William Mullahey Obituary

WILLIAM MICHAEL MIKE MULLAHEY William Michael Mullahey - who went by Michael or Mike - was born on Christmas Day, December 25, 1935, to Mary Mason and William Justin Mullahey. Mike would say that Christmas Day was the best time to celebrate a birthday because on that one day, people were nice to each other! Mike had a full life: raised in Waikiki/Waikiki Beach and the Big Island, Mike played high school (Punahou) and college (Santa Rosa Jr College, Stanford, University of Arizona) football as a tackle, served in the Marine Corps, received a degree in City & Regional Planning, had a family, worked as a land use planner and developer, a general and a specialty contractor. He also pondered the dimensions of human nature, life's lessons and the path for intentional living. Mike received his construction chops building bridges on the Hamakua Coast and working on the original Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. He would return to the Mauna Kea Beach for years on visits as it reflected on a more gracious time and place and was located on the best beach in the State. As a land use planner, Mike worked on launching the State Land Use Law and helping shape the built environment and future growth of Hilo, Lanai and Ponape, Malaysia, and later the development of a retirement community and residential housing. As a General Contractor, he would build single family homes for Kona families and assist the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan to explore the outer reaches of the universe with the Subaru Telescope. Subaru is known as the Pleiades or the Seven Sisters. As a Specialty Contractor Mike installed passenger boarding bridges, baggage handling systems and airport security screening. Mike was kind, curious, conscientious, a good person and a devoted friend - and he was cherished! There is a certain wonderfulness in spending your entire adult life with one person - a joy that is so deeply felt and will be greatly missed! Mike left us on October 12, 2024. A voracious reader, you are invited to celebrate Mike's life through a donation to the Hawaii State Public Library System. All donations will go into a special fund that will support books and programs that ignite curiosity and inspire the life of the mind in our communities. Please send to: Office of the State Librarian, ATTN: W. Michael Mullahey Trust, 44 Merchant Street, Honolulu, HI 96813. Arrangements Provided By: Nuuanu Memorial Park & Mortuary LLC