ROSEMARY FAZIO Obituary

ROSEMARY TERESA FAZIO Rosemary passed away quietly at her home on November 7, 2023. Rosemary was born in Yonkers, New York on October 3, 1949. She completed her primary education in Yonkers and received an academic scholarship to Fordham University in New York, where she graduated summa cum laude in 1971 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy with a minor in Spanish language. While at Fordham she took time to study abroad at the Sorbonne University in Paris, becoming fluent in French. Upon returning, she continued her studies at the University of Toronto earning a Master of Arts degree in Philosophy in 1972. She came to Hawaii in 1973 and continued her education, receiving a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Hawaii. She received her Doctor of Law degree from the William S. Richardson School of Law in 1978a member of the third class of graduates. Rosemary proudly devoted her entire legal career to the Ashford and Wriston law firm where she was a partner for more than 30 years. Her legal practice focused on real property and complex commercial litigation, and arbitration transactions. Rosemary was admitted and qualified as an Attorney and Counsellor of the Supreme Court of the United States of America in 1983. She was named as one of the best lawyers in Hawaii in the fields of real estate litigation, arbitration and eminent domain and condemnation every year from 1995 through 2023 in "The Best Lawyers in America." In addition to maintaining her private practice, Rosemary was active in the legal community. She chaired the State Judicial Selection Commission from 2003-2009. She served as secretary to the Hawaii Federal Judicial Selection Committee. She served as treasurer and director of the Hawaii State Bar Association as well as the Young Lawyers Division of the Hawaii State Bar Association. She was appointed by the Hawaii Supreme Court to serve on the Attorney Disciplinary Board, where she served for nine years. She was appointed by the Hawaii Supreme Court to serve on the Hawaii Judicial Performance Committee. She was a director of the Alumni Association of the University of Hawaii School of Law and the Friends of the Law School. She served as the Representative of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference. She was a member of the Hawaii Chapter of Lambda Alpha International - an honorary global land and economics society, for which she served as president. This past October, Rosemary received the Ki'e Ki'e Award from the Hawaii State Bar Association in recognition of her many years of pro bono services to the community. She was particularly proud, and very happy, to have provided volunteer legal services to our service men and women at the Kaneohe Marine Corps Base Hawaii. She donated her services on a weekly basis for four years. In recognition of this work, she received the United States President's Volunteer Service Award for the years 2020, 2021 and 2022. Rosemary served the community as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Historic Hawaii Foundation. Additionally, until 2019 she was a member of the Board of Directors of Hawaii Public Radio, where she served as the chair for three years. She served on the Board of Directors of the Waikiki Improvement Association. At various times in the past, she served as a director at Child and Family Services, the YWCA (East Oahu) and the Outdoor Circle. She was a member of the Rotary Club of Honolulu Sunrise from 1990-1997. She was an active member of the Honolulu Elks Lodge 616. Rosemary loved hiking and camping and backpacking. Her favorite island camping trip was into Haleakala Crater (multiple times). She loved to run the Honolulu marathon - which she did more than 25 times. She loved opera. She loved to travel the world with her friends. She adored all animals..with a special fondness for golden retrievers. She treasured living in Hawaiiits people, culture, natural beauty and warm weather. She was a tireless mentor of her younger colleagues. She was a strong supporter of her family and all of her friends. Rosemary was a passionately dedicated wife to her husband of 43 years providing limitless support to him every day of their marriage. Rosemary is survived by her husband David Randell, mother Rosemary Anne Fazio, brothers Daniel Fazio and John Fazio, sister Leela Fazio Fiorino, and niece Stephanie Fazio Brodsky. She was pre-deceased by her father Nicholas Albert Fazio. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Hawai'i Land Trust.