conservancy, Honolulu Press Club and Hawaii State Bar Association. Gay was also an avid bridge player and instructor who recently earned her Silver Life Master certificate from the American Contract Bridge League. She was a member and past president of ACBL Bridge Unit 470. She was predeceased by her parents, and her older brothers: Arthur Pieper Smith III, Wheeler Smith and David Winthrop Smith. She is survived by many nephews and nieces, and their children, who miss her and cherish the memory of her remarkable life.