Isle businessman aided in Waikoloa development

Will Sanburn, a retired Honolulu business executive and longtime community volunteer, died Oct. 12 at his home in Portlock. He was 91.

A 2003 Star-Bulletin article said Sanburn worked for Container Corp. of America, ran an iron-casting company and was general manager for Boise Cascade, Hopaco and Boise Cascade Office Supplies covering the United States, Canada and Hawaii.

He led the development of the 31,000-acre Waikoloa resort and town on Hawaii island for Boise Cascade.

Sanburn was born in Springfield, Mass., and graduated from Yale University. He served in the Navy during World War II aboard the USS San Diego, a light cruiser, in the Pacific. After the war he attended Harvard Business School. He and Marta Matson of San Francisco married in 1951 and moved to Hawaii in 1965.

He was a longtime director of Junior Achievement of Hawaii and served as chairman of the Central Union Church board of trustees. He was a charter member of the Visitor Industry Education Council, Hawaii Resort Developers Conference and the Leeward Hawaii Planning Conference.

Sanburn is survived by sons Curt and Peter, daughters Laura Van Lier Ribbink and Kai Sanburn, and nine grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held Nov. 10 at 10 a.m. at Atherton Chapel at Central Union Church. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests tax-deductible contributions in Sanburn’s memory to Junior Achievement of Hawaii. Send checks payable to "JA Hawaii" to 2909 Waialae Ave., Box 10, Honolulu, HI 96826.