Birthday luncheon honors legendary 'Skippa' Diaz

By Ben Wood

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jan 27, 2012

~~MANY OF HAWAII'S top athletes have come out of Farrington High. Right up there with the best of them is Edward "Skippa" Diaz, a legendary football player, coach and teacher, who will be honored on his 68th birthday Feb. 17 at a Willows luncheon, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Skippa graduated from Farrington in 1962 and loves the school, where he also spent 21 years as a coach and teacher. "Farrington is the best high school in the world, as far as I'm concerned," he said. Skippa taught world history, science and a special motivation program to keep kids on the right path. He said he enjoyed working with students: "They keep you young." He advised them "to be good people, love their parents, help their families and get the best education they can find."
Skippa has cancer. "Skip has gastric adenocarcinoma stage four, which had already metastasized by the time it was discovered," said his wife, the former Mary Krause. When the doctor informed Skip of his diagnosis in 2010, he taped his fingers, got in his three-point stance, and dug in to fight the disease." (That's the kind of guy Skippa Diaz is.) There is no stage V for this cancer, Mary said. "He has far outlived the prognosis by doctors. We are treasuring each day we have together with family and friends." Skippa says he appreciates prayers. Travel was on their bucket list and they have taken trips across the U.S. and to China, Europe and Canada.
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MANY OF HAWAII'S top athletes have come out of Farrington High. Right up there with the best of them is Edward "Skippa" Diaz, a legendary football player, coach and teacher, who will be honored on his 68th birthday Feb. 17 at a Willows luncheon, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Skippa graduated from Farrington in 1962 and loves the school, where he also spent 21 years as a coach and teacher. "Farrington is the best high school in the world, as far as I'm concerned," he said. Skippa taught world history, science and a special motivation program to keep kids on the right path. He said he enjoyed working with students: "They keep you young." He advised them "to be good people, love their parents, help their families and get the best education they can find."

Skippa has cancer. "Skip has gastric adenocarcinoma stage four, which had already metastasized by the time it was discovered," said his wife, the former Mary Krause. When the doctor informed Skip of his diagnosis in 2010, he taped his fingers, got in his three-point stance, and dug in to fight the disease." (That's the kind of guy Skippa Diaz is.) There is no stage V for this cancer, Mary said. "He has far outlived the prognosis by doctors. We are treasuring each day we have together with family and friends." Skippa says he appreciates prayers. Travel was on their bucket list and they have taken trips across the U.S. and to China, Europe and Canada. Login for more...