Remembering Mark Lee
4 comments July 16th, 2008
Let me first acknowledge Guy Muraoka for his outstanding effort in creating and maintaining our awesome KHS ’75 web site and keeping us informed on class activities. This blog is a great way to communicate.
I want to take a moment to remember our classmate and my close friend, Mark Lee, who attended Niu Valley Intermediate and lived in Aina Haina.
Mark was a brilliant artist, musician, and writer. He wore his hair down to his shoulders, and was as kind, gentle person. Mark and I were Debate Club partners and took second place in statewide competition. Mark dated classmate, Consulina Wong. Mark attended the Ivy League School, Brown University in Rhode Island for one year, before returning to Hawaii.
During his year at Brown, he became extremely depressed. For those of us who attended university on the mainland at age 18, it was a time of growing up, isolation, home sickness, and sometimes experiencing bone chilling and depressing winters. His loving family was supportive and welcomed him to return to Hawaii. Mark returned to Hawaii and was diagnosed in a manic – depressive state and was placed on lithium medication.
My last contact with Mark was when I returned home from the US Naval Academy during Christmas vacation 1976. I visited him in the hospital with Consulina and his older sister Liz. We laughed and sang songs together. However, I didn’t grasp the full gravity of the depth of his depression, nor what was about to happen.
In February 1977, Mark committed suicide at his home. He was later buried in Hawaiian Memorial Park in Kaneohe.
Many decades have since past. But I still miss my dear beloved friend, Mark Lee. God rest his soul.
Aloha,
Brian Yanagi, President
Kalani HS Class of 1975