Robin Midkiff Obituary

ROBIN STARR MIDKIFF She was born on September 29, 1950, and died peacefully at her home on July 18, 2023. Robin was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Robert R. (Bob) and Evanita Midkiff. She was the second of five children. On her father's side, she was a descendant of missionaries Amos Starr Cooke and Juliette Montague Cooke, who were teachers at the Chiefs' Children's School. On her mother's side, she was a descendant of Paul Neumann, who defended Queen Lili'uokalani at her trial and served as her personal attorney. The Queen embroidered his name on the quilt she made which is now at Iolani Palace. Robin attended Kahala Elementary, Punahou School (class of 1968), and Stanford University. She retired from First Hawaiian Bank, after working at Chase Bank (Honolulu) and Wells Fargo Bank in San Francisco. She had a great legacy of volunteer work, serving as the President of the Washington Place Foundation and as a Board Member of the Atherton Family Foundation. She was a member of the Daughters of Hawaii and the National Society of Colonial Dames of America. She served as President of the Bishop Museum Board. She was also the President of the Mission Houses Museum and served on the board for eleven years. She became very interested in environmental causes, and joined the Nature Conservancy and Conservation International. She was very proud of the Atherton Family Foundation's support for the Polynesian Voyaging Society and for the translation of the Hawaiian Bible, the Baibala Project. Robin is survived by a son, Erich Atherton Deines, and a daughter, Anita Starr Deines, and three grandchildren, Benjamin M. Brown, Syed S. Brown, and Nasser W. Brown. She is also survived by two sisters, Mary Midkiff Fiedler and Shelley S. Midkiff, and two brothers, Robert R. Midkiff Jr. and David W. Midkiff. Services will be held on Saturday, September 23, 2023, from 2-5 at the Punahou School Chapel, 1601 Punahou Street, Honolulu, HI 96822. Donations in Robin's memory may be made to Washington Place Foundation, 320 S. Beretania St., Honolulu, 96813, or to Punahou School, 1601 Punahou St., Honolulu, 96822. Arrangements Provided By: Oahu Mortuary