If any of you live in or grew up in Hawaii, you probably knew him, Dave Donnelly. He was a DJ on KPOI known as “The Moose” (I remember he was the one who got to greet and escort the Monkees when they came to Honolulu, which impressed the 12-year-old me considerably!), then became the TV children’s host Mr. Checkers, and then spent the last 30 years writing a column for the Star-Bulletin.
He was my mom’s youngest brother, 18 years younger than her; none of us ever really knew him too well because she was grown and gone by the time he was born, and then as soon as he grew up and got out of the Navy he went to Hawaii (which the Navy had introduced him to) and stayed. I think I only saw him two or three times in my whole life, and communicated a few times in recent years by email, but never really had a chance to get to know him. I always meant to go out to Hawaii and visit him, but it just never happened.
It’s kind of weird to realize that a relative of mine will probably be missed by more strangers than by much of his own family, but I guess that’s the way life turns out sometimes. Anyway, for any Hawaii-connected dopers, here’s his obit from the Star-Bulletin.
