A gifted leader and devoted family man, Dan Case was animated by a commitment to helping others that remained constant through a childhood spent on a Kauai sugar plantation, distinguished service with the Navy, and a 60-year career as one of Hawaii’s most successful attorneys and steadfast civic volunteers.
Case died at his home in Honolulu on Friday. He was 91.
Case grew up on the Grove Farm sugar plantation, where his father worked as an office manager. At age 12, he traveled to Oahu to attend Punahou School. He was a senior when the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor occurred, and he and his classmates finished their schooling at Central Union Church while the Punahou campus was under military command.
After high school, Case attended
Williams College in Massachusetts, where he set records as a competitive swimmer and co-captained the school’s championship swim team. In 1945, he joined the Navy and served on an elite underwater demolition team that was a precursor to the Navy SEALs.
After four years of service, Case entered law school at the University of Denver.
He returned to Hawaii to practice law, accepting the first job offer that came his way. He would remain at Pratt, Tavares &Cassidy — later Case, Lombardi &Pettit — until his retirement in 2012.
Shortly after returning to Hawaii, Case met his future wife, Carol, at a friend’s wedding. The two were married for 61 years.
While Case earned a reputation as an astute, principled attorney, he was equally well known for his business and community leadership.
In 2000, Case’s son, Steve, co-founder of America Online and former chairman of AOL Time Warner, bought Grove Farm and Case assumed the position of chairman, which he held for 15 years. Case oversaw the former sugar plantation’s transition to a new emphasis on community development, sustainable initiatives and property management. Grove Farm now encompasses the original Grove Farm plus Koloa Plantation and Lihue Plantation — a total of 38,000 acres.
“Because Dan was born in Lihue and raised on the Grove Farm lands, he had an intimate knowledge of the area,” said Grove Farm President and Chief Executive Officer Warren Haruki. “He knew where the best swimming holes were, where the fishing was good and where certain types of plants — like mountain apple, guava and maile — could be found.
“He had a wealth of business savvy and expertise and he guided a lot of the major decisions on land use for us,” Haruki said. “Through his passion for education, the Grove Farm Scholarships were established and three deserving public school graduates on Kauai get $20,000 scholarships each year. Most of all, he was a genuine gentleman, he cared about everyone deeply, and he was extremely generous in sharing his time and incredible knowledge. Together, we spent hours reminiscing about our childhood years on Kauai and I will always value those special times of sharing with Dan. It was a rare privilege to know him.”
Case’s influence was widespread. He was an investor and board member for Oahu Publications, which owns the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, and sat on the board of Maui Land &Pineapple. He also served as president of the Rotary Club of Honolulu and the Hawaii State Bar Association.
Throughout his life, Case retained close ties to his high school alma mater, serving on the Punahou School board of trustees for 30 years, including 10 as chairman. He also chaired the school’s 150th anniversary celebration and was a recipient of the “O” in Life Award, the school’s highest honor.
Case was preceded in death by his eldest son, Dan, in 2002. He is survived by wife Carol, sons Steve and Jeff, daughter Carin, daughter-in-law Stacey, brother Jim and 12 grandchildren.
A celebration of life will be held at 4 p.m. Sept. 3 at Punahou School’s Thurston Memorial Chapel, followed by a reception at the President’s Pavilion. In lieu of flowers, donations honoring Case’s legacy may be made to Punahou School (808ne.ws/299rCAd) or Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure (808ne.ws/29aedEg).
