Richard Cawley Obituary

RICHARD THOMAS CAWLEY 88, passed away on June 29, 2025, in Kailua. He was born on November 9, 1936, in Cambridge, MA, to Francis Joseph Cawley and Marguerite (Lenahan) Cawley. Known as Dick, he was an accomplished teacher and school principal on military bases overseas for more than 30 years. Private services were held on August 22, 2025, in Honolulu. Dick attended Cambridge High and Latin School, where he played football and ran track and field. He went on to receive his B.S. in Education from Boston State College in 1960 and his M.Ed. in 1964. In 1974 he received his doctorate in Educational Administration from the University of Southern California. After teaching 6th grade in Billerica, Mass., he joined the Department of Defense Dependent Schools. His first assignment was at Johnson Air Force Base in Japan, where he met his wife, Charlotte Sakamoto, a first-grade teacher from Lahaina, Maui. They were married at Johnson AFB in 1963 and began a life of teaching in Japan, Germany, Italy, Okinawa, and the Philippines. Their daughter, Carolyn, was born in Germany in 1966. He and Charlotte traveled to more than 50 countries before retiring from federal service in 1995. His favorites were Ireland, Hong Kong, Egypt, and Lebanon. In retirement he enjoyed playing golf and continued to travel across the United States as well as globally. He is survived by Charlotte, his wife of 62 years; daughter Carolyn and son-in-law Christian Westermann of Washington, D.C., and grandchildren, Charlotte and Anders, who were the light of his life. He also leaves behind three nieces (Eileen Labao, and Claire and Barbara Moran) and two nephews (Tim and Bob Moran), all living in Massachusetts. This was a life well lived! Sayonara, Auf Wiedersehen, Arrivederci, Adios! Arrangements Provided By: Hosoi Garden Mortuary