DC-3 cabin crew gathers for lunch, hula, memories

Beautiful and graceful hula was the main course as Hawaiian Airlines DC-3 hostesses, stewardesses and flight attendants gathered for the Koa‘e Kea club’s annual luncheon held at the Waialae Country Club April 30. The gals made sure some of their handsome retired pilots were also in the house, including Capt. Richard Barcheski, who will turn 100 years old July 22.

It was a bit early but the crowd sang “Happy Birthday” to him anyway. The hostesses said he was their mentor. He gave Koa‘e Kea founders Abigail Leong Funn Chong and Carol Mae Stibbard Vanderford guidance in starting Koa‘e Kea, which means “high-flying bird” in Hawaiian.

Barcheski flew for Hawaiian for 30 years. He took a year and a half off to fly with the U.S. Air Force during the Berlin Airlift in the late 1940s. His official birthday party will be held July 22 at the Hale Koa Hotel.

Mihana Souza, in a bright yellow muumuu and colorful head lei, sang Hawaiian favorites as the women danced hula at the luncheon. They included Likelike Davis, Dana Fujikake and emcee Hale Rowland, all from Greta Hegerfeldt’s Halau Hui Na Wahine Hula Nani. They did Lena Machado’s rascal “Ho‘onanea” and the flowing moves to “White Ginger Blossoms.”

Others who brought their “A” game to hula were former New York Lexington Hotel’s Hawaiian Room dancer Te Moana Makolo, Pua Ena Lupunui Ching, Kalei Cadinha and Rose Mary Eberhardt. Mihana walked through the room singing table-to-table with her guitar when dancers took a break. Speakers included Ann Botticelli, the airline’s senior VP for corporate communications and public affairs, and Sue Murphy Moss, manager of in-flight operations for the airline’s Honolulu and Los Angeles bases.

A moment of silence was held for former DC-3 host Allan Lloyd and hostesses Angeline “Pewee” Hopkins Lacey, May “Skippy” Hodges Sweet and Patsy Kanahele Hicks, all of whom died fairly recently.

One of the prizes donated during the luncheon was an autographed photo of “Magnum, P.I.” star Tom Selleck, with a DVD of his current TV series, “Blue Bloods.” Vicki Borges, widow of singer Jimmy Borges, won that prize. Pua Paoa McGinness, a former HAL hostess, has been Tom’s personal assistant for 32 years.

A call to Pua verified that Tom donated the prize. Her dad is a cousin of Duke Paoa Kahanamoku. Pua also worked for Hawaiian and Northwest Orient as a flight attendant and was an executive assistant to the Continental Airlines general manager before joining Tom. I worked with Tom and Pua during his “Magnum” years. Pua said Monday she is still in contact with David Muntz, a former Hawaii resident who has been on Tom’s team as his driver and security man for 40 years and is still with him today.

HOPPING ALONG

Successful attorney Todd Rothbard, who could have been a comedian, judging from his answers when questioned, has been hopping around Hilton Hawaiian Village grounds for 35 years on Easter Sundays in a bunny suit.

“I’m 67 going on 12,” he said.

And how did the Saratoga, Calif., attorney get such an important and high holiday position? Todd says he was selected for three reasons: his charming personality; his good looks; and he was the only one who fit in the bunny suit.

Todd is not a big man but is strong and dedicated. When the bunny suit wore out, he replaced it himself.

Besides mixing and playing with kids and their parents on Easter, Todd is quite a serious walker. On his visits during the year he takes daily walks from the Hilton Hawaiian Village to the Kahala Hotel and back, calling it his “11.8-mile road trip.” He sometimes does it twice in one day.

He is also a powerlifter who could bench press 375 pounds in his prime, more than three times his body weight of 118. He is 5-foot-5 and his friends called him Mighty Mouse, he said. Todd has the franchise for Teddy’s Bigger Burgers in Woodinville, Wash.

Among his favorite Honolulu restaurants are Hy’s, BLT, Wolfgang’s, Hoku’s and Tony Roma’s. He said his favorite restaurant of all time was the Third Floor, long gone.

Ben Wood, who sold newspapers on Honolulu streets during World War II, writes of people, places and things. Contact him via email at bwood@staradvertiser.com.