Earl W.Q. Kim, a retired press superintendent for the Hawaii Newspaper Agency and an HNA employee for 48 years, died at Kaiser Medical Center Dec. 7. He was 83.

Kim, born in Honolulu, began working at the newspaper presses as a teenager in 1945.

"He started at the bottom bottom bottom," his daughter, Christine Fielding, said. "I don’t think he could get any lower."

He worked his way up to press superintendent, which put him in charge of the production of both Honolulu daily newspapers. He held that position for many years before retiring in 1994.

"My dad was very, very well liked, and he knew everyone in all the departments," Fielding said. "They always came to him if they needed help. … He always went out of his way to help people, always."

As press superintendent, Kim was on call 24 hours a day. If a big story broke out or he needed to check up on something, he went back to the press at night, Fielding said. Sometimes he took her along.

"I remember the whole place was just covered in black ink," she said, recounting how she liked to run and climb on the metal staircases surrounding the presses. "That ink just didn’t come out."

Kim is survived by wife Emmy-June; sons Monte, Don and Robin; daughter Christine Fielding; and two grandchildren.

Visitation is at 5 p.m. today at Nuuanu Memorial Park & Mortuary. Services will follow at 6 p.m.